Study of a substorm on May 4, 1986

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-1177(88)90120-2· OSTI ID:6952924

Hones, E W; Craven, J D; Frank, L A; Galvin, A B; Murphree, J S; Elphinstone, R D; Elphic, R C

A substorm on May 4, 1986, midway through the PROMIS campaign of coordinated data acquisition, was uniquely well documented. Both in its aspects at earth and in its magnetotail aspects. The expansive phase onset was imaged by the Viking satellite at 20-second time resolution. Most of the expansive phase was also imaged by DE 1 at 6-minute time resolution. ISEE 1 and 2 were near the tail's axis 18.5 R/sub e/ from earth operating at high data rate and data were recorded by several geosynchronous satellites. This multi-satellite study provides evidence that the active substorm aurora occurs at the feet of field lines that map to a magnetic X-line in the near tail. The longitudinal extension of the aurora during a substorm is associated with cross-rail lengthening of the near-earth neutral line. The concept of the ''poleward leap'' of the auroral electrojet (and the auroras) as the culminating feature of the expansive phase finds further support in these data. 7 refs., 6 figs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA); Iowa Univ., Iowa City (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Maryland Univ., College Park (USA). Inst. for Physical Science and Technology; Calgary Univ., Alberta (Canada). Dept. of Physics; California Univ., Los Angeles (USA). Inst. of Geophysics and Planetary Physics
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6952924
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-88-2222; CONF-880780-1; ON: DE88014318
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
MAGNETIC STORMS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
STARS
SUN