Electron energy measurements in pulsating auroras

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Abstract
Electron spectra were obtained during two rocket flights into pulsating aurora from Southend, Saskatchewan. The first rocket launched at 1143:24 UT, on February 15, 1980 flew into an aurora of background intensity 275 R of N2+ 4278 Å and showing regular pulsations with about a 17 s period. Electron spectra of Maxwellian energy distributions were observed with an average E0 = 1.5 keV, rising to 1.8 keV during the pulsations. There was one-to-one correspondence between the electron energy modulation and the observed optical pulsations. The second rocket, launched at 1009:10 UT on February 23, flew into a diffuse auroral surface of intensity 800 R of N2+ 4278 Å and with somewhat irregular pulsations. The electron spectra were again of Maxwellian energy distribution with an average E0 = 1.8 keV increasing to 2.1 keV during the pulsations. The results from these flights suggest that pulsating auroras occurring in the morning sector may be quite commonly excited by low energy electrons. The optical pulsations are due to periodic increases in the energy of the electrons with the source of modulation in the vicinity of the geomagnetic equatorial plane.

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