Near equatorial signatures of dynamic auroral processes

Low energy electrons detected in the midmagnetosphere near the geomagnetic equator are hypothesized to originate from the auroral region near the ionospheric ends of the flux tubes. Electrons between 0.1 and 25 eV having pitch angle distributions peaked within 5 deg of B are routinely observed with electron spectrometers on the AMPTE/CCE satellite at radial distances of 7 R(e) to apogee at 9 R(e). If of auroral origin, as suggested, the detection of such fluxes provides important information about the auroral acceleration process, its dynamics, and about the effects of pitch angle scattering mechanisms in the magnetosphere. 10 refs