A Correlation between Auroral Kilometric Radiation and Field-Aligned Currents.
Abstract
Simultaneous observations of field-aligned currents (FAC) and auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) are compared from the polar orbiting satellites Triad and Hawkeye. The Triad observations were restricted to the evening-to-midnight local time sector (19 to 01 hours magnetic local time) in the northern hemisphere. This is the region where it is believed the most intense storms of AKR originate. The Hawkeye observations were restricted to when the satellite was in the AKR 'emission cone' in the northern hemisphere and at radial distances = or > 7 R(E) (earth radii) to avoid local propagation cutoff effects. A (R/7 R(E)2 normalization to the power flux measurements of the kilometric radiation from Hawkeye is used to take into account the radial dependence of this radiation and to scale all intensity measurements such that they are independent of Hawkeye's position in the emission cone. Integrated field-aligned current intensities from Triad are determined from the observed transverse magnetic field disturbances. Statistically, there is a good correlation between the AKR intensity and the integrated curreent sheet intensity of field-aligned currents. It is found that as the intensity of auroral kilometric radiation increases so does the integrated auroral zone current sheet intensity increase.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA076413
Entities
People
- Donald A. Gurnett
- James Lauer Green
- Nicolaos A. Saflekos
- Thomas A. Potemra
Organizations
- University of Iowa