HR: 1330h
AN: SA12A-1081    [PDF]
TI: OI 630 Airglow Observations in the Polar Ionosphere
AU: * McEwen, D J
EM: mcewen@dansas.usask.ca
AF: Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Saskatchewan, 116 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2 Canada
AU: Guo, W
AF: Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Saskatchewan, 116 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2 Canada
AU: MacDougall, J W
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, UWO Campus, London, ON N6A 3K7 Canada
AU: Jayachandran, P T
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, UWO Campus, London, ON N6A 3K7 Canada
AB: Instruments operating in the polar caps through the past solar cycle have provided much new information on the structure and dynamics of the polar ionosphere. Digital ionosondes at several stations have yielded electron density profiles and $f_{o}F_{2}$ variations. Photometers monitoring [O] night airglow emissions over Eureka, Nanavut ($80^{0}$ N), have given a complementary view of the ionosphere. The 630 nm emission intensity is seen to be directly related to the $f_{o}F_{2}$ obtained from a CADI ionosonde operated at Eureka. We will report on the variations of these parameters through the past solar cycle, drawing on observations through each winter since 1991 from this site near the North Magnetic Pole. [O] emission intensities even under quiet conditions are seen to vary over a factor of ten or more through the solar cycle. During much of the time the airglow is enhanced by either polar auroras or F-layer patches (depending on the sign of the IMF $B_{z}$).
DE: 0310 Airglow and aurora
DE: 2475 Polar cap ionosphere
SC: SPA - Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting