IMAGE FUV and in situ FAST particle observations of substorm aurorae

Abstract

[1] Images from the IMAGE Wide-band Imaging Camera (WIC) and Spectrographic Imager (SI) channels SI-12 and SI-13 were compared to in situ data taken by FAST during several substorms. FAST spacecraft observations have shown that the high latitude auroral ionosphere has several distinct regions. Intense auroras are seen in regions of upward directed quasi static electric fields and of Alfven wave accelerated superthermal electrons. In two of the cases presented, the satellite passed through an active poleward propagating substorm surge on its duskward flank. Both show that the superthermal wave accelerated component to be on the polar cap boundary of the surge, and that it could be distinguished from quasi static field "inverted V" precipitation which occurred at the more equatorward parts of the auroral oval. In one of these cases, the surge was accompanied by intense ion outflow. Three cases showed the FAST satellite passing through the substorm aurora at midnight or the dawn side outside of the surge and the wave accelerated electrons were less clearly separated from the inverted V type precipitation. The wave accelerated electrons were seen to be part of very shortlived transient events, i.e., bursts. The region of auroral forms, associated with Alfven waves exhibit relatively soft auroral precipitation with very intense electron fluxes. By comparing the intensity of the WIC and SI-13 channels of IMAGE FUV, it is possible sometimes to distinguish optically between the two types of regions. Global imaging of the two regions would allow the separation of quasi-static plasma convection regions containing inverted V-s from regions of Alfven wave driven electrons signifying substorm related magnetic field dynamics. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.