Book Description

Electron densities and temperatures as well as omnidirectional fluxes of hyperthermal positive ions (E > 28 eV) were measured by means of spherical Langmuir probes aboard INJUN 5 at altitudes > 2000 km during a major geomagnetic storm. The electron density in the mid-latitude trough decreased and the temperatures increased during the early phases of the storm. As the storm progressed the trough's position moves equatorward with plasma depletions being observed to an invariant latitude of 40 deg during the early recovery phase. The latitude of the transition between heavy and light ion dominance also moved equatorward, but recovered at a rate slower than that of the electron trough's position. Hyperthermal ions detected in the vicinity of the trough were ring current particles reaching to the satellite's altitude. The minimum thermal electron densities in the trough were found to be within 1 deg of latitude of the maximum ring current flux. Maximum electron temperatures were measured several degrees equatorward of this position. INJUN 5 electron temperatures are compared with those measured by Alouette 2 over the reported positions of SAR arcs. The observations are also used to further evaluate a method developed for calculating the position of the ring current using ground magnetic fluctuations.