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Description

The Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska and the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company conducted a joint experiment to study the relationship between (1) spatial distribution of ionization using 20 and 40 mc/s transmissions from a satellite, (2) the location and luminosity profiles of auroras as measured from ground stations in Alaska, and (3) the flux and energy spectrum of particles penetrating to auroral height as measured by satellite instruments. The experiment was carried out in March, 1962 using a polar orbiting satellite which made twelve passes over Alaska during its operational lifetime. The emphasis of this work is on the determination by radio techniques of the variation of electron content in the ionosphere connected with incident particle fluxes. Methods of determining the electron content from differential Doppler measurements are discussed in detail. The experimental results show that increases in electron content are morphologically correlated with regions of auroral luminosity and incident particle fluxes. The results of the experiment also point out the value of conducting coordinated experiments in the study of auroral phenomena.

Publication Date

5-17-1963

Keywords

Ionosphere, Research

Handle

http://hdl.handle.net/11122/15410

Electron content variations in the auroral ionosphere determined from satellite radio observations

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