On the source of auroral kilometric radiation

Abstract

The radiation pattern has been determined on the basis of the comparative analysis of auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) received in the space-diversity mode by two satellites, Interball-2 and Polar. The radiation propagates in a cone with an opening angle ∼±25° and the axis aligned with the local magnetic field. The results con-firm the theoretical estimates that the source boundaries play a significant role in the generation of the auroral kilometric radiation and in the formation of the radiation pattern.