Coordinated Radar and Satellite Studies of Ionospheric Currents in the Auroral Zone and Polar Cap.
Abstract
The objective is to provide real time surveillance of short term predictions in the electrodynamic state of the ionosphere and magnetosphere. The desired approach is to obtain all necessary environmental information by remote sensing or by in situ sampling from satellites; the necessary quantities include electric fields, ionospheric conductivities, and field-aligned currents. Recently, a DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) satellite has been launched from (Flight 7) equipped with a triaxial fluxgate magnetometer. To qualify this type of instrument for participation in the above objective, an investigation was invested to field aligned currents estimated from two different approaches: using magnetometer measurements made from the DMSP-F7 satellite and using ionospheric measurements made by the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar. Three events are analyzed when near simultaneous measurements were made by both instruments during satellite passes over the radar. Varying degrees of correlation were found in the derived field aligned currents. In all three cases, the gross features measured by the two methods were similar. The differences are discussed in terms of measurement error, analysis approximation, and geophysical uncertainties. Keywords: Polar cap; Ionospheric currents; Dayside cleft; Auroral zone; Field aligned currents; Convection electric field; High-latitude ionosphere; Incoherent-scatter radar; and Satellite magnetometer.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA169466
Entities
People
- Anne Q. Smith
- John D. Kelly
- Robert M. Robinson
- Roland T. Tsunoda
Organizations
- SRI International