Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

Time scales of expansion and contraction of the auroral oval

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5175064
; ; ;
The auroral boundary index calculated on the basis of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program precipitating-electron data is used to examine the dynamics of the auroral oval in the midnight sector. The equatorward boundary of the oval expands equatorward and contracts poleward corresponding to southward and northward turnings, respectively, of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The time scales are found to be on the average, 45 min for the expansion and 8 hours for the contraction. A general empirical formula to predict the oval location for any IMF variation is devised. Physical processes in the magnetosphere consistent with the rapid expansion and slow contraction of the auroral oval are discussed.
Research Organization:
Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5175064
Report Number(s):
AD-A-169410/8/XAB; AFGL-TR-86-0130
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Dynamics of the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval
Technical Report · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985 · OSTI ID:6699741
Response of nightside auroral-oval boundaries to the interplanetary magnetic field
Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5737677
Northward IMF and patterns of high-latitude precipitation and field-aligned currents: The February 1986 storm
Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · OSTI ID:6234600

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
AURORAL OVAL
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
DYNAMICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MECHANICS
SPACE