Bibliography

Transpolar Arcs During a Prolonged Radial Interplanetary Magnetic Field Interval

Transpolar arcs (TPAs) are believed to predominantly occur under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions with their hemispheric asymmetry controlled by the Sun-Earth (radial) component of the IMF. In this study, we present observations of TPAs that appear in both the northern and southern hemispheres even during a prolonged interval of radially oriented IMF. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F16 and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellites observed TPAs on the dawnside polar cap in both hemispheres (one TPA structure in the southern hemisphere and two in the northern hemisphere) during an interval of nearly earthward-oriented IMF on October 29, 2005. The southern hemisphere TPA and one of the northern hemisphere TPAs are associated with electron and ion precipitation and mostly sunward plasma flow (with shears) relative to their surroundings. Meanwhile, the other TPA in the northern hemisphere is associated with an electron-only precipitation and antisunward flow relative to its surroundings. Our observations indicate the following: (a) the TPA formation is not limited to northward IMF conditions; (b) the TPAs can be located on both closed field lines rooted in the polar cap of both hemispheres and open field lines connected to the northward field lines draped over one hemisphere of the magnetopause. We believe that the TPAs presented here are the result of both indirect and direct processes of solar wind energy transfer to the high-latitude ionosphere.

Park, Jong-Sun; Shi, Quan; Nowada, Motoharu; Shue, Jih-Hong; Kim, Khan-Hyuk; Lee, Dong-Hun; Zong, Qiu-Gang; Degeling, Alexander; Tian, An; Pitkänen, Timo; Zhang, Yongliang; Rae, Jonathan; Hairston, Marc;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on:

YEAR: 2021     DOI: 10.1029/2021JA029197

radial IMF; solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling; transpolar arc

Energy Transfer in the Solar Wind-Magnetosphere-Ionosphere System Under Radial Interplanetary Magnetic Field Conditions: Implication of Transpolar Arcs

Park, Jong-Sun; Shi, Quanqi; Nowada, Motoharu; Shue, Jih-Hong; Kim, Khan-Hyuk; Lee, Dong-Hun; Zong, Qiugang; Degeling, Alexander; Tian, Anmin; Pitkänen, Timo; , others;

Published by:       Published on:

YEAR: 2019     DOI:

Strong ionospheric field-aligned currents for radial interplanetary magnetic fields

The present work has investigated the configuration of field-aligned currents (FACs) during a long period of radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) on 19 May 2002 by using high-resolution and precise vector magnetic field measurements of CHAMP satellite. During the interest period IMF B_y and B_z are weakly positive and B_x keeps pointing to the Earth for almost 10 h. The geomagnetic indices Dst is about -40 nT and AE about 100 nT on average. The cross polar cap potential calculated from Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics and derived from DMSP observations have average values of 10\textendash20 kV. Obvious hemispheric differences are shown in the configurations of FACs on the dayside and nightside. At the south pole FACs diminish in intensity to magnitudes of about 0.1 μA/m², the plasma convection maintains two-cell flow pattern, and the thermospheric density is quite low. However, there are obvious activities in the northern cusp region. One pair of FACs with a downward leg toward the pole and upward leg on the equatorward side emerge in the northern cusp region, exhibiting opposite polarity to FACs typical for duskward IMF orientation. An obvious sunward plasma flow channel persists during the whole period. These ionospheric features might be manifestations of an efficient magnetic reconnection process occurring in the northern magnetospheric flanks at high latitude. The enhanced ionospheric current systems might deposit large amount of Joule heating into the thermosphere. The air densities in the cusp region get enhanced and subsequently propagate equatorward on the dayside. Although geomagnetic indices during the radial IMF indicate low-level activity, the present study demonstrates that there are prevailing energy inputs from the magnetosphere to both the ionosphere and thermosphere in the northern polar cusp region.

Wang, Hui; Lühr, Hermann; Shue, Jih-Hong; Frey, Harald.; Kervalishvili, Guram; Huang, Tao; Cao, Xue; Pi, Gilbert; Ridley, Aaron;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 05/2014

YEAR: 2014     DOI: 10.1002/2014JA019951

air upwelling; field-aligned currents; radial interplanetary magnetic field