Rocket Measurements of Electric Fields, Electron Density and Temperature During the Three Phases of Auroral Substorms

摘要

On Jan. 27, 1979, three rocket payloads were launched from Kiruna, Sweden, into different phases of two successive auroral substorms. Among other experiments, the payloads carried the RIT double probe electric field experiments, providing electric field, electron density and temperature data, which are presented here. These are discussed in association with observations of particles, ionospheric drifts (STARE) and electric fields in the equatorial plane (GEOS). The motions of the auroral forms, as obtained from auroral pictures, are compared with the E x B/B exp 2 drifts and the currents calculated from the rocket electric field and density measurements with the equivalent current system deduced from ground based magnetometer data. (Atomindex citation 11:546601)