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We present ground-based electromagnetic data from the MIRACLE and BEAR networks and satellite optical observations from the UVI and PIXIE instruments on the Polar satellite of an omega band event over Northern Scandinavia on 26 June 1998, which occured close to the morning side edge of a substorm auroral bulge. Our analysis of the data concentrates on one omega band period from 03:18-03:27UT, for which we use the method of characteristics combined with an analysis of the UVI and PIXIE data to derive a time series of instantaneous, solely data-based distributions of the mesoscale ionospheric electrodynamic parameters with a 1-min time resolution. In addition, the AMIE method is used to derive global Hall conductance patterns. Our results show that zonally alternating regions of enhanced ionospheric conductances ("tongues") up to ~60S and low conductance regions are associated with the omega bands. The tongues have a poleward extension of ~400km from their base and a zonal extension of ~380km. While they are moving coherently eastward with a velocity of ~770ms-1, the structures are not strictly stationary. The current system of the omega band can be described as a superposition of two parts: one consists of anticlockwise rotating Hall currents around the tongues, along with Pedersen currents, with a negative divergence in their centers. The sign of this system is reversing in the low conductance areas. It causes the characteristic ground magnetic signature. The second part consists of zonally aligned current wedges of westward flowing Hall currents and is mostly magnetically invisible below the ionosphere. This system dominates the field-aligned current (FAC) pattern and causes alternating upward and downward FAC at the flanks of the tongues with maximum upward FAC of ~25µAm-2. The total FAC of ~2MA are comparable to the ones diverted inside a westward traveling surge. Throughout the event, the overwhelming part of the FAC are associated with gradients of the ionospheric conductances, and 66-84% of the FAC are connected with ionospheric Hall currents.

From the observations by the PIXIE and UVI cameras on board the Polar satellite, we derive global maps of the precipitating electron energy spectra from less than 1keV to 100keV. Based on the electron spectra, we generate instantaneous global maps of Hall and Pedersen conductances. The UVI camera provides good coverage of the lower electron energies contributing most to the Pedersen conductance, while PIXIE captures the high energy component of the precipitating electrons affecting the Hall conductance. By characterizing the energetic electrons from some tens of keV and up to about 100keV using PIXIE X-ray measurements, we will, in most cases, calculate a larger electron flux at higher energies than estimated from a simple extrapolation of derived electron spectra from UVI alone. Instantaneous global conductance maps derived with and without inclusion of PIXIE data have been implemented in the Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) procedure, to study the effects of energetic electrons on electrodynamical parameters in the ionosphere. We find that the improved electron spectral characterization using PIXIE data most often results in a larger Hall conductance and a smaller inferred electric field. In some localized regions the increase in the Hall conductance can exceed 100%. On the contrary, the Pedersen conductance remains more or less unaffected by the inclusion of the PIXIE data. The calculated polar cap potential drop may decrease more than 10%, resulting in a reduction of the estimated Joule heating integrated over the Northern Hemisphere by up to 20%. Locally, Joule heating may decrease more than 50% in some regions. We also find that the calculated energy flux by precipitating electrons increases around 5% when including the PIXIE data. Combined with the reduction of Joule heating, this results in a decrease in the ratio between Joule heating and energy flux, sometimes exceeding 25%. An investigation of the relationship between Joule heating and the AE index shows a nearly linear correspondence between the two quantities, in accordance with previous studies. However, we find lower proportionality factors than reported by others when taking geomagnetic conditions into account, ranging between 0.13 and 0.23GW/nT. We also find that the contribution from auroral particles to the energy budget is more important than most previous studies have reported. Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; particle precipitation) – Magnetospheric physics (storms and substorms)