Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Variation of surface electric field during geomagnetic disturbed period at Maitri, Antarctica

  • Published:
Journal of Earth System Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper discusses on the variations of the atmospheric vertical electric field measured at sub-auroral station Maitri (70∘75′S, 11∘75′E), and polar station Vostok (78.5∘S, 107∘E) during the geomagnetic disturbances on 25–26 January 2006. Diurnal variation of surface electric field measured at Maitri shows a similar variation with worldwide thunderstorm activity, whereas the departure of the field is observed during disturbed periods. This part of the field corresponds to the magnetospheric/ionospheric (an additional generator in the polar regions) voltage generators. Solar wind parameters and planetary indices represent the temporal variation of the disturbances, and digital fluxgate magnetometer variation continuously monitored to trace the auroral movement at Maitri. We have observed that the electrojet movement leaves its signature on vertical and horizontal components of the DFM in addition; the study infers the position of auroral current wedge with respect to Maitri. To exhibit the auroral oval, OVATION model is obtained with the aid of DMSP satellite and UV measurements. It is noted that the Maitri is almost within the auroral oval during the periods of disturbances. To examine the simultaneous changes in the vertical electric field associated with this magnetic disturbance, the dawn–dusk potential is studied for every UT hours; the potential was obtained from Weimer model and SuperDARN radar. The comparison reveals the plausible situation for the superposition of dawn–dusk potential on surface electric field over Maitri. This observation also shows that the superposition may not be consistent with the phase of the electrojet. Comparison of surface electric field at Maitri and Vostok shows that the parallel variation exhibits with each other, but during the period of geomagnetic disturbances, the influence is not much discerned at Vostok.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anil Kumar C P, Panneerselvam C, Nair K U, Jeeva K, Selvaraj C, Gurubaran S and Rajaram R 2008 Influence of coronal mass ejections on global electric circuit; Indian J. Radio Space Phys. 37 39–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anil Kumar C P, Panneerselvam C, Nair K U, Johnson Jeyakumar H, Selvaraj C, Gurubaran S and Venugopal C 2009 Apposite of atmospheric electric parameters with the energy coupling function (ε) during geomagnetic storms at high latitude; Atmos. Res. 91 201–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anil Kumar C P, Gopalsingh R, Selvaraj C, Nair K U, Jayakumar H J, Vishnu R, Muralidas S and Balan N 2013 Atmospheric electric parameters and micrometeorological processes during the solar eclipse on 15 January 2010; J. Geophys. Res. Atmos. 118 5098–5104, doi: 10.1002/jgrd.50437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Apsen A G, Kanonidi K D, Chernyshova S P, Chetaev D N and Sheftel V M 1988 Magnitosfernyeeffekty v atmosfernomelektrichestve (Magnetospheric effects in atmospheric electricity); Moscow: Nauka.

  • Bandilet O I, Kanonidi K D, Chernysheva S P and Sheftel V M 1986 Effects of magnetospheric substorms in the atmospheric electric field; Geomagnetism and Aeronomy 26 159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bering E A 1995 The global circuit: Global thermometer, weather by product or climate modulator; Rev. Geophys. 33 845–851.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bering E A, Few A A and Benbrook J R 1998 The global electric circuit; Phys. Today 51 (10) 2–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyle C B, Reiff P H and Hairston M R 1997 Empirical polar cap potentials; J. Geophys. Res. 102(A1) 111–125. doi:10.1029/96JA01742.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns G B, Hesse M H, Parcell S K, Malachowski S and Cole K D 1995 The geoelectric field at Davis station, Antarctica; J. Atmos. Terr. Phys. 57 (14) 1783–1797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns G B, Frank-Kamenetsky A V, Troshichev O A, Bering E A and Reddell B D 2005 Interannual consistency of bi-monthly differences in diurnal variations of the ground-level, vertical electric field; J. Geophys. Res. 110 D10106, doi: 10.1029/2004JD005469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns G B, Tinsley A, Frank-Kamenetsky A V, Troshichev O A, French W J R and Klekociuk R 2012 Monthly diurnal global atmospheric circuit estimates derived from Vostok electric field measurements adjusted for local meteorological and solar wind influences; J. Atmos. Sci. 69 2061–2082.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne G J, Benbrook J R, Bering E A, Few A, Morris G, Trabucco W J and Paschal E W 1993 Ground-based instrumentation for measurements of atmospheric conduction current and electric field at the south pole; J. Geophys. Res. 98 (D2) 2611–2618, doi: 10.1029/92JD02303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiu C S 1978 Numerical study of cloud electrification in an axisymmetric, time-dependent cloud model; J. Geophys. Res. 83 5025–5049.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cobb W E 1977 Atmospheric electric measurements at the south pole; In: Electrical Processes in Atmospheres (eds) Dolezalek H and Reiter R, Steinkopff, Darmstadt, Fed. Repub. Ger., pp. 161–167.

