ISEE 3 high time resolution study of interplanetary parameter correlations with magnetospheric activity

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA088iA08p06230· OSTI ID:5598622

Baker, D N; Zwickl, R D; Bame, S J; Hones, Jr, E W; Tsurutani, B T; Smith, E J; Akasofu, S

From 1978 to 1982 the ISEE 3 spacecraft was in a ''halo'' orbit around the sun-earth Lagrangian point L/sub 1/ approximately 240 R/sub E/ upstream of the earth and was continuously in the upstream solar wind. In order to evaluate the efficacy of such a spacecraft as a real time interplanetary monitor to predict substorm activity and to measure solar wind energy input into the terrestrial magnetosphere, three periods in 1978 were selected in which to perform detailed correlation analyses between solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) parameters and magnetospheric activity indices such as AE and Dst. High time resolution (1 min) averages of combined solar wind parameters and IMF parameters were used to perform linear cross-correlation analyses with the similarly averaged magnetospheric activity indices. A significant dependence of these results on levels of activity is found. During relatively quiet conditions, all tested parameters (epsilon, VB/sub S/, V/sup 2/B/sub x/) produce high (0.7--0.8), nearly identical linear correlation coefficients with AE. During disturbed times, substantially lower correlations between all parameters and AE are found (r< or approx. =0.6 for VB; r< or approx. =0.4 for epsilon). A measure of total magnetospheric energy dissipation (U/sub T/) involving both auroral and ring current terms is useful and can be meaningfully calculated during disturbed periods of geomagnetic storm (or stormlike) activity. U/sub T/ is rather highly correlated (r>0.6) with all tested parameters during disturbed times. The parameter epsilon is often superior to the B/sub x/ parameters in prediction of U/sub T/.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
• OSTI ID: 5598622
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 88:A8; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CORRELATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENERGY LOSSES
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
LOSSES
MAGNETIC BAYS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC STORMS
MAGNETOSPHERE
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND