Skip to main content
Log in

Plasma observations in the auroral and polar cap region

  • Published:
Space Science Reviews Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The last decade has seen a period of rapid growth in our understanding of the processes which occur in the auroral regions. Much of our understanding is based on the copious new observations which have been made available in the auroral community. The present work is a short overview of the plasma conditions which obtain throughout much of the auroral region. It covers the diffuse and discrete auroral electron precipitation in the morning and evening oval, cusp, and polar cap. The ionospheric ion outflow throughout the high latitude regime is also described and related to the electron observations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akasofu, S. -I., Physics of Auroral Arc Formation, Akasofu and Kan eds., p 1, Am. Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 1981.

  • Akasofu, S. -I. and J. R. Kan, Geophys. Res. Lett., 7, 753, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnoldy, R. L., in Physics of Auroral Arc Formation, Akasofu and Kan eds., p. 56, Am. Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 1981.

  • Ashour-Abdalla, M. and R. M. Thorne, J. Geophys. Res., 83, 4775, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belmont, G., D. Fontaine and P. Canu, J. Geophys. Res., 88. 9163, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkey, F. T., J. Geophys. Res. 85, 6075, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bingham, R., D. A. Bryant and D. S. Hall, Geophys. Res. Lett., 11, 327, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, D. A., D. S. Hall and D. R. Lepine, Planet. Space Sci., 26, 81, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, D. A., High-Latitude Space Plasma Physics, Hultqvist and Hagfors eds., p. 295, Plenum Press, New York, 1983.

  • Burch, J. L., P. H. Reiff, R. A. Heelis, J. D. Winningham, W. B. Hanson, C. Gurgiolo, J. D. Menietti, R. A. Hoffman, J. N. Barfield, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 921, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burch, J. L., P. H. Reiff and M. Sugiura, Geophys. Res. Lett., 10, 753, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, W. J., Rev. Geophys., 20, 685, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cattell, C., R. Lysak, R. B. Torbert and F. S. Mozer, Geophys. Res. Lett., 6, 621, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cattell, C., Magnetospheric Currents, T. A. Potemra, ed., Am. Geophys. Union, Washington, D.C., 1984.

  • Chappell, C. R., Adv. Space Res., to be published, COSPAR, 1984.

  • Chappell, C. R., J. L. Green, J. F. E. Johnson and J. H. Waite, Jr., Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 933, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, Y. T., R. Anderson, J. Fennell, L. Frank, R. Hoffman, M. Hudson, L. Lyons, P. Palmadesso, E. Ungstrup, R. Vondrak, D. Williams and R. Wolf, Solar Terrestrial Physics: Present and Future, NASA R. P. 1120, p. 7–3, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, Y. T., J. M. Cornwall, J. F. Fennell, D. J. Gorney and P. F. Mizera, Space Sci. Rev., 35, 211, 1983a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, Y. T., N. U. Crooker and D. J. Gorney, J. Geophys. Res., to be published, 1985.

  • Chiu, Y. T. and D. J. Gorney, Geophys. Res. Lett., 10, 463, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, Y. T. and A. M. Kishi, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 5531, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, Y. T., M. Schulz, J. F. Fennell and A. M. Kishi, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 4041, 1983b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collin, H. L., R. D. Sharp, E. G. Shelley and R. G. Johnson, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 6820, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collin, H. L., R. D. Sharp and E. G. Shelley, Geophys. Res., 87. 7504, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collin, H. L., R. D. Sharp and E. G. Shelley, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 2185, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, D. S., J. Geophys. Res., 79, 2853, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairfield, D. H. and J. D. Scudder, J. Geophys. Res., to be published, 1985.

  • Fairfield, D. H. and Vinas, A. F., J. Geophys. Res., 89, 841, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennell, J. F., Proceedings of the Symposium on Achievements of the IMS, ESASP-, Report in press, 1984.

  • Fennell, J. F., D. J. Gorney and P. F. Mizera, Physics of Auroral Arc Formation, Akasofu and Kan, eds., p. 91, Am. Geophys. Union, Washington, D.C., 1981.

  • Fennell, J. F., P. F. Mizera and D. R. Croley Jr., Proceedings of Magnetospheric Boundary Layers Conference, ESA SP-148 1979.

