HR: 08:45h
AN: SM21B-04    [Abstracts]
TI: ROPA (Rocket Observations of Pulsating Aurora) and AMISR Observations of Precipitation and Ionospheric Conductivity During Pulsating Aurora
AU: * Fernandes, P A
EM: par9@unh.edu
AF: Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire 39 College Rd., Durham, NH 03857, United States
AU: Lessard, M R
EM: marc.lessard@unh.edu
AF: Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire 39 College Rd., Durham, NH 03857, United States
AU: Jones, S L
EM: sarah.jones@unh.edu
AF: Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire 39 College Rd., Durham, NH 03857, United States
AU: Lynch, K A
EM: kristina.lynch@dartmouth.edu
AF: Dartmouth College, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy 6127 Wilder Lab., Hanover, NH 03755, United States
AU: Kintner, P M
EM: pmk1@cornell.edu
AF: Dartmouth College, Computer and Electrical Engineering 302 Rhodes Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
AU: Stenbaek-Nielsen, H C
EM: hnielsel@gi.alaska.edu
AF: Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska - Fairbanks 903 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, United States
AU: Heinselman, C
EM: craig.heinselman@sri.com
AF: SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States
AU: Lummerzheim, D
EM: lumm@gi.alaska.edu
AF: Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska - Fairbanks 903 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, United States
AB: The ROPA (Rocket Observations of Pulsating Aurora) sounding rocket was launched on February 12, 2007 at 12:45:04 UT from Poker Flat Research Range into a region of pulsating aurora. At least three electron precipitation populations were measured (including a uniform, diffuse background), with the AMISR radar acquiring supporting data. Previous studies of pulsating aurora showed the presence of thin (~2 km) patches of luminosity. During the ROPA campaign, however, first-ever AMISR observations of the ionospheric signature of pulsating aurora revealed relatively thin conductivity enhancements, but the order of 10- 20 km. In addition, the observations show conductivity enhancement peaks ranging from 95 to 105 km altitude and with significant vertical structure at times. The widely varying AMISR observations are consistent with likewise varying reports in the literature regarding in-situ measurements of the precipitating electron populations. In this presentation, AMISR observations of pulsating auroral events are presented and discussed, with a particular emphasis on the event that occurred during the launch of ROPA.
DE: 2407 Auroral ionosphere (2704)
DE: 2431 Ionosphere/magnetosphere interactions (2736)
DE: 2704 Auroral phenomena (2407)
DE: 2716 Energetic particles: precipitating
DE: 2736 Magnetosphere/ionosphere interactions (2431)
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting