Energy input from the exterior cusp into the ionosphere: Correlated ground-based and satellite observations

• Main Authors: Yordanova, E, Sundkvist, D, Buchert, SC, Andre, M, Ogawa, Y, Morooka, M, Margithu, O, Amm, O, Fazakerley, AN, Reme, H
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION 2007
• Subjects: Cluster; Region; Precipitation; Thermosphere; Dynamics; Model; EISCAT
• Online Access: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/162617/1/2006GL028617.pdf; https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/162617/

The energy transport from the exterior cusp into the ionosphere is investigated using coordinated ground-based (EISCAT and MIRACLE) and satellite ( Cluster) observations. EISCAT and MIRACLE data are used to estimate the plasma heating in the F-region and the Joule heating in the E-region. Cluster measurements are used to derive the electromagnetic and particle energy fluxes at the high altitudes. These fluxes are then compared with the energy deposition into the ionospheric cusp during a 30 minutes long time interval in which Cluster and EISCAT are nearly conjugated. It is shown that the particles seen at about 9 Re in the exterior cusp carry an earthward energy flux that corresponds to the observed heating of the F-region. The estimated earthward Poynting flux is more than enough to account for the Joule heating in the E-region.