Riometer records have been analyzed to determine the time distribution and event rates of auroral absorption at latitudes poleward of the auroral zone. The peak of the time distribution shifts from ~2000--2100 ILT at the polar cap auroral boundary (74¿ invariant latitude) to after 0000 ILT in the polar cap (80¿ invariant latitude); over this range in latitude the event rate of auroral absorption decreases by an order of magnitude. In terms of magnetotail processes, the premidnight peak in auroral absorption at the polar cap auroral boundary indicates an asymmetry in electron acceleration processes around 20 RE.