Reply to comment on geomagnetic activity associated with earth passage of interplanetary shock disturbances and coronal mass ejections by J. T. Gosling, D. J. McComas, J. L. Phillips, and S. J. Bame

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JA02009· OSTI ID:6787674

Gosling, J T; McComas, D J; Phillips, J L; Bame, S J ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

It is clear that the preceding comment is based on a serious misunderstanding of the conclusions arrived at in our 1991 paper. We welcome this opportunity to clear up these misunderstandings. Contrary to inferences in the Tsurutani and Gonzalez comment we have not advocated that solar wind speed at 1 AU is a more important factor than a strong southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in stimulating geomagnetic activity, although it is a factor. Our primary emphasis in the abstract and the discussion section of the 1991 paper was not on high flow speeds at 1 AU and the role of high 1 AU speed in coupling solar wind energy to the magnetosphere, but rather on the initial speed of coronal mass ejections (CMES) close to the Sun and the role of high initial speeds in producing strong southward magnetic fields (negative B[sub z]) in interplanetary space via compression and draping. As we have elaborated extensively on this point in the discussion section of the paper as well as in a previous paper, it is difficult to understand how Tsurutani and Gonzalez could so seriously misconstrue our conclusions. A careful reading of our 1991 paper, as well as our other recent papers concerning CMEs in the solar wind at 1 AU, reveals that, in contrast to inferences in the Tsurutani and Gonzalez comment, we have repeatedly stressed the importance of a strong southward IMF at 1 AU for producing geomagnetic activity. Indeed, the Gosling and McComas and McComas et al. papers on field line draping were explicitly directed toward explaining prolonged intervals of strong southward fields within the shocked plasma ahead of fast CMEs (and the corresponding effect on geomagnetic activity). We have also explicitly noted on a number of occasions the importance of reconnection at the dayside magnetopause as the prime means of transferring solar wind energy to the magnetosphere. 13 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6787674
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 98:A2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
DISTURBANCES
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
COMPRESSION
COUPLING
ENERGY
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOPAUSE
MASS
PARTICLE SOURCES
PLASMA
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR WIND
SUN
ATMOSPHERES
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
RADIATION SOURCES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SPACE
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR CORONAE
661320* - Auroral
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