The association between VLF and ELF chorus emissions and electron precipitation.

Abstract

This is an investigation into the association between ionospheric absorption caused by electron precipitation and ELF:3 Hz-3 kHz and VLF:3 kHz-30 kHz, chorus. Ionospheric absorption was measured using the chain of riometers in Finland and related to chorus events recorded simultaneously at SANAE (L=4.2), Antarctica. The displacement in longitude of the Finnish riometers from SANAE’s conjugate point made it impossible to establish a clear relationship between chorus and riometer absorption. The diurnal variation of chorus has been established for the years 2002, 2004 and 2005 and it is shown that chorus can occur at any Local Time(LT) but has a well defined maximum probability of occurring between 0800 LT to 0900 LT. To study the occurrence of chorus automatically we have developed an Index of ELF/VLF activity which enables us to identify chorus and distinguish it from other emissions such as hiss and whistlers. This index of VLF Activity was established by computing the standard deviation of the VLF signal amplitude and it has been observed that the index is larger for the chorus signature as opposed to the hiss which is low and does not vary widely due to the hiss’ steady signal. This index is called ASD index of “VLF Activity”.