On the contribution of the thermospheric neutral wind to high-latitude energetics

Journal Article · Fri Feb 07 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL02868· OSTI ID:5362144

Thayer, J P; Vickrey, J F ^[1]

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1. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Although the neutral wind's contribution to ionospheric electrodynamics is well-established at low latitudes, this electrical energy source has been largely ignored at high latitudes, owing to the assumed dominance of the magnetospheric dynamo contribution. Yet, the potential for exchange of electrical energy between the neutral wind dynamo and the magnetospheric dynamo is a direct consequence of the coupling magnetic field lines. The integral nature of this coupling precludes the direct separation of the neutral wind and solar wind contributions to the observed electrodynamics. Therefore, to gain some insight into their relative importance, the authors have performed a simple numerical experiment in which the two dynamos are individually connected to a fixed load and their energetics evaluated separately. To determine the electric energy flux supplied by the magnetosphere, they treat is a voltage generator and the ionosphere as a resistive load. The available electrical energy flux generated by the neutral wind dynamo is determined from the mechanical energy stored within an established neutral wind field. This exercise has led to a number of conclusions, including: (1) the neutral wind dynamo contributes significantly to high-latitude energetics, particularly in the central polar cap; and (2) in the region near the plasma convection reversal boundary, the amount of energy flux available from the neutral wind dynamo can exceed that provided by the magnetospheric dynamo.

• OSTI ID: 5362144
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 19:3; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
IONOSPHERE
ELECTRODYNAMICS
THERMOSPHERE
WIND
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CONVECTION
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
LATITUDE EFFECT
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
POLAR REGIONS
SOLAR WIND
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENERGY TRANSFER
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
VARIATIONS
661320* - Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena- (1992-)