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Detailed Reference Information |
Conde, M., Craven, J.D., Immel, T., Hoch, E., Stenbaek-Nielsen, H., Hallinan, T., Smith, R.W., Olson, J., Sun, W., Frank, L.A. and Sigwarth, J. (2001). Assimilated observations of thermospheric winds, the aurora, and ionospheric currents over Alaska. Journal of Geophysical Research 106: doi: 10.1029/2000JA000135. issn: 0148-0227. |
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We present simultaneous measurements of thermospheric winds, auroral emissions, and ionospheric currents over Alaska, obtained from four separate instruments. Thermospheric (F region) wind maps were recorded by an all-sky imaging Fabry-Perot spectrometer located at Poker Flat and observing at &lgr;630.0 nm. Auroral images at &lgr;557.7 nm were obtained from the low-resolution visible imager on board the Polar satellite. White-light all-sky auroral images were recorded by ground-based all-sky cameras located in Alaska at Poker Flaˇt (65¿ 07'N, 212¿ 34'E) and at Kaktovik (70¿ 06'N, 217¿ 24'E). Finally, the east-west component of the ionospheric F region plasma convection was inferred using the Alaskan meridian chain of magnetometers. Montage images of these four data sets are presented, projected onto a geographic map of the Alaskan region. We examine a 10-hour period during the Alaskan local nighttime of February 10, 1997. These montages illustrate a close relationship between spatial structures occurring in the aurora, in the ionospheric plasma convection, and in the F region wind field. Latitudinal shear of the geomagnetic zonal wind, often observed in the premidnight time sector, was seen to be associated with both the equatorward and poleward boundaries of the discrete aurora. We focus particularly on a period commencing just after 0900 UT, when a strong shear in the zonal wind was observed to sweep southward across Alaska. After magnetic midnight the wind field was dominated by the emergence of the cross-polar jet from the polar cap. This overwhelmed any wind features associated with local auroral processes. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Airglow and aurora, Ionosphere, Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions, Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetosphere/ionosphere interactions, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Thermospheric dynamics |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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