An extremely intense electron flux at 1000-kilometer altitude in the auroral zone
Journal Article
·
· Journal of Geophysical Research
The radiation-research satellite Injun I passed through an extremely large electron flux, at 1000 km altitude and high latitudes, around 2238 UT on September 25, 1961. The peak flux was 400 ergs (cm/sup 2/ sec ster)/sup -1/ from electrons with energy above 1 kev and 10/sup 8/ particles (cm/sup 2/ sec ster)/ sup -1/ with energy above 40 kev. The electron flux varied greatly both in intensity and spectral character during the satellite pass. For example, the intensity changed by a factor of about a million in a time of about 30 seconds or a distance of several hundred kilometers. The electron spectrum changed so greatly and so rapidly that, if a differential power-law spectrum was applied, values of the exponent ranged between above 4 and more than 14. At this time, the electron flux was measured with similar detectors on Explorer XII in the heart of the outer zone on the same magnetic shell but at a different longitude. Since the electron intensity and spectrum measured by Explorer XII were normal, the anomalous flux seen by Injun was confined in longitude. The Injun observations indicated that the flux was essentially isotropic over the upper hemisphere. The energy flux was sufficient to cause a very bright aurora, and the measurements were tabulated for comparison with auroral theories. The measurements proved that an acceleration mechanism in the ionosphere was not always necessary to produce an aurora. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Iowa State Univ., Iowa City
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-16-029624
- OSTI ID:
- 4787350
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 67; ISSN 0148-0227
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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