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Study of Response of Extreme Meso-Scale Field-Aligned Current to Interplanetary Magnetic Field Components BX, BY and BZ During Geomagnetic Storm

Received: 6 October 2018     Accepted: 26 November 2018     Published: 6 August 2019
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Abstract

The influence of IMF components on meso-scale field-aligned currents (FACs) is investigated with an aim to establish how different IMF components influence the occurrence and distribution of FACs. The field-aligned currents (FACs) are calculated from the curl of the Ampere’s law to the magnetic field recorded by CHAMP satellite during 24 major geomagnetic storms. To determine the field-aligned currents at extreme mesoscale range ∼150 - 250 km, a low-pass filter to FACs with a cutoff period of 20s is applied. The peak-to-peak amplitude of FAC density, with the maximum difference ≤ 30 MLAT, is determined and used to define the FAC range. The results indicate high occurrence of FACs centered about IMF ≈ 0, for large values of Dst. The magnitude of FACs is in general affected by all the three IMF components, alongside other ionospheric factors such as solar wind speed and density. Magnetic reconnection, under -BZ is a major FACs drivers and is significant in the dayside northern hemisphere. The reconnection is not symmetric in both hemispheres. We find a possible electrodynamic similarity between the dayside northern hemisphere and nightside southern hemisphere, prominent along BX when BZ is negative. This interesting observation can further be investigated.

Published in International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science (Volume 7, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11
Page(s) 1-11
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Auroral Ionosphere, High-latitude Current Systems, Magnetosphere-ionosphere Coupling

References
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    Adero Ochieng Awuor, Paul Baki, Olwendo Joseph, Pierre Cilliers, Pieter Kotze. (2019). Study of Response of Extreme Meso-Scale Field-Aligned Current to Interplanetary Magnetic Field Components BX, BY and BZ During Geomagnetic Storm. International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science, 7(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11

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    ACS Style

    Adero Ochieng Awuor; Paul Baki; Olwendo Joseph; Pierre Cilliers; Pieter Kotze. Study of Response of Extreme Meso-Scale Field-Aligned Current to Interplanetary Magnetic Field Components BX, BY and BZ During Geomagnetic Storm. Int. J. Astrophys. Space Sci. 2019, 7(1), 1-11. doi: 10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11

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    AMA Style

    Adero Ochieng Awuor, Paul Baki, Olwendo Joseph, Pierre Cilliers, Pieter Kotze. Study of Response of Extreme Meso-Scale Field-Aligned Current to Interplanetary Magnetic Field Components BX, BY and BZ During Geomagnetic Storm. Int J Astrophys Space Sci. 2019;7(1):1-11. doi: 10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11,
      author = {Adero Ochieng Awuor and Paul Baki and Olwendo Joseph and Pierre Cilliers and Pieter Kotze},
      title = {Study of Response of Extreme Meso-Scale Field-Aligned Current to Interplanetary Magnetic Field Components BX, BY and BZ During Geomagnetic Storm},
      journal = {International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science},
      volume = {7},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-11},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijass.20190701.11},
      abstract = {The influence of IMF components on meso-scale field-aligned currents (FACs) is investigated with an aim to establish how different IMF components influence the occurrence and distribution of FACs. The field-aligned currents (FACs) are calculated from the curl of the Ampere’s law to the magnetic field recorded by CHAMP satellite during 24 major geomagnetic storms. To determine the field-aligned currents at extreme mesoscale range ∼150 - 250 km, a low-pass filter to FACs with a cutoff period of 20s is applied. The peak-to-peak amplitude of FAC density, with the maximum difference ≤ 30 MLAT, is determined and used to define the FAC range. The results indicate high occurrence of FACs centered about IMF ≈ 0, for large values of Dst. The magnitude of FACs is in general affected by all the three IMF components, alongside other ionospheric factors such as solar wind speed and density. Magnetic reconnection, under -BZ is a major FACs drivers and is significant in the dayside northern hemisphere. The reconnection is not symmetric in both hemispheres. We find a possible electrodynamic similarity between the dayside northern hemisphere and nightside southern hemisphere, prominent along BX when BZ is negative. This interesting observation can further be investigated.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Study of Response of Extreme Meso-Scale Field-Aligned Current to Interplanetary Magnetic Field Components BX, BY and BZ During Geomagnetic Storm
    AU  - Adero Ochieng Awuor
    AU  - Paul Baki
    AU  - Olwendo Joseph
    AU  - Pierre Cilliers
    AU  - Pieter Kotze
    Y1  - 2019/08/06
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11
    T2  - International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science
    JF  - International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science
    JO  - International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science
    SP  - 1
    EP  - 11
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2376-7022
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijass.20190701.11
    AB  - The influence of IMF components on meso-scale field-aligned currents (FACs) is investigated with an aim to establish how different IMF components influence the occurrence and distribution of FACs. The field-aligned currents (FACs) are calculated from the curl of the Ampere’s law to the magnetic field recorded by CHAMP satellite during 24 major geomagnetic storms. To determine the field-aligned currents at extreme mesoscale range ∼150 - 250 km, a low-pass filter to FACs with a cutoff period of 20s is applied. The peak-to-peak amplitude of FAC density, with the maximum difference ≤ 30 MLAT, is determined and used to define the FAC range. The results indicate high occurrence of FACs centered about IMF ≈ 0, for large values of Dst. The magnitude of FACs is in general affected by all the three IMF components, alongside other ionospheric factors such as solar wind speed and density. Magnetic reconnection, under -BZ is a major FACs drivers and is significant in the dayside northern hemisphere. The reconnection is not symmetric in both hemispheres. We find a possible electrodynamic similarity between the dayside northern hemisphere and nightside southern hemisphere, prominent along BX when BZ is negative. This interesting observation can further be investigated.
    VL  - 7
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Physics and Space Science, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Physics and Space Science, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Pwani University, Mombasa, Kenya

  • South Africa National Space Agency, SANSA Space Center, Hermanus, South Africa

  • South Africa National Space Agency, SANSA Space Center, Hermanus, South Africa

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