Example of Regions of Parallel Potential Drops

(From McFadden et al. [1999])

This figure shows a comparison of inferred potentials determined from the electron loss cone, ion beam energy and electric field measurements at a time when FAST traversed an inverted-V arc in the premidnight (21 MLT) sector. Panels 1 and 2 are electron energy and pitch-angle spectrograms (differential energy flux as a function of time). The electron energy used in the potential drop calculations (inferred from the loss cone) is identified with a black line in panel 1 and the loss cone angles used are identified with red lines in panel 2. Panels 3 and 4 are ion energy and pitch-angle spectrograms, with a black line identifying the ion beam characteristic energy. Panel 5 compares the inferred potentials using the loss cone (red) and ion beam energy (black). Panel 6 shows the integrated electric field potential (black) across the inverted-V arc. The gap near 6:06:20 UT is caused by saturation of one of the sensors. Panel 7 compares the inferred potentials determined from the ion beam (black) and electric fields (green) during the first and third beam.

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