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Radar observations of auroral electrojet currents

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research
Radar auroral backscatter as observed with a 50-MHz radar is compared with electrojet currents deduced from a set of four Alaskan magnetometers. This comparison indicates that diffuse radar auroral irregularities are collocated with the currents to within the spatial resolution afforded by the magnetometer network. This result implies that radar auroral backscatter may be a useful new technique for monitoring the location and direction of electrojet currents. The significance of this spatial association is discussed in terms of the gradient drift and two-stream plasma instabilities. Some consideration is given to relating radar backscatter intensity and electrojet current strength.
Research Organization:
Aeronomy Laboratory, NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories, Boulder, Colorado 80302
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-33-003904
OSTI ID:
4199224
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: 25 Vol. 80; ISSN 0148-0227
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English