  • Deshpande C G and Kamra A K 2001 Diurnal variations of atmospheric electric field and conductivity at Maitri, Antarctica; J. Geophys. Res. 106 14,207–14,218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devendraa S., Singh R P, Gopalakrishnan V, Selvaraj C and Panneerselvam C 2013 Fair-weather atmospheric electricity study at Maitri (Antarctica); Earth Planets Space 65 1541–1553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank-Kamenetsky A V, Burns G B, Troshichev O A, Papitashvili V O, Bering E A and French W J R 1999 The geoelectric field at Vostok, Antarctica: Its relation to the interplanetary magnetic field and the cross polar cap potential difference; J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys. 61 1347–1356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank-Kamenetsky A V, Troshichev O A, Burns G B and Papitashvili V O 2001 Variations of the atmospheric electric field in the near pole region related to the interplanetary magnetic field; J. Geophys. Res. 106 179– 190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank-Kamenetsky A V, Kotikov A, Kruglov L A, Burns G B, Kleimenova N G, Kozyreva O V, Kubitski M and Odzimek A 2012 Variations in the near-surface atmospheric electric field at high latitudes and ionospheric potential during geomagnetic perturbations; Geomagnetism and Aeronomy 52 (5) 629–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girija Rajaram, Arun T and Ajay Dhar 2002 Diagnostics of magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling over Indian Antarctic station Maitri, from magnetometer and riometer observations during the optical auroral event of 4–5 March 1999; Adv. Space. Res. 30 (10) 2195– 2201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hairston M R and Heelis R A 1990 Model of the high latitude ionospheric convection pattern during southward interplanetary magnetic field, using DE2 data; J. Geophys. Res. 95 2333–2343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hays P B and Roble R G 1979 A quasi static model of global atmospheric electricity. 1. The lower atmosphere; J. Geophys. Res. 84 3291–3305, doi: 10.1029/JA084iA07p03291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Israel H 1973 Atmospheric electricity, Publ. Nat. Sci. Foundation by the Israel Program for Sci. Transl.

  • Kasemir H W 1955 Measurement of the air–earth current density; In: Proc. Conf. Atmos. Electricity; Geophys. Res. Pap., 42, 91–95, Air Force Cambridge Res. Cent, Bedford, Mass.

  • Kleimenova N G, Kozyreva O V, Michnowski S and Kubicki M 2008 Effect of magnetic storms in variations in the atmospheric electric field at midlatitudes; Geomagn. Aeron. 48 (5) 650–659 (Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.), 2008 48 622–630).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleimenova N G, Kozyreva O V, Kubicki M and Michnowski S 2010 Morning polar substorms and variations in the atmospheric electric field; Geomagn. Aeron. 50 (1) 48–57, doi: 10.1134/S0016793210010068.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleimenova N G, Kozyreva O V, Kubicki M, Odzimek A and Malysheva L M 2012 Effect of substorms in the Earth’s nightside sector on variations in the surface atmospheric electric field at polar and equatorial latitudes; Geomagn. Aeron. 52 (4) 467–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kruglov A A and Frank-Kamenetsky A V 2010 Studying the relation between the electric potential of the high latitude ionosphere and the vertical component of the near-earth electric field; TrInstPriklGeofiz 88 54–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuettner J P, Levin Z and Sartor J D 1981 Thunderstorm electrification – Inductive or non-inductive? J. Atmos. Sci. 38 2470–2484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luk’yanova Y. R, Kruglov A A, Frank-Kamenetsky A V, Kotikov A L, Barns G B and French V D R 2011 Relationship between the ionospheric potential and the ground-level electric field in the southern Polar Cap; Geomagn. Aeron. 51 (3) 387–396. (Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.) 2011, 51 383–393).

