Impulsive electrostatic waves have been observed in regions of downward-flowing region 1 Birkeland currents in data acquired by the High Frequency Wave and Magnetic Field instruments on the Viking satellite. These data were obtained at approximately 11,000 km altitude and in the 1100 MLT and 76¿ invariant latitude sector near the equatorward boundary of the dayside polar cusp. Wave and magnetic field data are presented from Viking orbit 1219 on October 1, 1986, and wave, magnetic field, and particle data acquired with the Hot Plasma instrument from orbit 1197 on September 27, 1986. The high frequency waves are observed between the electron plasma and cyclotron frequencies. Since the broadband electrostatic waves extend in frequency above the cold plasma frequency, a nonlinear treatment must be made to explain the observation. We suggest that electron acoustic waves may couple with other electron plasma waves, resulting in the distribution of wave power over a wide range of frequencies. A strong correlation exists between large-scale downward-flowing Birkeland currents (region 1 system) and impulsive electrostatic waves. The Viking Magnetic Field experiment allows one to resolve, in high time-resolution, electron beams that may be unstable to the impulsive electrostatic waves. ¿American Geophysical Union 1987