Ionospheric response to variable electric ®elds in small-scale auroral structures

• Main Authors: B. S. Lanchester, M. H. Rees, K. J. F. Sedgemore, J. R. Palmer, H. U. Frey, K. U. Kaila
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: EISCAT
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.371.5315; http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/31/64/58/PDF/angeo-16-1343-1998.pdf

Abstract. High time and space resolution optical and radar measurements have revealed the in¯uence of electric ®elds on E-region electron density pro®les in small-scale auroral structures. Large electric ®elds are present adjacent to auroral ®laments produced by monoenergetic electron ¯uxes. The ionisation pro®les measured within and beside the auroral ®laments show the e€ects of plasma convection due to electric ®elds as well as the consequences of the response time to large and dynamic ¯uxes of energetic electrons. Without highresolution optical measurements, the interpretation of the radar data is limited. Key words. Auroral ionosphere á Ionospheremagnetosphere interactions á EISCAT 1