Observation of drift compressional waves with a mid-latitude decameter coherent radar

Abstract

Magnetospheric Pc5 pulsations observed on December 26, 2014 are analyzed. They were recorded in the nightside magnetosphere with a mid-latitude coherent decameter radar located near Ekaterinburg. It registers velocity variations in electric drift of ionospheric plasma caused by ULF waves in the magnetosphere. The westward direction of azimuthal propagation of wave coincides with the direction of magnetic drift of protons. A cross-wavelet analysis reveals that the frequency of oscillations depends on the wave number m, and the correlation between them is 0.90. The frequency increase from 2.5 to 5 mHz was followed by an increase in the absolute value m from 20 to 80. These features of the wave under study testify that it should be classified as a drift compressional mode which is typical for the ULF mode in kinetics. Existence conditions for it are the terminal pressure of plasma and its inhomogeneity across magnetic shells.