Observation of isotropic electron temperature in the turbulent E region

Abstract. Using EISCAT radar data, we find that electrons are strongly heated in the magnetic field-line direction during high electric field events. The remote site data show that the electron temperature increases in almost the same way in the field-perpendicular direction; electron heating by E region plasma turbulence is isotropic. We discuss the implications of our observation for the "plasmon"-electron as well as the wave Joule heating models of the anomalous electron heating in the E region.

Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; plasma temperature and density; plasma waves and instabilities)