  • Frank, L. A., Rev. of Geophys. and Space Phys., 13, 974, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, L. A. and K. Ackerson, J. Geophys. Res., 77, 4116, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, L. A., J. D. Craven, J. L. Burch and J. D. Winningham, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 1001, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghielmetti, A. G., R. G. Johnson, R. D. Sharp and E. G. Shelley, Geophys. Res. Lett., 5, 59, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghielmetti, A. G., R. D. Sharp, E. G. Shelley and R. G. Johnson, J. Geophys. Res., 84, 5781, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorney, D. J., A. Clarke, D. Croley, J. Fennell, J. Luhmann and P. Mizera, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 83, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorney, D. J., Y. -T. Chiu and D. R. Croley Jr., J. Geophys. Res., 90, in press, 1985.

  • Gurgiolo, C. and J. L. Burch, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 945, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurnett, D. A. and L. A. Frank, J. Geophys. Res., 82, 1031, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gussenhoven, M. S., J. Geophys. Res., 87, 2401, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gussenhoven, M. S., D. A. Hardy and N. Heinemann, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 5692, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gussenhoven, M. S., D. A. Hardy, N. Heinemann and R. K. Burkhardt, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 9785, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, D. A., J. Geophys. Res., 89, 3883, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heelis, R. A. and J. D. Winningham, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 3893, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heikkila, W. J. and J. C. Winningham, J. Geophys. Res., 76, 883, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, R. A. and J. L. Burch, J. Geophys. Res., 78, 2867, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, J. H. and W. H. Dodson, J. Geophys. Res., 85, 626, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, R. A. and C. S. Lin, Physics of Auroral Arc Formation, p. 80, Am. Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horwitz, J. L., J. Geophys. Res., 85, 2057, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horwitz, J. L., Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 20, 929, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horwitz, J. L., W. K. Cobb, C. R. Baugher, C. R. Chappell, L. A. Frank, T. E. Eastman, R. R. Anderson, E. G. Shelley and D. T. Young, J. Geophys. Res., 87, 9059, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horwitz, J. L., Geophys. Res. Lett., 11, 1111, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, C. Y., L. A. Frank and T. E. Eastman, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 7423, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ismail, S., D. D. Wallis and L. L. Cogger, J. Geophys. Res., 82, 4741, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, A. D., Nature, 274, 119, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, A. D., Annales Geophysical, 1, 397, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennel, C. F. and H. E. Petschek, J. Geophys. Res., 71, 1, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kletzing, C., C. Cattell, F. S. Mozer, S. -I. Akasofu and K. Makita, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 4105, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klumpar, D. M., Physics of Auroral Arc Formation, Akasofu and Kan, eds., p. 22, Am. Geophys. Union, Washington, D.C., 1981.

  • Klumpar, D. M. and W. J. Heikkila, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 873, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klumpar, D. M., W. K. Petersen and E. G. Shelley, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 10779, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S., J. L. Burch, J. D. Winningham, J. D. Menietti and R. A. Hoffman, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 925, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S. and R. A. Hoffman, J. Geophys. Res., 84, 1514, 1979a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S. and R. A. Hoffman, J. Geophys. Res., 84, 6547, 1979b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S. and R. A. Hoffman, Sp. Sci. Rev., 33, 415, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S., M. Sugiura, J. L. Burch, J. N. Barfield and E. Nielsen, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 8907, 1984a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S., J. L. Burch, S. D. Shawhan and D. A. Gurnett, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 925, 1984b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood, M., J. Geophys. Res., 89, 301, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundin, R., B. Hultquist, E. Dubinin, A. Zackarov and N. Pissarenko, Planet. Space Sci., 30. 715, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makita, K. and C. -I. Meng, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 2861, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng, C. -I., Physics of Auroral Arc Formation, Akasofu and Kan, eds., p. 67, Am. Geophys. Union, Washington, D.C., 1981a.

  • Meng, C. -I., Geophys. Res. Lett., 8, 273, 1981b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng, C. -I. and S. -I. Akasofu, Planet. Sp. Sci., 31, 889, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng, C. -I. and H. W. Kroehl, J. Geophys. Res., 16, 2305, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng, C. -I., B. Mauk and C. E. McIlwain, J. Geophys. Res., 84, 2545, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mizera, P. F. and J. F. Fennell, Rev.Geophys. and Sp. Sci. 16. 147, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mizera, P. F., J. F. Fennell, D. R. Croley, Jr., A. Vampola, F. S. Mozer, R. B. Torbert, M. Temerin, R. L. Lysak, M. K. Hudson, C. A. Cattell, R. G. Johnson, R. D. Sharp, P. M. Kintner and M. C. Kelley, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 2329, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, T. E., C. R. Chappel, M. Lockwood and J. H. Waite, J. Geophys. Res., to be published, 1985.

