Midnight Sector Observations of Auroral Omega Bands

Physics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

[2704] Magnetospheric Physics / Auroral Phenomena, [2721] Magnetospheric Physics / Field-Aligned Currents And Current Systems, [2736] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetosphere/Ionosphere Interactions, [2790] Magnetospheric Physics / Substorms

Scientific paper

We present observations of auroral omega bands on 28 September 2009. Although generally associated with the substorm recovery phase and typically observed in the morning sector, the omega bands presented here occurred just after expansion phase onset and were observed in the midnight sector, immediately dawnward of the onset region. The Tjörnes “Rainbow” all-sky imager, located in north-eastern Iceland, revealed that the omega bands were ˜200 km in scale and propagated eastward from the onset region at ˜0.4 km/s while a co-located ground magnetometer recorded the simultaneous passage of Ps 6 pulsations. Although somewhat smaller and slower-moving than the majority of previously reported omega bands, the observed structures were clear examples of this phenomenon, albeit in an atypical location and much earlier in the substorm cycle than is usual. During the study interval the THEMIS A and C probes provided detailed measurements of the upstream interplanetary environment while the Cluster spacecraft were located in the tail plasma sheet conjugate to the ground-based all-sky imager. Cluster observed pulsed fluxes of electrons moving parallel to the magnetic field towards the northern hemisphere auroral ionosphere. Despite mapping uncertainties, there is some suggestion that keV electron fluxes in the tail were related to the auroral emissions in the omega bands. We suggest that omega band formation may be linked to expansion phase onset in the midnight sector and that the finite propagation speed through post-midnight and early morning local times may account for the interpretation of omega bands as a morning sector recovery phase phenomenon.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Midnight Sector Observations of Auroral Omega Bands does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Midnight Sector Observations of Auroral Omega Bands, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Midnight Sector Observations of Auroral Omega Bands will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1474602

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.