Laboratory simulations of suprauroral mechanisms leading to perpendicular ion heating and conic formation

Laboratory experiments are presented simulating aspects of perpendicular ion heating and conic formation that are observed or hypothesized to occur in the terrestrial ionosphere and magnetosphere. Previous laboratory observations of ion conics in the presence of the current‐driven electrostatic ion cyclotron wave are reviewed. Field‐aligned ion beams, accompanied by beam‐generated electrostatic ion cyclotron modes, resulted in perpendicular energization of beam ions and also the heating of background plasma ions. Antenna‐launched broadband and narrow‐band lower hybrid waves produced considerable perpendicular ion heating and non‐Maxwellian “tail” formation. Laboratory results are discussed in light of in situ measurements by the S3‐3 satellite and the MARIE sounding rocket.