Field-aligned currents associated with substorms in the vicinity of synchronous orbit. 1. The July 5, 1979, substorm observed by SCATHA, GOES 3, and GOES 2

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA03p02425· OSTI ID:5596693

Nagai, T ^[1]; Singer, H J ^[2]; Ledley, B G ^[3]; Olsen, R C ^[4]

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1. Meteorological Research Inst., Ibaraki (Japan)
2. Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (United States)
3. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
4. Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville (United States)

Magnetic field topology and field-aligned current signatures in the vicinity of synchronous orbit are examined for a substorm on July 5, 1979. Changes from taillike to dipolar field geometry propagate earthward near the midnight meridian during the substorm. The major field-aligned currents producing a negative D perturbation at and around synchronous orbit are downward currents flowing into the auroral ionosphere on L shells greater than the synchronous spacecraft L shell. Although these currents are located initially on higher L shells, they shift toward the lower L shells as the change from taillike to dipolar fields propagates earthward. There may exist upward field-aligned currents located on smaller L shells in the limited longitudinal region near the meridian where mid-latitude D perturbations change their sign.

• OSTI ID: 5596693
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 92:A3; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CURRENTS
DISTRIBUTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
GEOMETRY
GOES SATELLITES
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MATHEMATICS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
SATELLITES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
TOPOLOGY