Electron Precipitation at an Auroral Latitude – Saskatoon, L = 4.4. II. Fluxes of Precipitating Electrons

Abstract

Measurements of ambient electron densities have been made by the differential absorption experiment, on a number of aurorally disturbed nights in 1971. The measured values of the intensity of the green line (5577 Å) emission, and of the ambient electron densities, are then compared with theoretical estimates of these two variables. An exponential energy spectrum is used in the calculation, and fluxes of precipitated electrons (> 40 keV) and values for the e folding energies (E0) thereby become available. Comparisons of mean values with satellite measurements made under similar magnetic conditions, show good agreement. Calculations are also made for two specific nights, (January 26–28, 1971). Characteristic energies are typically 5 keV during the maximum of the magnetic and photometric disturbances, and increase to values of 10–15 keV near sunrise when the ionospheric disturbance (< 90 km) is greatest. The calculation is shown to be sensitive to changes in characteristic energy of the spectrum.