On the electrodynamical state of the auroral ionosphere during northward interplanetary magnetic field: A transpolar arc case study

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90JA02644· OSTI ID:5313607

Marklund, G T; Blomberg, L G ^[1]; Murphree, J S; Elphinstone, R D ^[2]; Zanetti, L J; Erlandson, R E ^[3]; Sandahl, I ^[4]; de la Beaujardiere, O ^[5]; Opgenoorth, H ^[6]; Rich, F J ^[7]

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1. Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden)
2. Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
3. Johns Hopkins Univ., Laurel, MD (USA)
4. Swedish Institute of Physics, Kiruna (Sweden)
5. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
6. Swedish Inst. of Space Physics, Uppsala (Sweden)
7. Air Force Geophysics Lab., Bedford, MA (USA)

The ionospheric electrodynamical state has been reconstructed for a transpolar arc event during northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions. An extensive set of observations by Viking and other satellites and by ground-based radars has been used to provide realistic model input data or to verify the modeling results. The resulting convection pattern is found to be consistent with the Viking electric field and intimately linked to the prevalent auroral distribution. It is characterized by a large evening cell, well extended across noon and split up by two separated potential minima, and a minor crescent-shaped morning cell. The convection signatures are found to vary a lot along the transpolar arc depending on the relative role of the arc-associated convection and the ambient convection. The transpolar arc is generally embedded in antisunward convective flow except near the connection points with the auroral oval, where sunward flow exists in localized regions.

• OSTI ID: 5313607
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 96:A6; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
AURORAL ZONES
CONVECTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
ORIENTATION
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SATELLITES