Multisatellite investigations of substorm onsets

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Adv. Space Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5881023

Hughes, W J; Smits, D P; Cattell, C A; Russell, C T

Substorm onsets, identified by Pi2 pulsations observed on the AFGL Magnetometer Network, have been studied using ISEE 1 electric and magnetic field data and GOES 2 and GOES 3 magnetic field data. The relative positions of the spacecraft with respect to the substorm current system were determined from the Pi2 polarizations. One onset occurred when ISEE 1 and GOES 2 were on the same field line but in opposite hemispheres. During this onset ISEE 1 and GOES 2 observed magnetic signatures which appear to be due to conjugate field-aligned-currents flowing out of the western edge of the westward electrojets. A broadband burst of wave noise was seen in the ISEE 1 electric field at the same time as field-aligned-currents were observed. These may be current driven ion cyclotron waves. A three-minute perturbation in the electric field data prior to the initial substorm onset indicates that there was an azimuthal westward flow of plasma starting about 1 min before the substorm onset. 7 references.

• Research Organization: Boston Univ., MA; California Univ., Berkeley; California Univ., Los Angeles
• OSTI ID: 5881023
• Report Number(s): CONF-8406167-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Adv. Space Res.; (United States) Journal Volume: 5:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTROJETS
EXPLORER SATELLITES
FLUID MECHANICS
GOES SATELLITES
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETIC STORMS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
PULSATIONS
SATELLITES