scholarly journals Afternoon mid-latitude current system and low-latitude geomagnetic field asymmetry during geomagnetic storms

1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 1537-1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Grafe ◽  
P. A. Bespalov ◽  
V. Y. Trakhtengerts ◽  
A. G. Demekhov
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Geomagnetic Storms ◽  
Current System ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Electrojet Current ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Current Systems ◽  
Correlative Relationship

Abstract. For four geomagnetic storms of middle intensity the relationship between the low-latitude magnetic field asymmetry using ASY indices and the intensity of the auroral eastward and westward electrojet was considered. It was asked whether there exists a connection between ASY and the eastward electrojet. To answer this question equivalent current systems were estimated in mid-latitudes. It was found that the observations obviously show no correlative relationship between the low-latitude magnetic-field asymmetry and the eastward electrojet, whereas one exists between ASY and the westward electrojet. To explain the generally accepted common three-dimensional current system between the partial ring current and the eastward electrojet, a condensor model of the three-dimensional current system was developed. It could be shown that the short periodic variations of the partial ring current are shielded by the condensor and cannot influence the eastward-electrojet current.

scholarly journals A note on the ring current in Saturn’s magnetosphere: Comparison of magnetic data obtained during the Pioneer-11 and Voyager-1 and -2 fly-bys

2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 661-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Bunce ◽  
S. W. H. Cowley
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Current System ◽  
Magnetic Data ◽  
Total Current ◽  
Planetary Magnetospheres ◽  
Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics ◽  
Magnetospheric Configuration ◽  
First Time ◽  
Current Systems

Abstract. We examine the residual (measured minus internal) magnetic field vectors observed in Saturn’s magnetosphere during the Pioneer-11 fly-by in 1979, and compare them with those observed during the Voyager-1 and -2 fly-bys in 1980 and 1981. We show for the first time that a ring current system was present within the magnetosphere during the Pioneer-11 encounter, which was qualitatively similar to those present during the Voyager fly-bys. The analysis also shows, however, that the ring current was located closer to the planet during the Pioneer-11 encounter than during the comparable Voyager-1 fly-by, reflecting the more com-pressed nature of the magnetosphere at the time. The residual field vectors have been fit using an adaptation of the current system proposed for Jupiter by Connerney et al. (1981a). A model that provides a reasonably good fit to the Pioneer-11 Saturn data extends radially between 6.5 and 12.5 RS (compared with a noon-sector magnetopause distance of 17 RS), has a north-south extent of 4 RS, and carries a total current of 9.6 MA. A corresponding model that provides a qualitatively similar fit to the Voyager data, determined previously by Connerney et al. (1983), extends radially between 8 and 15.5 RS (compared with a noon-sector magnetopause distance for Voyager-1 of 23–24 RS), has a north-south extent of 6 RS, and carries a total current of 11.5 MA.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (current systems, magnetospheric configuration and dynamics, planetary magnetospheres)

scholarly journals Magnetic field of the transition current system: dawn-dusk asymmetry

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1899-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Belenkaya ◽  
I. I. Alexeev ◽  
C. R. Clauer
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Current System ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Field Enhancement ◽  
Interplanetary Shock ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Transition Current ◽  
Geometrical Effect ◽  
Ground Magnetic ◽  
Current Systems

Abstract. In this paper we consider the interactions of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with the Earth's magnetosphere for the specific case in which there is a sharp increase in the dynamic pressure (interplanetary shock) that is associated with a simultaneous northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) from the near horizontal direction. Previously, we have shown that under such circumstances, the so-called transition current systems arise. These temporary high-latitude current systems create a low-latitude asymmetric magnetic field on the ground with a large northward field enhancement on the nightside and little or no field increase near local noon. Here we investigate the dawn-dusk asymmetry of the low-latitude on-ground magnetic field of the transition current system caused by the IMF. Analysis of the Region 1 current circuit for northward IMF shows a change in its shape controlled by different IMF components. Due to this geometrical effect, the maximum and minimum magnetic field disturbances appear to be shifted. The obtained results supplement and define more precisely the locations of the magnetic disturbance extrema retrieved recently by Clauer et al. (2001). The results of this study are compared with the available observations. A good accordance is demonstrated.