  • Mozer, F. S., Geophys. Res. Lett., 7. 1097, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mozer, F. S., C. A. Cattell, M. K. Hudson, R. L. Lysak, M. Temerin and R. B. Torbert, Space Sci. Rev., 27, 155, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphree, J. S., S. Ismail, L. L. Cogger, D. D. Wallis, G. G. Shepherl, R. Link and D. M. Klumpar, Planet. Space Sci., 31, 161, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagai, T., J. H. Waite, Jr., J. L. Green, C. R. Chappell, R. C. Olsen and R. H. Comfort, Geophys. Res. Lett., 11, 669, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, R. C., J. Geophys. Res., 87, 3481, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, W. K. and E. G. Shelley, J. Geophys.Res., 89, 6729, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, S. S., D. J. Strickland and Y. T. Chiu, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 4123, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pulliam, D. M., H. R. Anderson, K. Stamnes and M. H. Rees, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 2397, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiff, P. H., J. L. Burch and R. W. Spiro, J. Geophys. Res., 85, 5997, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiff, P. H., Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 21, 418, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, J. D., J. F. Fennell and D. R. Croley, Jr., J. Geophys. Res., 86, 10105, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romik, G. J. and C. S. Deehr, in Achievements of the IMS, Abstract, 25th COSPAR Meeting, 1984.

  • Rosner, R., E. L. Chupp, G. Gloeckler, D. J. Gorney, S. M. Krimigis, Y. Mok, R. Ramaty, D. W. Swift, L.Vlahos and E. G. Zweibel, Solar Terrestrial Physics: Present and Future, NASA R. P. 1120, 1984.

  • Roywick, 0. and T. N. Davis, J. Geophys. Res., 82, 4720, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandahl, I., Kiruna Geophysical Institute Report #185, Kiruna, Sweden, 1984.

  • Sandahl, I., L. Eliasson and R. Lundin, Geophys. Res. Lett., 7, 309, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scourfield, M. W. J., J. G. Keys, E. Nielsen, C. K. Goertz and H. Collin, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 7983, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, R. D., E. G. Shelley, R. G. Johnson and A. G. Ghielmetti, J. Geophys. Res., 85, 92, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, R. D., D. L. Carr, W. K. Peterson and E. G. Shelley, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 4639, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, R. D., R. G. Johnson, W. Lennartsson, W. K. Peterson and E. G. Shelley, in Energetic Ion Composition in the Earth's Magnetosphere, R. G. Johnson, ed., 231. Terra Sci. Publ. Co., Tokyo, 1983.

  • Thieman, J. R. and R. A. Huffman, J. Geophys. Res., to be published, 1985.

  • Torbert, R. B. and C. W. Carlson, J. Geophys. Res., 85, 2909, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahlen, B. A., W. Bernstein and P. W. Daly, Geophys. Res. Lett., 5, 55, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahlen, B. A. and P. W. Daly, J. Geophys. Res., 84, 4175, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winningham, J. D. and J. L. Burch, J. Geophys. Res., to be published, 1985.

  • Winningham, J. D., J. L. Burch and R. A. Frahm, J. Geophys. Res., 89. 1749, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winningham, J. D. and W. J. Heikkila, J. Geophys. Res., 79, 949, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winningham, J. D. and C. Gurgiolo, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 977, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yau, A. W., B. A. Wahlen, A. G. McNamara, P. J. Kellogg and W. Bernstein, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 341, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yau, A. W., B. A. Wahlen, W. K. Petersen and E. G. Shelley, J. Geophys. Res., 89. 5507, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeager, D. M. and L. A. Frank, J. Geophys. Res., 81, 3966, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, D. T., Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 21, 402, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zanetti, L. J., T. A. Potemra, J. P. Doering, J. S. Lee and R. A. Hoffman, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 8957, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fennell, J.F. Plasma observations in the auroral and polar cap region. Space Sci Rev 42, 337–355 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214992

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214992

Keywords

Navigation