Simultaneous observations of substorm electrons: Explorer 45 and ATS 5

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA082i004p00531· OSTI ID:7330021

Barfield, J N; DeForest, S E; Williams, D J

Simultaneous observations of substorm-associated electron flux variations made on the satellites Explorer 45 and ATS 5 are used to infer the value of the dawn-dusk electric field present during a substorm. The observations were made during a substorm which occurred on December 17, 1971, while the two satellites were in the evening local time sector, within the plasma sheet, and separated by approx. =1.5 R/sub E/ in radial distance. A comparison of the variations at the two satellites shows that the substorm onset was observed at ATS 5approx. =11 min before the onset at Explorer 45. We infer that a dawn-dusk electric field of approx. =11 kV/R/sub E/ (approx. =2 mV/m) was present during the substorm. We demonstrate that the observations made at the two satellites are compatible with the model of a uniform enhanced dawn-dusk electric field acting upon a particle source which is spatially uniform in the region from which particles are convected to synchronous orbit.

• Research Organization: Space Environment Laboratory, NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories, Boulder, Colorado 80302
• OSTI ID: 7330021
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 82:4; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATS SATELLITES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON DRIFT
EXPLORER SATELLITES
MAGNETIC BAYS
PLASMA SHEET
SATELLITES