scholarly journals Long-term evolution of magnetospheric current systems during storms

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1317-1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Yu. Ganushkina ◽  
T. I. Pulkkinen ◽  
M. V. Kubyshkina ◽  
H. J. Singer ◽  
C. T. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Geomagnetic Storms ◽  
High Time Resolution ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Field Representation ◽  
Dst Index ◽  
Model Free ◽  
Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics ◽  
Current Systems

Abstract. We present a method to model the storm-time magnetospheric magnetic field using representations of the magnetic field arising from the various magnetospheric current systems. We incorporate the effects of magnetotail changes during substorms by introducing an additional localized thin current sheet into the Tsyganenko T89 model. To represent the storm-time ring current the T89 ring current is replaced by a bean-shaped current system, which has a cross section that is close to the observed distribution of trapped particles in the inner magnetosphere and has an eastward flowing inner and westward flowing outer components. In addition to the symmetric ring current, an asymmetric partial ring current is taken into account with closing Region 2 sense field-aligned currents. Magnetopause currents are varied in accordance with solar wind dynamic pressure variations. Three moderate geomagnetic storms when Dst reached about –150 nT and one big storm with Dst about –250 nT are modelled. The model free parameters are specified for each time step separately using observations from GOES 8 and 9, Polar, Interball and Geotail satellites and Dst measurements. The model gives a high time-resolution field representation of the large-scale magnetic field, and a very good reproduction of the Dst index. It is shown that the ring current is most important during intense storms, whereas the near-Earth tail currents contribute more to the Dst index than the ring current during moderate storms. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (Current systems; Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; Storms and substorms)

scholarly journals Midday reversal of equatorial ionospheric electric field

1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1309-1315 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Rastogi
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Solar Wind ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Geomagnetic Storms ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
E Region ◽  
Sporadic E ◽  
Ionospheric Electric Field

Abstract. A comparative study of the geomagnetic and ionospheric data at equatorial and low-latitude stations in India over the 20 year period 1956–1975 is described. The reversal of the electric field in the ionosphere over the magnetic equator during the midday hours indicated by the disappearance of the equatorial sporadic E region echoes on the ionograms is a rare phenomenon occurring on about 1% of time. Most of these events are associated with geomagnetically active periods. By comparing the simultaneous geomagnetic H field at Kodaikanal and at Alibag during the geomagnetic storms it is shown that ring current decreases are observed at both stations. However, an additional westward electric field is superimposed in the ionosphere during the main phase of the storm which can be strong enough to temporarily reverse the normally eastward electric field in the dayside ionosphere. It is suggested that these electric fields associated with the V×Bz electric fields originate at the magnetopause due to the interaction of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field.

scholarly journals The equatorial E-region and its plasma instabilities: a tutorial

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1509-1520 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. T. Farley
Keyword(s):  
Current System ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Plasma Instabilities ◽  
Basic Physics ◽  
Electrojet Current ◽  
Fluid Theory ◽  
E Region ◽  
Kinetic Effects ◽  
The One ◽  
Observational Techniques

Abstract. In this short tutorial we first briefly review the basic physics of the E-region of the equatorial ionosphere, with emphasis on the strong electrojet current system that drives plasma instabilities and generates strong plasma waves that are easily detected by radars and rocket probes. We then discuss the instabilities themselves, both the theory and some examples of the observational data. These instabilities have now been studied for about half a century (!), beginning with the IGY, particularly at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Peru. The linear fluid theory of the important processes is now well understood, but there are still questions about some kinetic effects, not to mention the considerable amount of work to be done before we have a full quantitative understanding of the limiting nonlinear processes that determine the details of what we actually observe. As our observational techniques, especially the radar techniques, improve, we find some answers, but also more and more questions. One difficulty with studying natural phenomena, such as these instabilities, is that we cannot perform active cause-and-effect experiments; we are limited to the inputs and responses that nature provides. The one hope here is the steadily growing capability of numerical plasma simulations. If we can accurately simulate the relevant plasma physics, we can control the inputs and measure the responses in great detail. Unfortunately, the problem is inherently three-dimensional, and we still need somewhat more computer power than is currently available, although we have come a long way.

