MAGNETOSPHERIC ELECTRIC-FIELDS AND PROTONOSPHERIC COUPLING FLUXES INFERRED FROM SIMULTANEOUS PHASE AND GROUP PATH MEASUREMENTS ON WHISTLER-MODE SIGNALS

A method of measuring the radial component of plasma velocity (or azimuthal electric field) in the equatorial plane of the plasmasphere, and of measuring the flux of plasma between the plasmasphere and the ionosphere is presented. The method uses measured rates of change of phase path and group delay of whistler-mode VLF signals transmitted between geomagnetically conjugate points. Results from four nights are in general agreement with results published by others-equatorial radial velocities of tens of metres per second (azimuthal electrical fields of one or two tenths of a mV/m), fluxes a few times 1012 m-2 s-1-and illustrates the potential and limitations of the method. © 1978.