Interplanetary Alfven waves and auroral (substorm) activity - IMP 8

Abstract

Almost 1 year of IMP 8 interplanetary magnetic field and plasma data (days 1-312, 1979) have been examined to determine the interplanetary causes of geomagnetic AE activity. The nature of the interplanetary medium (Alfvenic or non-Alfvenic) and the B(s) correlation with AE were examined over 12-hour increments throughout the study. It is found that Alfvenic wave intervals are present over 60 percent of the time, and the southward component of the Alfven waves is well correlated with AE (average peak correlation coefficient 0.62), with a median lag of 43 min. From this statistical study, no major differences in the magnetospheric response to Alfvenic and non-Alfvenic intervals were obvious. The high-intensity long-duration continuous AE activity (HILDCAA) events discussed previously by Tsurutani and Gonzales (1987) are demonstrated to be caused by the southward components of the Alfven waves, presumably through the process of magnetic reconnection.