Observations of the electric fields that accelerate auroral particles

Electric fields accelerate electrons and ions in the auroral zone at altitudes below 8000 km to produce several distinctive particle distributions. The electric field of electrostatic shocks and double layers produces the inverted-V precipitating electron and up-flowing ion beams. Electrostatic ion cyclotron waves heat ion beams. The electric field in low frequency plasma waves and electrostatic shocks produces ion conics and field-aligned or counterstreaming electrons. Relationships between electric fields and particle distributions are illustrated with data from the S3-3 satellite.