Ionospheric modulation by EMIC wave-driven proton precipitation: Observations and simulations

Protons of tens of keV can be resonantly scattered by electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves excited in the magnetosphere, resulting in proton precipitation down to the upper atmosphere. In this study, we report for the first time the ionospheric height-dependent ionization in response to EMIC-associated isolated proton aurora (IPA) using simultaneous space-borne and ground-based measurements. On 06 March 2019, the Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites observed significant proton precipitation in the dusk sector (MLT similar to 19), while ground-based magnetometers detected a clear signature of EMIC waves. Meanwhile, the conjugated all sky imager captured an IPA and the nearby Poker Flat incoherent scatter radar (PFISR) showed enhanced electron density in the E region, suggesting a potential consequence of the EMIC wave-driven proton precipitation. The Global Airglow model simulations confirmed the dominant impact of proton precipitation on the ionosphere and agreed well with PFISR observations. This study confirmed physical links from the magnetosphere to the ionosphere through EMIC-driven proton precipitation.