Behaviour of Low Energy Electrons Precipitating in the Upper Atmosphere-An Approach with the Discrete Ordinate Method

Abstract

The energy degradation of precipitating electrons with an energy range from 50eV to 600eV is investigated with special attention to the effect of anisotropic elastic collision. The discrete ordinate method is used for solving pitch angle distribution. It is found that pitch angle distribution of the penetrating fluxes are affected strongly by the phase function of scattering. The backscattered flux of several tenths of magnitude of the incident flux is obtained throughout energy range concerned. Pitch angle scattering due to elastic collision reduces the penetrating depth of electrons obtained in the case where only inelastic collisions are considered. Discussions on the validity of the discrete ordinate method are carried out.