On ion gyro-harmonic structuring in the stimulated electromagnetic emission spectrum during second electron gyro-harmonic heating

Abstract

Recent observations show that, during ionospheric heating experiments at frequencies near the second electron gyro-harmonic, discrete spectral lines separated by harmonics of the ion-gyro frequency appear in the stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) spectrum within 1 kHz of the pump frequency. In addition to the ion gyro-harmonic structures, on occasion, a broadband downshifted emission is observed simultaneously with these spectral lines. Parametric decay of the pump field into upper hybrid/electron Bernstein (UH/EB) and low-frequency ion Bernstein (IB) and oblique ion acoustic (IA) modes is considered responsible for generation of these spectral features. Guided by predictions of an analytical model, a two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) computational model is employed to study the nonlinear processes during such heating experiments. The critical parameters that affect the spectrum, such as whether discrete gyro-harmonic on broadband structures is observed, include angle of the pump field relative to the background magnetic field, pump field strength, and proximity of the pump frequency to the gyro-harmonic. Significant electron heating along the magnetic field is observed in the parameter regimes considered.