Electric field measurements on Viking: First results

Abstract

After a brief description of the electric field instrument some features of the measured electric field are illustrated by specific examples. Overviews are given of two satellite passes over the northern auroral oval and polar cap, one noon‐midnight and one evening‐morning pass. An example of a Pi2 pulsation event is given and interpreted in terms of a damped resonant oscillation, probably caused by a sudden impulse. A ULF wave is shown, which due to the high Alfvén velocity can be seen only in the electric field. An auroral arc crossing is presented, where the electric and magnetic field data are consistent with an upward directed magnetic‐field aligned electric field associated with an upward Birkeland current.