F-region ionization and heating during magnetic storms.
Simultaneous solution of continuity and heat conduction equations for ionospheric electrons, ions and neutral species for studying F region magnetic storm behavior
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Simultaneous solution of continuity and heat conduction equations for ionospheric electrons, ions and neutral species for studying F region magnetic storm behavior
An analysis of ISEE-3 field and plasma data shows that 10 intense magnetic storms that occurred in 1979 were caused by long-duration, large-amplitude (13-30 nT) and negative (less than -10 nT) IMF Bz events associated with interplanetary duskward-electric fields of greater than 5 mV/m. The results suggest that these criteria may be used as predictors of intense storms. A study of opposite polarity (northward) Bz events with the same criteria shows that their occurrence is similar both in number and in their relationship to interplanetary disturbances. The amplitudes of the storms were not found to vary with shock strengths.
We have modeled plasma transport in the low-latitude and equatorial ionosphere during the great magnetic storm of March 1989. Our goal was to provide a consistent explanation for the DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) observations of dramatic decreases in ion density and rapid ion drifts in the low latitude ionosphere over South America during the storm. The modeling effort supports the hypothesis that abnormally large upward drifts lifted F region plasma above the satellite's altitude and created the density depletions observed by DMSP. Modeled O(+) densities at the satellite's altitude have a strong qualitative resemblance to DMSP observations. Both the model and the observations indicate a deep density trough with extremely sharp boundaries surrounding the equator. The widths of both the modeled and the observed equatorial troughs increase with time. Vertical ion drifts predicted by the model also have been compared with DMSP measurements. Like the observed vertical drifts, the modeled drifts reversed sign near the trough boundaries. The modeled vertical drifts are of the same order and direction as the vertical component of E x B convection near the equator, but of opposite direction (downward) near the trough boundaries and outside of the trough.
We report global observations of high-m poloidal waves during the recovery phase of the 22 June 2015 magnetic storm from a constellation of widely spaced satellites of five missions including Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS), Van Allen Probes, Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorm (THEMIS), Cluster, and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). The combined observations demonstrate the global spatial extent of storm time poloidal waves. MMS observations confirm high azimuthal wave numbers (m approximately 100). Mode identification indicates the waves are associated with the second harmonic of field line resonances. The wave frequencies exhibit a decreasing trend as L increases, distinguishing them from the single-frequency global poloidal modes normally observed during quiet times. Detailed examination of the instantaneous frequency reveals discrete spatial structures with step-like frequency changes along L. Each discrete L shell has a steady wave frequency and spans about 1 RE, suggesting that there exist a discrete number of drift-bounce resonance regions across L shells during storm times.
The variations in the equatorial penetration boundary of solar protons with E sub p = 0.9 to 8.0 MeV during a strong magnetic storm of April 3 to 5, were analyzed. The dynamics of this boundary is compared with the dynamics of the outer trapping boundary of electrons with E sub e = - 0.3 to 0.6 MeV. The solar-proton penetration and the structure of the real magnetic field are studied. The unique data on the thin structure of development of a magnetospheric substorm were obtained for the first time.
Ogo 4 measurements of the UV equatorial airglow made during a period which included a major magnetic storm are analyzed and used as an indicator of wind direction and velocity as well as ExB drift magnitude and phase. Some features of the airglow intensity and distribution are explained in terms of storm-induced changes in vertical drift velocity, neutral composition, or both. The observations are shown to be consistent with an eastward neutral wind that transports ionization from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere while raising the F layer in the South and lowering it in the North. Theoretical modeling of the low-latitude F-region ionosphere indicates that an eastward wind with velocity approaching 300 m/s at 2100 LT can qualitatively produce the observed hemispheric asymmetries in airglow emission rates.
