Simulation of the current-driven electrostatic ion cyclotron instability

Particle simulations are employed in a self-consistent investigation of the growth and saturation of current-driven instabilities along auroral field lines. Ion cyclotron waves are found to grow to levels ephi/T/sub e/approx.0.2--0.4, which are comparable with the levels observed by the S3-3 satellite. In the present initial-value calculations, saturation is due to plateau formation on the electron distribution function. Excitation of the ion cyclotron waves leads to moderate (approx.40%) perpendicular heating of the ions but does not produce a high-energy tail. The associated anomalous resistivity is relativity small, ν(/ω/sub pe/approx.1 x 10-4. Implications of these results for observation of ion cyclotron waves on auroral field lines are discussed