scholarly journals Interpolation of externally-caused magnetic fields over large sparse arrays using Spherical Elementary Current Systems

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1795-1805 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. McLay ◽  
C. D. Beggan
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
External Field ◽  
Current System ◽  
Electrical Current ◽  
Ionospheric Currents ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Physically Based ◽  
Subsurface Current ◽  
Current Systems ◽  
The Magnetic Field

Abstract. A physically-based technique for interpolating external magnetic field disturbances across large spatial areas can be achieved with the Spherical Elementary Current System (SECS) method using data from ground-based magnetic observatories. The SECS method represents complex electrical current systems as a simple set of equivalent currents placed at a specific height in the ionosphere. The magnetic field recorded at observatories can be used to invert for the electrical currents, which can subsequently be employed to interpolate or extrapolate the magnetic field across a large area. We show that, in addition to the ionospheric currents, inverting for induced subsurface current systems can result in strong improvements to the estimate of the interpolated magnetic field. We investigate the application of the SECS method at mid- to high geomagnetic latitudes using a series of observatory networks to test the performance of the external field interpolation over large distances. We demonstrate that relatively few observatories are required to produce an estimate that is better than either assuming no external field change or interpolation using latitudinal weighting of data from two other observatories.

scholarly journals Study of the applicability of the curlometer technique with the four Cluster spacecraft in regions close to Earth

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Grimald ◽  
I. Dandouras ◽  
P. Robert ◽  
E. Lucek
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Current Density ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Current System ◽  
Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Magnetic Activity ◽  
Inner Magnetosphere ◽  
Good Proxy ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetospheric Current System

Abstract. Knowledge of the inner magnetospheric current system (intensity, boundaries, evolution) is one of the key elements for the understanding of the whole magnetospheric current system. In particular, the calculation of the current density and the study of the changes in the ring current is an active field of research as it is a good proxy for the magnetic activity. The curlometer technique allows the current density to be calculated from the magnetic field measured at four different positions inside a given current sheet using the Maxwell-Ampere's law. In 2009, the CLUSTER perigee pass was located at about 2 RE allowing a study of the ring current deep inside the inner magnetosphere, where the pressure gradient is expected to invert direction. In this paper, we use the curlometer in such an orbit. As the method has never been used so deep inside the inner magnetosphere, this study is a test of the curlometer in a part of the magnetosphere where the magnetic field is very high (about 4000 nT) and changes over small distances (ΔB = 1nT in 1000 km). To do so, the curlometer has been applied to calculate the current density from measured and modelled magnetic fields and for different sizes of the tetrahedron. The results show that the current density cannot be calculated using the curlometer technique at low altitude perigee passes, but that the method may be accurate in a [3 RE; 5 RE] or a [6 RE; 8.3 RE] L-shell range. It also demonstrates that the parameters used to estimate the accuracy of the method are necessary, but not sufficient conditions.

scholarly journals Effect of the solar wind conditions on the ionospheric equivalent current systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Zhang ◽  
C. Wang ◽  
B. B. Tang ◽  
H. Li
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Solar Wind ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Current System ◽  
Solar Wind Speed ◽  
Lower Latitude ◽  
Equivalent Current ◽  
Mhd Model ◽  
Current Systems ◽  
The Imf

