Anomalous resistivity of the auroral plasma in the top-side ionosphere

Using plasma parameters from a stormtime ionospheric energy balance model, we have investigated a steady state level of electrostatic ion cyclotron turbulence. It has been determined that ion temperature anisotropy is responsible for the saturation rather than one‐dimensional ion heating. Both the electrical resistivity and ion anisotropy are evaluated as functions of altitude and field aligned Birkeland current.