Correlations between very low frequency chorus bursts and impulsive magnetic variations at L ~ 4.5

Abstract

Coordinated observations of aurora, ULF, and VLF waves were made at 13 stations in Canada in January and February, 1980. The analysis of simultaneous ULF and VLF data obtained at Park Site (L = 4.4) revealed a close relationship between irregular magnetic pulsations and VLF emissions in the frequency range of 1.5–5 kHz. One-to-one correlations were observed between VLF chorus bursts and impulsive magnetic variations, called magnetic impulses, during sub-storms of Kp ≥ 4+ on the local morning-to-noon side. VLF chorus bursts consist of discrete risers of 0.1–0.3 s duration. It is found that magnetic impulses with a rise time of 0.5–1 s and with a duration of ~2 s coincide with the occurrence of VLF riser groups of a similar duration within ~2 s. This short time difference strongly suggests that magnetic impulses are caused by a conductivity enhancement due to electron precipitation induced by whistler mode waves.