Energetic Ion Beams Seen by the POLAR CAMMICE Instrument

In a survey of the first 3-and-a-half year of POLAR CAMMICE data over 1350 energetic ion beams have been found. The bulk of these (around 1000) are seen from the MICS detector threshold of 1 keV upto 5 keV (the rest have a maximum energy above 5 keV, reaching 70 to 80 keV in the most extreme/energetic cases [rare]). These beams are seen at all magnetic local times and form a clear ring around the northern auroral zone (southern beams were excluded from this study). The overwhelming majority of these beams (>99%) are upward moving beams following the magnetic field line (i.e. the energetic ions are moving away from the Earth in a general tailward direction). Beams that are seen to "mirror" are extremely rare. The general occurrence of beams is seen to correlate reasonably well with well known activity indicators (eg. AE, Kp). Although beams are seen at all MLT there is a clear preference for the 15:00 MLT through 0:00 to 03:00 MLT sector with a rather broad peak in the pre-midnight area. General statistical characteristics of the beams will be summarised. Data for 2001 will also be briefly presented and in particular events were POLAR and CLUSTER are in close magnetic conjunction will be highlighted.