Two Variable Modelling of Equatorward Boundary of Auroral Precipitation,
Abstract
This report summarizes a procedure for two variable fitting of the equatorward boundary of electron precipitation. A least squares minimization approach is used. The SSJ/3 detector consists of a set of two curved plate electrostatic analyzers designed to measure the flux of precipitating electrons in the energy range from 50 eV to 20 KeV. The detectors are flown routinely on the satellites of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The data returned from the detectors have been used to conduct an extensive study of the systematics of the shape and motion of the equatorward boundary of auroral precipitation. The equatorward extent of auroral precipitation is a key boundary condition on the state of the earth's magnetosphere. Each pass of the satellite over the auroral oval provides two boundary determinations. One technique for studying the boundary is to tag each pair of boundary determination with the magnetic local times in which they occur and to consider each pair of two crossings to have been made simultaneously. These pairs of points can then be separated into classes according to the magnetic local time zones associated with each boundary location. Since the orbit of the satellite is nearly sun synchronous the same pairs of magnetic local time zones are passed through each day such that the number of local time zone classes is limited.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 09, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA104378
Entities
People
- N. Scotti
- P. Tsipouras