First Kinetic 3‐D Simulations of the High‐Latitude Electrojet Spanning an Entire Turbulent Flux Tube
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Radar and rocket observations of the terrestrial ionosphere frequently measure turbulent plasma waves, especially during geospace storms. The non‐linear behavior of these waves remains poorly characterized. This paper presents the first fully kinetic 3‐D particle‐in‐cell simulations of Farley–Buneman (FB) turbulence spanning an entire high‐latitude ionospheric column from strongly collisional to nearly collisionless altitudes. These waves initially develop coherent density perturbations spanning kilometers along , having dominant flow angles that increase with altitude. As the FB turbulence saturates, energy cascades to longer wavelengths and spreads in ‐space. These simulations show turbulence‐driven electron heating and anomalous electron transport with a 21% enhancement in height‐integrated conductance for a system driven by an mV/m external field. Simulations like these will improve interpretations of observations and modeling of turbulence‐modified conductivities for space‐weather simulations.
Source: Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2025gl121042
Institution: Boston University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
Awards: Simulations and Theory of Electrojet Turbulence: Effects on Conductivities and Implications for Observations, Collaborative Research: Simulations, Theory and Observations of Plasma Turbulence and Heating Found in Solar Chromosphere, Characterization of Meteoroids and Meteors through Simulations and Remote Sensing Using High-Power Large-Aperture Radars, Track 1: ACCESS Resource Allocations Marketplace and Platform Services (RAMPS), Track 3: COre National Ecosystem for CyberinfrasTructure (CONECT), Solar Chromospheric Plasma Turbulence and Heating Driven by Neutral-Plasma Coupling, CEDAR: Atmospheric Neutral Density Dynamics through Meteor Observations, Track 2: Customized Multi-tier Assistance, Training, and Computational Help (MATCH) for End User ACCESS to CI, Collaborative Research: A Simulation and Theoretical Analysis of Meteor Evolution over Scales Ranging from Sub-microseconds to Minutes
OpenAlex ID: W7166321388