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Title: The dependence of the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents on solar wind and ionospheric parameters

Abstract

Abstract Sheared plasma flows at the low‐latitude boundary layer (LLBL) correlate well with early afternoon auroral arcs and upward field‐aligned currents. We present a simple analytic model that relates solar wind and ionospheric parameters to the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents (Λ) in a region of sheared velocity, such as the LLBL. We compare the predictions of the model with DMSP observations and find remarkably good scaling of the upward region 1 currents with solar wind and ionospheric parameters in region located at the boundary layer or open field lines at 1100–1700 magnetic local time. We demonstrate that and Λ ∼ L when Λ/ L < 5 where L is the auroral electrostatic scale length. The sheared boundary layer thickness (Δ m ) is inferred to be around 3000 km, which appears to have weak dependence on V sw . J ∥ has dependencies on Δ m , Σ p , n sw , and V sw . The analytic model provides a simple way to organize data and to infer boundary layer structures from ionospheric data.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Princeton Center for Heliophysics Princeton University, Plasma Physics Laboratory Princeton New Jersey USA
  2. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel Maryland USA
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1402126
Grant/Contract Number:  
DE‐AC02‐09CH11466
Resource Type:
Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics Journal Volume: 120 Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9380
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Johnson, Jay R., and Wing, Simon. The dependence of the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents on solar wind and ionospheric parameters. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1002/2014JA020312.
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Johnson, Jay R., & Wing, Simon. The dependence of the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents on solar wind and ionospheric parameters. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020312
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Johnson, Jay R., and Wing, Simon. Fri . "The dependence of the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents on solar wind and ionospheric parameters". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020312.
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@article{osti_1402126,
title = {The dependence of the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents on solar wind and ionospheric parameters},
author = {Johnson, Jay R. and Wing, Simon},
abstractNote = {Abstract Sheared plasma flows at the low‐latitude boundary layer (LLBL) correlate well with early afternoon auroral arcs and upward field‐aligned currents. We present a simple analytic model that relates solar wind and ionospheric parameters to the strength and thickness of field‐aligned currents (Λ) in a region of sheared velocity, such as the LLBL. We compare the predictions of the model with DMSP observations and find remarkably good scaling of the upward region 1 currents with solar wind and ionospheric parameters in region located at the boundary layer or open field lines at 1100–1700 magnetic local time. We demonstrate that and Λ ∼ L when Λ/ L < 5 where L is the auroral electrostatic scale length. The sheared boundary layer thickness (Δ m ) is inferred to be around 3000 km, which appears to have weak dependence on V sw . J ∥ has dependencies on Δ m , Σ p , n sw , and V sw . The analytic model provides a simple way to organize data and to infer boundary layer structures from ionospheric data.},
doi = {10.1002/2014JA020312},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics},
number = 5,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 22 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Fri May 22 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020312
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