Auroral Ionization and Magnetic Disturbances

An examination of radio studies of auroral ionization shows that an average ionization density of about 5×105 electrons per cm3 is sufficient to explain the normal radar echo. The magnetic disturbances produced by current systems in the ionosphere are closely related both to the ionization and the luminosity of the aurora. The magnetic variations are also associated with increases in the speeds of motion of the ionization. The increased ionization manifest in the aurora, together with its increased speed of motion, brings about the magnetic changes observed at the ground. The rapid speeds of auroral motions observed both visually and by radio means are at the upper end of a continuous curve of drift motions that increase with increasing magnetic disturbance.