Determining the strength of the ring and the magnetopause currents during the initial phase of a geomagnetic storm using cosmic-ray data

Technical Report · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5595630

Flueckiger, E O; Smart, D F; Shea, M A

During a geomagnetic storm the strength of the magnetospheric current systems is strongly increased. In the initial phase of most events, however, the magnetic field at the Earth's equator (as characterized by the Dst index) shows only a relatively small perturbation due to the opposite magnetic effects caused by the magnetopause currents compared to the ring current. Analysis of Dst and of the cosmic ray cutoff rigidity changes at about 55 deg geomagnetic latitude offers the unique possibility to estimate the intensity of these two current systems separately. The procedure is illustrated for the geomagnetic storm on December 17, 1971.

• Research Organization: Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5595630
• Report Number(s): AD-A-231454/0/XAB; GL-TR-90-0344
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Pub. in Jnl. of Geophysical Research, v95 nA2 p1113-1118, 1 Feb 90
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MAGNETOPAUSE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
MAGNETIC STORMS
SWITZERLAND
VARIATIONS
CURRENTS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EUROPE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena