Observations of Poleward Moving Auroral Forms by the Rocket Experiment for Neutral Upwelling 2 (RENU2) Sounding Rocket
Abstract
Poleward moving auroral forms (PMAFs) are thought to be associated with flux transfer events (FTEs), driven by pulsed reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. The RENU2 sounding rocket, hosting a comprehensive suite of plasma, field and optical instruments, was launched into a PMAF in the cusp region on December 13, 2015. In-situ measurements on the rocket were complemented with extensive ground-based observations from high-quality optical, radar and other instruments. Onboard the payload, the PMAF was characterized by occurrences of small-scale ( 1 km) soft electron precipitation, counter-streaming flow channels and other plasma dynamics; from the ground, optical and radar signatures show numerous thin (but elongated) dynamic auroral forms.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMSM44A..08L
- Keywords:
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- 2723 Magnetic reconnection;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2724 Magnetopause and boundary layers;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2740 Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2794 Instruments and techniques;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS