EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Imhof et al. 1980
Imhof, W.L., Reagan, J.B. and Gaines, E.E. (1980). Measurements of inner zone electron precipitation. Journal of Geophysical Research 85: doi: 10.1029/JA085iA01p00009. issn: 0148-0227.

Energetic electron (>0.16 MeV) data taken from November 1972 to April 1973 from over 1000 passes of a low-altitude (~750 km) noon-midnight polar-orbiting satellite across the L=1.75 field line in both the northern and southern hemispheres have been analyzed for evidence of the longitude and local time distributions in electron precipitation on that field line. The precipitation processes were observed to be weak, at least near local noon and midnight, as evidenced from the negligible fluxes observed at all pitch angles when the conjugate point is below sea level and from the absence of any direct observation of electrons at L=1.75 in the bounce loss cone at all longitudes. By observing quasi-trapped fluxes with a spectrometer having a large geometric factor, a high sensitivity was achieved for detecting electron precipitation and measuring the energy spectra with fine resolution. The data have been analyzed and found to show that prounounced precipitation events near local noon and midnight were a rare occurrence between ~60 ¿E and ~100 ¿E. In the ~100 ¿E to ~180 ¿E longitude region, significant fluxes of quasi-trapped electrons were often observed with a very pronounced noon-midnight asymmetry. The quasi-trapped fluxes observed locally in the region were often large near midnight but seldom significant near noontime. At longitudes east of 180 ¿E, to the western edge of the South Atlantic Anomaly, the local noontime fluxes of quasi-trapped electrons displayed an abrupt increase and, on the average, were higher than the midnight intensities. In this region the energy spectra of quasi-trapped electrons observed at midnight displayed L-dependent peaks less often than those observed at noontime. These very pronounced longitude and local time variations in the quasi-trapped population provide conclusive evidence that the effectiveness of the electron precipitation mechanism(s) is dependent upon local time, (although without further information, detailed local time distributions in the precipitation mechanisms were not derived). From the electron data it was found that within a given local time and longitude interval the fluxes were widely variable, indicating that the precipitation mechanism(s) were not steady in time. Also, during the time period of observation, the average intensities of the quasi-trapped electrons were higher at times of high negative Dst.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
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
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit