Simultaneous Chatanika Radar and S3-2 Satellite Measurements of Ionospheric Electrodynamics in the Diffuse Aurora.
Abstract
Simultaneous Chatanika radar and S3-2 satellite measurements have been used to investigate the spatial variation of the electrical properties of the auroral-zone ionosphere. Of special interest are the latitudinal variations of the ionospheric electric field, ionization, conductivity, and currents. This report compares the simultaneous radar and satellite measurements during two early-evening passes in February 1976. Measurements by the radar and satellite were remarkably consistent, except for the ionization and temperature measurements by the S3-2 Langmuir probe. During both passes, the equatorward boundary of the diffuse aurora was nearly overhead at Chatanika, Alaska. Although the configurations of ionization and conductivity were nearly identical in these two passes, the latitudinal variations of the ionospheric electric field and field-aligned current were quite dissimilar. In one pass (Revolution 1031 on 17 February 1976), the auroral electric field extended into the through, penetrating to about 2 deg equatorward of the diffuse aurora. In the other pass (Revolution 1144 on 25 February 1976), the electric field and field-aligned current were negligibly small in the trough, but were substantially enhanced at the diffuse auroral boundary. Because the ionospheric morphology was so similar on the two days, the source of the different electrodynamic patterns appears to be related to magnetospheric conditions. This report also identifies simultaneous data sets from early 1978, including examples of the radar measurements. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA104047
Entities
People
- Richard R. Vondrak
Organizations
- SRI International