Coordinated satellite and ground-based measurements of the energy characteristics of a sun-aligned arc over Soendre Stroemfjord

Technical Report · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6932317

Niciejewski, R J; Meriwether, J W; McCormac, F G; Hecht, J H; Christensen, A B

A CEDAR campaign organized to observe Sun-aligned arcs from Soendre Stroemfjord, Greenland, obtained a coordinated satellite- and ground-based observation of the development and subsequent zenithal passage of a Sun-aligned transpolar arc on February 26, 1987. A broad array of ground-based optical instruments plus the Soendre Stroemfjord incoherent scatter radar characterized the optical and ionospheric parameters of the arc as it passed through the geomagnetic zenith. Optical instrumentation obtained detailed intensity measurements in the geomagnetic zenith for several auroral emissions and recorded the spatial and temporal evolution of the arc. During the transit of the arc the incoherent scatter radar was pointed in the geomagnetic zenith direction, providing electron density height profiles. the DMSP F6 satellite imaged a segment of the Sun-aligned arc and measured the precipitating flux along its path at the same time that ground-based measurements were being taken. All-sky images in N2(+) 1 NG and O I(6300 A) emissions reveal the progression of the arc from an F region feature to an E region feature and its resulting stability for the following 20 min as it drifted out of the zenith. Our results show that this event is best described by a soft electron precipitation with a very low upper limit imposed on the proton contribution.

• Research Organization: Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6932317
• Report Number(s): AD-A-221719/8/XAB; GL-TR--90-0105
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALIGNMENT
AURORAE
BARYONS
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
CURRENTS
DIMENSIONS
E REGION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMISSION
F REGION
FERMIONS
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
GREENLAND
HADRONS
HEIGHT
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
IONOSPHERE
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUCLEONS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
POLAR REGIONS
PROTONS
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SCATTERING