IMAGE: First RPI Echoes from the Cusp

Reiff, P.H., Goldstein, J., Henize, V.K., Green, J.L., Fung, S.F., Reinisch, B.W.

The IMAGE satellite is expected to be launched in March, 2000. Over a period of 
35 days after launch IMAGE will complete the extension of two 500 meter tip-to-tip 
(X and Y axis) antennas and a 20 meter tip-to-tip Z antenna. These antennas are 
used for remote radio sounding by the Radio Plasma Imager (RPI). By early May, 
IMAGE will have its 7 Re altitude apogee near 40 degrees latitude in the noon 
sector, providing a unique opportunity for RPI to radio image the densities in the 
polar cusp. It is expected that RPI will, in addition to observing the location 
and spatial distribution of polar cusp density, monitor plasma dynamics and 
injections within the Earth's northern polar magnetic cusp resulting from 
impulsive dayside reconnection with a time resolution of approximately one minute. 
Initial observations will be presented, which will show at what range the cusp can 
be remotely observed and preliminary analysis of the time stability of cusp 
injection.

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Presented at the Spring American Geophysical Union Meeting, 
Washington, D.C., May 30-June 3, 2000