Characteristics of the high-latitude trough

The EISCAT radar has provided data for a comprehensive study of the high-latitude trough in electron concentration, which occurs in the auroral zone. In this paper the characteristics of the trough are illustrated, the method of its formation is outlined and important features of the trough are desc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advances in Space Research
Main Authors: Jones, G.O.L., Williams, P.J.S., Winser, K.J., Lockwood, Mike
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: 1990
Subjects:
Online Access:https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/38869/
https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-1177(90)90253-V
Description
Summary:The EISCAT radar has provided data for a comprehensive study of the high-latitude trough in electron concentration, which occurs in the auroral zone. In this paper the characteristics of the trough are illustrated, the method of its formation is outlined and important features of the trough are described. A large upward velocity along the geomagnetic field line is shown to play a significant role in the formation of the trough. The large ion-neutral difference velocities which initiate the formation of the trough may also drive the plasma into a non-thermal state which should be taken into account during the analysis of incoherent scatter data.