IMF B/sub y/ dependence of region 1 Birkeland currents near noon

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA093iA09p09804· OSTI ID:6832346

Erlandson, R E; Zanetti, L J; Potemra, T A; Bythrow, P F; Lundin, R

We have conducted a statistical study of large-scale Birkeland currents, hot plasma, and the B/sub y/ component of the interplanetary magnetic field. Forty-eight Viking orbits from July 19, 1986, to September 2, 1986, were used in the study during a time period when the 3-R/sub E/ geocentric apogee was located near the dayside high-latitude region usually associated with the polar cusp. We first compared the location of magnetosheathlike electrons to the region 1 and ''traditional cusp'' Birkeland current systems near noon. It was found that the region 1 Birkeland current system was colocated with the region of most intense magnetosheathlike electron flux. We therefore infer that the ''tradional cusp'' current system, located poleward of the region 1 system, is associated with field lines that extend to the plasma mantle in the outer magnetosphere. Using this same data base a statistical study between the B/sub y/ component of the IMF and the flow direction of the region 1 Birkeland current system as a function of magnetic local time was performed. We determined that the flow direction of the region 1 current system near noon depends on the B/sub y/ component of IMF. The meridian that separates the dawnside and duskside region 1 Birkeland currents shifted to magnetic local times before noon when B/sub y/ was less than 0 nT, and to the afternoon when B/sub y/ was greater than 0 nT. The extent of the shift away from noon was dependent on the magnitude of the IMF B/sub y/ component. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988

• Research Organization: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 6832346
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 93:A9; 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
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
HOT PLASMA
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA
POLAR CUSP
SATELLITES