A STUDY OF HIGH LATITUDE IONOSPHERIC CURRENT PATTERNS WITH EMPHASIS ON THE 12TH HOUR U. T.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV UNIVERSITY PARK IONOSPHERE RESEARCH LAB
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IGY magnetic data at the twelfth hour UT are used to study the high latitude DS current patterns. The conventional DS current pattern is shown to be always a good first approximation to the actual currents but day to day and seasonal variations are appreciable. Average current vectors with variational ellipses are shown and variations with season and intensity are illustrated. The average current across the polar cap is shown to flow about 30 degrees west of the sun direction in the summer but 65 degrees west in the winter. A study of various UT hours shows this seasonal variation to be present at all hours but with greatest magnitude for UT between 12 and 16. Evidence is presented showing that the high latitude electrojet occurs at higher latitudes on the day side of the earth than on the night side as do aurora and trapped particles. Author