Field-aligned currents and ionospheric electric fields in the vicinity of the dayside polar cleft: observations and simulations
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:6481705
Correlative observations of solar-wind plasma parameters and IMF (Interplanetary Magnetic Field) from the IMP-8 satellites were studied. These data indicate that the dayside high-latitude ionospheric electric field, which drives the observed F-region plasma convection, responds within about 14 minutes to IMF variations at the magnetopause. There is also an indication that IMF fluctuations of 10 minutes or less do not produce changes in the ionospheric electric-field configuration. It has also been found that use of a very simple model of the polar cleft currents driven by solar wind electric fields is able to explain much of the temporal variations in the ionospheric plasma convection pattern observed using the Sondrestrom radar. Several areas of disagreement will require refinement of the simple model. For example, observations during intervals of northward IMF are not consistent with the simulations. Also, occasionally the convection equatorward of the cleft currents in the model is inconsistently with observations, particularly near local noon. Which suggests that the Region 1 and Region 2 currents near noon may not be modeled properly.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Univ., CA (USA). Space, Telecommunications and Radioscience Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 6481705
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A-177815/8/XAB; -45
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Observations of solar-wind-driven progression of interplanetary magnetic field B{sub Y}-related dayside ionospheric disturbances
Plasma transport through the dayside cleft: A source of ionization patches in the polar cap
High-latitude dayside electric fields and currents during strong northward interplanetary magnetic field: Observations and model simulation
Journal Article
·
Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995
· Journal of Geophysical Research
·
OSTI ID:207213
Plasma transport through the dayside cleft: A source of ionization patches in the polar cap
Technical Report
·
Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988
·
OSTI ID:7253441
High-latitude dayside electric fields and currents during strong northward interplanetary magnetic field: Observations and model simulation
Journal Article
·
Thu Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1988
· J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5190170
Related Subjects
640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALIGNMENT
CONVECTION
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ENERGY TRANSFER
F REGION
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
IONOSPHERE
LATITUDE EFFECT
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
POLAR REGIONS
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
VARIATIONS
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALIGNMENT
CONVECTION
CURRENTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ENERGY TRANSFER
F REGION
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
IONOSPHERE
LATITUDE EFFECT
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
POLAR REGIONS
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
VARIATIONS