Observations of small‐scale auroral vortices by the S3‐2 satellite

Authors:
  • WBWilliam J. Burke
    William J. Burke
  • MSMichael Silevitch
    Michael Silevitch
  • DHDavid A. Hardy
    David A. Hardy
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Abstract
We have studied two intense auroral events which were encountered by the S3‐2 satellite at ∼0550 and ∼1930 MLT, during a substorm, near the equatorward edge of the region 1 current system. The events are marked by large deflections in the east‐west magnetic field component. In the dawn (dusk) event the deflection was 100 (300) nT with a total duration of 4(7) s. In both cases the deflection corresponding to an upward current sheet was sharpest, occuring over 0.25 s. Upward current strengths of 45 and 135 μA/m² within latitude extents of j∥ and Φ∥ are consistent with collisionless, single‐particle theories.

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