Abstract. We employ a global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model, namely the PPMLR-MHD model, to investigate the effect of the solar wind conditions, such as the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) clock angle, southward IMF magnitude and solar wind speed, on the average pattern of the ionospheric equivalent current systems (ECS). A new method to derive ECS from the MHD model is proposed and applied, which takes account of the oblique magnetic field line effects. The model results indicate that when the IMF is due northward, the ECS are very weak while the current over polar region is stronger than the lower latitude; when the IMF rotates southward, the two-cell current system dominates, the eastward electrojet on the afternoon sector and the westward electrojet on the dawn sector increase rapidly while the westward electrojet is stronger than the eastward electrojet. Under southward IMF, the intensity of the westward electrojet and eastward electrojet both increase with the increase of the southward IMF magnitude and solar wind speed, and the increase is very sharp for the westward electrojet. Furthermore, we compare the geomagnetic perturbations on the ground represented by the simulated average ECS with the observation-based statistical results under similar solar wind conditions. It is found that the model results generally match with the observations, but the underestimation of the eastward equivalent current on the dusk sector is the main limitation of the present model.

scholarly journals The HIA instrument on board the Tan Ce 1 Double Star near-equatorial spacecraft and its first results

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 2757-2774 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Rème ◽  
I. Dandouras ◽  
C. Aoustin ◽  
J. M. Bosqued ◽  
J. A. Sauvaud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Geomagnetic Storms ◽  
Distribution Functions ◽  
Double Star ◽  
Magnetospheric Substorms ◽  
Scientific Cooperation ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
First Results ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

Abstract. On 29 December 2003, the Chinese spacecraft Tan Ce 1 (TC-1), the first component of the Double Star mission, was successfully launched within a low-latitude eccentric orbit. In the framework of the scientific cooperation between the Academy of Sciences of China and ESA, several European instruments, identical to those developed for the Cluster spacecraft, were installed on board this spacecraft. The HIA (Hot Ion Analyzer) instrument on board the TC-1 spacecraft is an ion spectrometer nearly identical to the HIA sensor of the CIS instrument on board the 4 Cluster spacecraft. This instrument has been specially adapted for TC-1. It measures the 3-D distribution functions of the ions between 5 eV/q and 32 keV/q without mass discrimination. TC-1 is like a fifth Cluster spacecraft to study the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere and to study geomagnetic storms and magnetospheric substorms in the near equatorial plane. HIA was commissioned in February 2004. Due to the 2 RE higher apogee than expected, some in-flight improvements were needed in order to use HIA in the solar wind in the initial phase of the mission. Since this period HIA has obtained very good measurements in the solar wind, the magnetosheath, the dayside and nightside plasma sheet, the ring current and the radiation belts. We present here the first results in the different regions of the magnetosphere and in the solar wind. Some of them are very new and include, for example, ion dispersion structures in the bow shock and ion beams close to the magnetopause. The huge interest in the orbit of TC-1 is strongly demonstrated.

scholarly journals A superposed epoch analysis of auroral evolution during substorm growth, onset and recovery: open magnetic flux control of substorm intensity

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 659-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Milan ◽  
A. Grocott ◽  
C. Forsyth ◽  
S. M. Imber ◽  
P. D. Boakes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Superposed Epoch Analysis ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Open Magnetic Flux ◽  
Open Flux ◽  
Epoch Analysis ◽  
Proton Aurora ◽  
Current Systems

Abstract. We perform two superposed epoch analyses of the auroral evolution during substorms using the FUV instrument on the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Explorer (IMAGE) spacecraft. The larger of the two studies includes nearly 2000 substorms. We subdivide the substorms by onset latitude, a measure of the open magnetic flux in the magnetosphere, and determine average auroral images before and after substorm onset, for both electron and proton aurora. Our results indicate that substorms are more intense in terms of auroral brightness when the open flux content of the magnetosphere is larger, and that magnetic flux closure is more significant. The increase in auroral brightness at onset is larger for electrons than protons. We also show that there is a dawn-dusk offset in the location of the electron and proton aurora that mirrors the relative locations of the region 1 and region 2 current systems. Superposed epoch analyses of the solar wind, interplanetary magnetic field, and geomagnetic indices for the substorms under study indicate that dayside reconnection is expected to occur at a faster rate prior to low latitude onsets, but also that the ring current is enhanced for these events.

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