Spatial distributions of electron and proton auroras identified by NORSTAR MSP

Details Spatial distributions of electron and proton auroras identified by NORSTAR MSP Spatial distributions of electron and proton auroras identified by NORSTAR MSP

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsa21a1855z&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SA21A-1855

Physics

[0310] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Airglow And Aurora

Scientific paper

Spatial distributions of the equatorward boundaries of the electron and proton diffuse auroras were analyzed using the 630.0 and 486.0 nm (Hβ) data from the NORSTAR meridian scanning photometer (MSP) located in Gillam. The aurora data were classified into three different steady states of geomagnetic activity: quiet time, and moderate and active steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) events. Both the case and statistical studies show that during magnetic quiet time the duskside proton aurora extends equatorward of the electron aurora, and that it is reversed on the dawnside. In contrast, the electron aurora during active SMC intervals lies equatorward of the proton aurora throughout the entire nightside covered in this work (19.1-3.1 MLT). The auroral boundary locations are consistent with the precipitating particle boundaries detected simultaneously by DMSP. For both categories the proton aurora displays a symmetric distribution with respect to midnight while the electron aurora shifts towards the postmidnight sector. Moreover, with increasing geomagnetic activity, both of the auroras intrude to lower latitude, and the latitudinal separation between the boundaries increases. The penetration of the electron boundary equatorward of the proton precipitation has not been seen in the past studies. It is probably because the 630.0 nm emission is more sensitive to lower-energy electron precipitation that penetrates closer to the Earth than the 557.7 nm and ultraviolet wavelengths, and marks more realistic location of the electron equatorward boundary. This equatorward electron precipitation should play a significant role in the region-2 coupling, including subauroral electric fields and plasma trough densities.

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