Periodic longitudinal structure of field-aligned currents in the dawn sector: Large-scale meandering of an auroral electrojet
- Johns Hopkins Univ., Laurel, MD (United States)
The azimuthal structure of field-aligned current (FAC) systems is one of the target subjects of the Freja satellite`s magnetometer observation. In the event of May 28, 1993, the satellite observed large-amplitude fluctuations of the latitudinal, as well as the longitudinal, magnetic field components along a postmidnight-to-morning orbit. By combining radar and ground magnetometer data, the authors inferred that the associated FAC system has a periodic structure consisting of multiple FAC sheets inclined significantly from the azimuthal (east-west) direction and moving westward and possibly poleward. Such a structure may be interpreted in terms of the meandering of an auroral electrojet, and perhaps as the ionospheric projection of boundary waves. 10 refs., 4 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 28553
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 21, Issue 17; Other Information: PBD: 15 Aug 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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