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Sondrestrom

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Full-Text Articles in Physics

On The Reversal From “Sunward” To “Antisunward” Plasma Convection In The Dayside High Latitude Ionosphere, T S. Jorgensen, E Friis-Christensen, Vincent B. Wickwar, J D. Kelly, C R. Clauer, P M. Banks Jan 1984

On The Reversal From “Sunward” To “Antisunward” Plasma Convection In The Dayside High Latitude Ionosphere, T S. Jorgensen, E Friis-Christensen, Vincent B. Wickwar, J D. Kelly, C R. Clauer, P M. Banks

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Preliminary observations of dayside high latitude ionospheric plasma convection with the Sondrestrom incoherent‐scatter radar indicate that plasma can be observed to enter the polar cap region through rotational reversals at most local times between dawn and dusk and not just in a narrow region around noon. Assuming that rotational reversals are signatures of a solar wind‐magnetosphere interaction which drives magnetospheric convection, the observations indicate that this interaction occurs over a longitudinally wide area of the dayside magnetosphere. The observations also show that the distribution of F‐region plasma in the polar cap is dependent on ionization sources anywhere between dawn and …


Very High Electron Temperatures In The Daytime F-Region At Sondrestrom, W Kofman, Vincent B. Wickwar Jan 1984

Very High Electron Temperatures In The Daytime F-Region At Sondrestrom, W Kofman, Vincent B. Wickwar

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Sondrestrom observations show that a characteristic F‐region signature of the interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere is a narrow band of elevated electron temperatures. Its location is associated with the ion convection reversal in the morning and evening convection cells. Typically, near 500 km altitude, the temperature is 3500 to 4000 K. However, on 24 April 1983, a geomagnetically very active day with Kp values of 6‐ during the period of interest, the electron temperature reached 6000 K in the afternoon convection reversal. The ion velocities were between 1 and 2 km/s on both sides of the reversal. There was …


Initial Millstone Hill, Sondrestrom, And Hilat Observations Of Thermospheric Temperatures And Frictional Heating, W L. Oliver, J C. Foster, J M. Holt, G B. Loriot, Vincent B. Wickwar, J D. Kelly, O De La Beaujardiere, P F. Bythrow, D I. Meng, F J. Rich, R E. Huffman Jan 1984

Initial Millstone Hill, Sondrestrom, And Hilat Observations Of Thermospheric Temperatures And Frictional Heating, W L. Oliver, J C. Foster, J M. Holt, G B. Loriot, Vincent B. Wickwar, J D. Kelly, O De La Beaujardiere, P F. Bythrow, D I. Meng, F J. Rich, R E. Huffman

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Elevation scan observations made by the Millstone Hill and Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radars are combined to provide extended latitudinal coverage of thermospheric measurements. Maps of the latitudinal and temporal structure of the exospheric temperature are presented for two 24‐hour periods over the latitude range 45 to 72 degrees north. On the magnetically quiet June day the Millstone and Sondrestrom data formed a consistent picture of thermospheric structure. On the disturbed July day the two radars observed very different behavior, with Millstone Hill observing strong, long‐lived ion frictional heating events but Sondrestrom observing more quiescent behavior. Comparison with HILAT satellite data …


Thermospheric Neutral Wind At –39° Azimuth During The Daytime Sector At Sondrestrom, Vincent B. Wickwar Jan 1984

Thermospheric Neutral Wind At –39° Azimuth During The Daytime Sector At Sondrestrom, Vincent B. Wickwar

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Measurements with the Sondrestrom radar have been used to examine the daytime thermospheric neutral wind and to relate that wind to other geophysical parameters. Ion drag is found to be particularly important for determining the wind pattern. However, evidence is presented that the wind pattern is significantly influenced by soft particle precipitation and, possibly, by Joule heating.