Altitude of the eastward and westward auroral electrojets

A characteristic difference in ionospheric altitude between the eastward and westward auroral electrojets is presented. It is shown by using the ionospheric current density deduced from the Chatanika incoherent scatter radar data that the current centers for the eastward and westward electrojets are located at approximately 120 and 100 km, respectively, during disturbed periods. The Hall to Pedersen conductivity ratio is noted to be greater in the westward electrojet than in the eastward electrojet.