The temporal and spatial development of mid-latitude thermospheric electron temperature enhancements during a geomagnetic storm

Measurements are presented of thermospheric electron temperatures made by a Langmuir probe mounted on the polar-orbiting satellite Esro 1 before, during, and after the geomagnetic storm of October 31 to November 1, 1968. The data cover a complete time sequence over a period of 9 days while the satellite covered the altitude range 280-1500 km and remained in the noon/midnight local time zones. The data clearly show the development of enhanced temperatures at mid-latitudes associated with stable auroral red arcs in the midnight time zone, trace the latitude dependence of the heating during the progress of the storm, and show the persistence of the zone of elevated temperatures after the magnetic activity has declined. The heating of electrons in the noon time zone is not observed to follow the same pattern as that in the midnight time zone.