Modeling of Anomalous Electron Heating and Comparisons to PFISR Observations

Abstract

Anomalous electron heating (AEH) in the auroral E region is widely attributed to Farley–Buneman turbulence, yet long‐standing inconsistencies remain among observed and modeled electron temperature–electric field relationships. We develop an AEH model that links (a) a heuristic nonlinear saturation theory for the parallel turbulent electric field, constrained by rocket measurements, with (b) a Boltzmann‐equation calculation of the resulting non‐Maxwellian electron distribution and electron temperature, including realistic inelastic electron–neutral cooling. The model is evaluated using 505 AEH events from a 14‐year Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar database and is consistent with the observed electron‐temperature response over a broad range of driving electric fields. By combining an observationally motivated saturation constraint with kinetic treatment of non‐Maxwellian effects, the model narrows discrepancies between prior observations and theories, and provides a practical framework for predicting AEH in space weather applications.