Collective processes during heating of the auroral ionosphere

The behavior of the high-latitude ionospheric F2-region plasma is investigated during its collective interaction with auroral electron beams. The anomalously high electron temperatures and their transversal gradients were repeatedly observed within the discrete auroral arcs possibly due to generation of plasma waves by these beams at the Cherenkov resonance and their dissipation due to collisions with ions and neutrals. A rapidly decreasing 2f(pe) radioemission frequency was also observed due to plasma wave conversion within the auroral thermal wave (similar to0.5 V/m was measured) into 2f(pe) electromagnetic waves and upward displacement of the plasma turbulence region. Calculations are made using a phenomenological source of ion hearing. The ion heating rate necessary for reaching up to the observed ion temperatures has been determined.