Relationships between interplanetary quantities and the global auroral electrojet index

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA087iA01p00119· OSTI ID:5289366

Meloni, A; Wolfe, A; Lanzerotti, L J

We have studied, using linear cross correlation and multilinear regression analyses, statistical relations between the magnetospheric auroral electrojet intensity index AE and various parameters characterizing the interplanetary plasma and magnetic field. We also consider the recently proposed epsilon parameter as an independent variable. The analyses were carried out separately for twenty-eight days in mid 1975 and for each of five individual magnetic storm intervals that have been previously discussed extensively in the literature. We find that when the interplanetary data set is not distinguished as to the direction of the north-south component B/sub z/, the interplanetary electric field -VB/sub z/ carried to the front of the magnetosphere correlates with AE substantially better than does epsilon. Considering only data during which B/sub z/ is negative gives a slightly better correlation of epsilon with AE than of the electric field with AE. The correlations are valid for the specific storm periods as well as for the unrestricted twenty-eight days of data. Our results suggest that the physical processes involved in energy transfer to the nightside magnetosphere depend upon the direction of the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field: the interplanetary electric field plays an important role during northward B/sub z/ and the epsilon parameter and the electric field both provide an indication of energy transfer and substorm activity during southward B/sub z/.

• Research Organization: Bell Laboratories, Murrary Hill, New Jersey 07974
• OSTI ID: 5289366
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 87:A1; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CORRELATIONS
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROJETS
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC STORMS
MAGNETOSPHERE
MATHEMATICS
PLASMA
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SPACE
STATISTICS