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Ground‐based observations of subauroral energetic‐electron arcs
Author(s) -
Vondrak R.,
Harris S.,
Mende S.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl010i007p00557
Subject(s) - incoherent scatter , electron precipitation , longitude , sky , riometer , latitude , photometer , geology , ionization , radar , night sky , physics , ionosphere , geophysics , geodesy , astrophysics , astronomy , ion , magnetosphere , plasma , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , computer science
On March 1, 1981 the spatial distributions of ionization and luminosity were monitored at Chatanika, Alaska with the incoherent‐scatter radar, an all‐sky television system, and meridian scanning photometers. The radar detected discrete regions of enhanced E‐region ionization at subauroral latitudes, more than 3° equatorward of the diffuse aurora. The high‐resolution all‐sky television measurements at 427.8 nm showed that the luminosity pattern resembles multiple auroral arcs; they are narrow in latitudinal width and they extend from horizon‐to‐horizon in an east‐west direction. These observations indicate the existence of a subauroral source of electron precipitation that is both narrow in latitude and extended in longitude.