The convection electric field in auroral substorms

Abstract

Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) electric field and ion drift data are used in a statistical study of the ionospheric convection electric field in bulge‐type auroral substorms. Thirty‐one individual DE 2 substorm crossings were carefully selected and organized by the use of global auroral images obtained by DE 1. The selected passes, which occurred during substorm expansion phase, maximum, or early recovery phase, cover the entire nighttime substorm. The organization of the data used the method developed by Fujii et al. [1994], which divided the data into six local time sectors covering the nighttime substorm region. Following the procedures employed in the paper by Gjerloev and Hoffman [2000b], the latitudinal width and location of each auroral oval crossing was then adjusted to fit the sector average. In addition to the detailed study of the characteristics of the field within each sector this database enabled us to compile a model of the ionospheric convection electric field. The characteristics of the premidnight convection reversal show a pronounced local time dependency. Far west of the surge it is a fairly well defined point reversal or convection shear. Approaching the surge and within the surge it is a region of weak electric fields increasing in width toward midnight that separates regions of equatorward and poleward electric fields. Therefore we adopt the term Harang region rather than the Harang discontinuity for the premidnight convection reversal. A relatively narrow convection channel is coincident with the highest conductances located just poleward of the Harang region. This channel drives the substorm current wedge component of the westward electrojet in the surge and middle surge sectors. It is present in all premidnight passes and consequently is an integral part of the three‐dimensional substorm current wedge system.