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Utah State University

1984

Plasma

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Electric Field And Plasma Density Measurements In The Auroral Electrojet, R. Pfaff, M. C. Kelley, Bela G. Fejer, E. Kudeki, C. W. Carlson, A. Pedersen, B. Hausler Jan 1984

Electric Field And Plasma Density Measurements In The Auroral Electrojet, R. Pfaff, M. C. Kelley, Bela G. Fejer, E. Kudeki, C. W. Carlson, A. Pedersen, B. Hausler

Bela G. Fejer

Intense electrostatic waves in the auroral E region have been detected simultaneously on two payloads launched in a mother-daughter configuration from Kiruna, Sweden. The data sets comprise electric field and density measurements from the ambient (dc) conditions to fluctuations as high as 50 kHz. The dc electric field measured by both payloads was 54 mV/m northwest, which corresponded to an electron drift velocity of 1080 m/s. This electric field drove two-stream waves perpendicular to both B and E observed by both spacecraft throughout an altitude region which agrees quite well with the range predicted by linear two-stream theory. The power …


Plasma Characteristics Of Polar Cap F-Layer Arcs, H C. Carlson Jr., Vincent B. Wickwar, E J. Weber, J Buchau, J G. Moore, W Whiting Jan 1984

Plasma Characteristics Of Polar Cap F-Layer Arcs, H C. Carlson Jr., Vincent B. Wickwar, E J. Weber, J Buchau, J G. Moore, W Whiting

All Physics Faculty Publications

First results are reported of a comprehensive campaign to measure ionospheric structure and dynamics of nighttime polar cap F‐layer or F‐region arcs. Airborne optical and digital ionosonde data were collected simultaneously with ground based incoherent scatter radar data, continuously over many hours in time and 500 to 1000 km in space. Polar cap F‐region sub‐visual auroral arcs, which are commonly observed during quiet magnetic conditions, are found to represent boundaries (or shears) in the polar cap plasma circulation pattern. F‐region electron concentration enhancements are found in these features and can be of significance to polar thermospheric circulation, composition, and thermal …