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Viking observations of a reverse convection cell developing in response to a northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/96GL00619· OSTI ID:245185
 [1];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)
  2. Univ. of Calgary (Canada)
The authors report the development of a reverse sense convection cell in the polar ionosphere from auroral images coming from UV Viking probes. The cell was observed to grow on the dusk side of the north polar oval, near the transpolar arcs. As it grew it seemed to displace the arc system toward dawn. They compare their observations with a model in which magnetic merging in the magnetopause produces such convection cells, typically associated with horse-collar or teardrop auroral features.
OSTI ID:
245185
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 23; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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