The neutral-atmosphere composition experiment on Atmosphere Explorer C measured N2, O, Ar, and He densities during a magnetic storm at altitudes down to about 160 km. At latitudes above 45 deg N, N2 and Ar densities generally increase during the storm, while He and O densities decrease. Below 45 deg N all densities tend to increase during the storm. The density increases at perigee indicate that density- or temperature-profile changes are taking place below 160 km. The return to prestorm conditions is very slow, demonstrating the integrating effect of the atmospheric response. A recent theoretical model incorporating thermospheric circulation and diffusion effects reproduces the longitudinally averaged data, including latitude trends and the asymmetry about the storm maximum. Comparison with the mass-spectrometer and incoherent-scatter empirical model shows qualitative agreement with latitude trends but not with storm asymmetry, while the earlier J71 model based on total mass density is not in agreement with observed latitudinal trends. A close correlation is found between in situ O/N2 measurements and in situ and ground-based ionosonde measurements of electron density.
Plasmaspheric ambient hydrogen and helium atomic cations density measurement by OGO 5 ion mass spectrometer during magnetic storm, noting relationship to auroral red arcs
Examination of data from the neutral atmospheric composition experiment launched aboard Ogo 6, June 5, 1969, for the period from Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, 1969. Several magnetic storms occurred during this time, and the response of the neutral atmosphere to the energy deposition causing these storms was studied. The data indicate that the major portion of the energy is deposited at high latitudes, causing enhancements in N2 densities corresponding to Jacchia (1970) temperature increases on the order of 400 to 500 K. The time difference between atmospheric response and magnetic activity appears to be very short at high latitudes. The O/N2 ratio variations suggest dynamic processes that cause a circulation in the atmosphere that is upward at the pole with subsidence at the equator.
In addition to the spectacular remote measurements from the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite [Burch, Space Sci. Rev., 2003], the Radio Plasma Imager (RPI) on IMAGE had the capability of making accurate magnetospheric local electron-density and magnetic-field determinations in addition to obtaining remote electron-density profiles [Reinisch et al., GRL, 2001; Benson et al., JGR, 2003]. These determinations were made using interleaved passive and active modes of operation of the RPI; the former were used to produce dynamic spectra and the latter to produce plasmagrams during active sounding. The plasmagrams of particular interest in this investigation were produced during the apogee (8 RE) portion of the IMAGE orbit when the RPI often operated in a high-resolution mode (300 Hz frequency steps) designed for accurate frequency measurements of sounder-stimulated plasma resonances. Here we present examples from 2001 and 2002, when the IMAGE apogee was at high latitudes, of large increase the electron density and magnetic-field intensity (relative to quiet control conditions) during magnetic storms. During the 17 April 2002 storm, the electron density increased by about a factor of 4 and the magnetic-field intensity increased by nearly a factor of 2. During the much larger storm of 31 March 2001, the RPI data presented in Osherovich et al. [2007] indicates that the electron density increased by about a factor of 10.
Using the sounding measurements from the radio plasma imager on IMAGE, and a plasma density inversion algorithm, we derive the plasma density profiles along the magnetic field in a few L-shells every 14 hours at magnetic local noon before, during, and after the March 31,2001 magnetic storm. An empirical model of the plasmaspheric plasma density distribution is derived as a reference using the measurements before the storm. During the storm, the equatorial plasma was substantially depleted in a range of L-shells. The flux tubes were refilled after the storm. The filling ratio, the equatorial plasma density normalized by its quiet-time value before the storm, is introduced to assess the time evolution of the depletion and refilling processes. The depletion, more than two thirds of the quiet time content, appeared to occur rather quickly after the storm onset, as determined by the limited temporal resolution of the measurements. The refilling proceeded, although more slowly than the depletion process, significantly faster than the theoretical prediction of a 3-day time scale. Dynamic structures are observed in situ and confirmed by the extreme ultraviolet imager (EUV) measurements.
Measurements of precipitating protons and light ion densities by experiments on OGO-4 indicate that widespread proton precipitation occurs in predawn hours during the magnetic storm initial phase from the latitude of the high-latitude ion trough, or plasmapause , up to Lambda 75 deg. A softening of the proton spectrum is apparent as the plasmapause is approached. The separation of the low-latitude precipitation boundaries for 7.3 kev and 23.8 kev protons is approximately 1 deg, compared with a 3.6 deg separation which has been computed using the formulas of Gendrin and Eather and Carovillano. Consideration of probable proton drift morphology leads to the conclusion that protons ase injected in predawn hours, with widespread precipitation occurring in the region outside the plasmapause. Protons less energetic than approximately 7 kev drift eastward, while the more energetic protons drift westward, producing the observed dawn-dusk asymmetry for the lower-energy protons.
