The ultraviolet imager experiment on the Swedish Viking satellite: Contributions to auroral physics

Abstract

The ultraviolet imager on board the Swedish Viking satellite was designed to provide real-time monitoring of the auroral distribution from space. This objective was achieved over the nominal lifetime of the satellite, March–December, 1986 during which period approximately 45 000 auroral images were acquired. A number of technical and operational innovations have resulted in a rich data base for studies of auroral and magnetospheric processes. Some of the significant scientific advances that have resulted from the investigation of the temporal and spatial development of the auroral distribution include observations of rapid changes of dayside aurora, the effects of this distribution due to the interplanetary magnetic field, and more detailed knowledge of the substorm process. The utilization of models of the Earth's magnetic field to map auroral signatures to the corresponding magnetospheric regions has led to an increased understanding of the mechanisms associated with the large-scale auroral distribution.