A statistical analysis of F-region and topside auroral ion up¯ow events is presented. The study is based on observations from EISCAT Common Programmes (CP) 1 and 2 made between 1984 and 1996, and Common Programme 7 observations taken between 1990 and 1995. The occurrence frequency of ion up¯ow events (IUEs) is examined over the altitude range 200 to 500 km, using ®eld-aligned observations from CP-1 and CP-2. The study is extended in altitude with vertical measurements from CP-7. Ion up¯ow events were identi®ed by consideration of both velocity and ¯ux, with threshold values of 100 m s A1 and 10 13 m A2 s A1 , respectively. The frequency of occurrence of IUEs is seen to increase with increasing altitude. Further analysis of the ®eld-aligned observations reveals that the number and nature of ion up¯ow events vary diurnally and with season and solar activity. In particular, the diurnal distribution of up¯ows is strongly dependent on solar cycle. Furthermore, events identi®ed by the velocity selection criterion dominate at solar minimum, whilst events identi®ed by the upward ®eld-aligned ¯ux criterion dominated at solar maximum. The study also provides a quantitative estimate of the proportion of up¯ows that are associated with enhanced plasma temperature. Between 50 and 60% of up¯ows are simultaneous with enhanced ion temperature, and approximately 80% of events are associated with either increased F-region ion or electron temperatures.

Abstract. A statistical analysis of F-region and topside auroral ion up¯ow events is presented. The study is based on observations from EISCAT Common Programmes (CP) 1 and 2 made between 1984 and 1996, and Common Programme 7 observations taken between 1990 and 1995. The occurrence frequency of ion up¯ow events (IUEs) is examined over the altitude range 200 to 500 km, using ®eld-aligned observations from CP-1 and CP-2. The study is extended in altitude with vertical measurements from CP-7. Ion up¯ow events were identi®ed by consideration of both velocity and¯ux, with threshold values of 100 m s A1 and 10 13 m A2 s A1, respectively. The frequency of occurrence of IUEs is seen to increase with increasing altitude. Further analysis of the ®eld-aligned observations reveals that the number and nature of ion up¯ow events vary diurnally and with season and solar activity. In particular, the diurnal distribution of up¯ows is strongly dependent on solar cycle. Furthermore, events identi®ed by the velocity selection criterion dominate at solar minimum, whilst events identi®ed by the upward ®eld-aligned¯ux criterion dominated at solar maximum. The study also provides a quantitative estimate of the proportion of up¯ows that are associated with enhanced plasma temperature. Between 50 and 60% of up¯ows are simultaneous with enhanced ion temperature, and approximately 80% of events are associated with either increased F-region ion or electron temperatures.

Abstract. Observations from the special UK EISCAT program UFIS are presented. UFIS is a joint UHF-VHF experiment, designed to make simultaneous measurements of enhanced vertical plasma flows in the F-region and topside ionospheres. Three distinct intervals of upward ion flow were observed. During the first event, upward ion fluxes in excess of 1013 m–2 s–1 were detected, with vertical ion velocities reaching 300 m s–1 at 800 km. The upflow was associated with the passage of an auroral arc through the radar field of view. In the F-region, an enhanced and sheared convection electric field on the leading edge of the arc resulted in heating of the ions, whilst at higher altitudes, above the precipitation region, strongly enhanced electron temperatures were observed; such features are commonly associated with the generation of plasma upflows. These observations demonstrate some of the acceleration mechanisms which can exist within the small-scale structure of an auroral arc. A later upflow event was associated with enhanced electron temperatures and only a moderate convection electric field, with no indication of significantly elevated ion tem- peratures. There was again some evidence of F-region particle precipitation at the time of the upflow, which exhibited vertical ion velocities of similar magnitude to the earlier upflow, suggesting that the behaviour of the electrons might be the dominant factor in this type of event. A third upflow was detected at altitudes above the observing range of the UHF radar, but which was evident in the VHF data from 600 km upwards. Smaller vertical velocities were observed in this event, which was apparently uncorrelated with any features observed at lower altitudes. Limitations imposed by the experimental conditions inhibit the interpretation of this event, although the upflow was again likely related to topside plasma heating.