Measurements of precipitating protons and light ion densities by experiments on Ogo 4 indicate that widespread proton precipitation occurs in predawn hours during the magnetic storm initial phase from the latitude of the high-latitude ion trough, or plasmapause, up to latitudes greater than 75 deg. A softening of the proton spectrum is apparent as the plasmapause is approached. The separation of the low-latitude precipitation boundaries for 7.3-keV and 23.8-keV protons is less than about 1 deg, compared with a 3.6-deg separation that has been computed by using the formulas of Gendrin and Eather and Carovillano. Consideration of probable proton drift morphology leads to the conclusion that protons are injected in predawn hours, widespread precipitation occurring in the region outside the plasmapause. Protons less energetic than 7 keV drift eastward, whereas the more energetic protons drift westward, producing the observed dawn-dusk asymmetry for the lower-energy protons.
We examine interplanetary data and geomagnetic activity indices during 1974 when two long-lasting solar wind corotating streams existed. We find that only 3 major storms occurred during 1974, and all were associated with coronal mass ejections. Each high speed stream was led by a shock, so the three storms had sudden commencements. Two of the 1974 major storms were associated with shock compression of preexisting southward fields and one was caused by southward fields within a magnetic cloud. Corotating streams were responsible for recurring moderate to weak magnetic storms.
Results are presented for a statistical analysis of the latitudinal variations of precipitating O(+) and H(+) ions with energies between 0.7 and 12 keV during the magnetic storms of Dec. 16 and 17, 1971. Particular attention is given to some typical characteristics of the O(+) energy spectra along with an intercomparison of the O(+) and H(+) average energies during each storm. Major findings are that (1) the O(+) energy spectra were quite structured, one or more peaks being frequently observed; (2) the O(+) energy spectra which were still rising at 12 keV were not uncommon, especially at high latitudes; and (3) a significant hardening of the O(+) spectrum with increasing latitude was observed at the higher latitudes during the December 17 storm, along with a significant hardening with decreasing latitude at the low-latitude edge of the precipitation zone on the night side. A statistically significant difference in average energies between the two ionic species was revealed.
On December 11, 1977 the ISEE-1 spacecraft traversed the equatorial magnetosphere in the prenoon and dawn sectors during the early recovery phase of a magnetic storm with peak DST of -125 gamma. Along the dayside leg O(+) was comparable to or exceeded H(+) in number density in the energy range 0.1-17 keV. The velocity distribution of O(+) showed a characteristic dispersion, consistent with the ions being transported to the dayside from the dusk to midnight sector. The high-energy slope of the H(+) and O(+) distribution functions showed different radial dependence, with the slope of H(+) being consistent with a harder component carrying most of the energy density.
The development of the intensity and location of Birkeland currents associated with the magnetic storm of November 8-9, 1991 is reported. Total Birkeland currents exceed 30 MA, more than six times nominal values, indicating Joule heating of about 3 x lO exp 12 W. Birkeland currents below 50 deg, polar cap currents indicative of antisunward convection, and cusp particle signatures of southward IMF all persist at least eight hours into recovery phase of the storm.
Compositional studies of the equatorial distributions of ring current ions during the September 4, 1984 magnetic storm have been made possible by comprehensive energy, charge state, and mass coverage data from the Charge Composition Explorer satellite. An examination of ion spectra at an L value of about 4 on September 5, in the local evening sector, shows that energy density was dominated by protons, with O ions contributing about 27 percent at the peak of about 150 keV, while He ions contributed less than about 2 percent. September 6 ion spectra, taken during the recovery phase of the storm, indicate that ion densities at more than 20 keV had decreased markedly, and that the ring current energy density was primarily provided by protons.