    Google Scholar 

  • Manu S, Panneerselvam C, Nair K U and Gurubaran S 2013 Design and fabrication of an electrometer for the measurement of atmospheric potential; Environ. Sci. 8 (11) 442–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathpal K C, Varshneya N C and Dass N 1980 Precipitation-powered mechanisms of cloud electrification; Rev. Geophys. Space Sci. 18 361–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathpal K C and Varshneya N C 1982 Riming electrification mechanism for charge generation within a thundercloud of finite dimensions; Ann. Geophys. 38 (1) 67–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michnowski S 1998 Solar wind influences on atmospheric electricity variables in polar regions; J. Geophys. Res. 103D 13,939–13,948.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minamoto Y and Kadokura A 2011 Extracting fair-weather data from atmospheric electric-field observations at Syowa Station, Antarctica; Polar Sci. 5(3) 313–318, doi: 10.1016/j.polar.2011.07.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morozov V N and Troshichev O A 2008 Simulation of variations in the polar atmospheric electric field related to the magnetospheric field-aligned currents; Geomagn. Aeron. 48 (6) 759–769 (Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.) 48 727–736).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nikiforova N N, Kleimenova N G, Kozyreva O V, Kubicki M and Michnowski S 2003 Influence of auroral-latitude precipitation of energetic electrons on variations in the atmospheric electric field at polar latitudes (Spitsbergen Archipelago); Geomagn. Aeron. 43 (1) 32–39 (Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.) 43 29–35).

    Google Scholar 

  • Odzimek A and Lester M 2009 Modeling the Earth’s global atmospheric electric circuit–development, challenges and directions, In: Publs. Inst. Geophys. Pol. Acad. Sci. (eds) Baranski P and Kubicki M, D-73 (214).

  • Odzimek A, Kubicki M, Lester M and Grocott A 2011 Relation between SuperDARN ionospheric potential and ground electric field at polar station hornsund, Proc. 14th Int. Conf. Atmospheric Electricity, Rio de Janeiro, 2011.

  • Panneerselvam C, Jeeva K, Ajay D., Rajaram R, Gurubaran S and Rajaram G 2004 Observations of atmospheric Maxwell current at Indian Antarctic Station, Maitri – Indian Expedition to Antarctica; Scientific Report; Tech. Publ. 17 99–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Panneerselvam C, Nair K U, Jeeva K, Selvaraj C, Gurubaran S and Rajaram R 2003 A comparative study of atmospheric Maxwell current and electric field from a low latitude station, Tirunelveli; Earth Planets Space 55 697– 703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panneerselvam C, Selvaraj C, Jeeva K, Nair K U, Anilkumar C P and Gurubaran S 2007a Fair weather atmospheric electricity at Antarctica during local summer as observed from Indian station, Maitri; J. Earth Syst. Sci. 116 (3) 179–186.

  • Panneerselvam C, Nair K U, Selvaraj C, Jeeva K, Anil Kumar C P and Gurubaran S 2007b Diurnal variation of atmospheric Maxwell current over the low-latitude continental station, Tirunelveli, India (87∘N, 778∘E); Earth Planet. Space 59 429–435.

  • Panneerselvam C, Anil Kumar C P, Ajay Dhar, Nair K U, Ajay Dhay, Selvaraj C, Gurubaran S and Pathan B M 2010 Instrumentation for the surface measurements of atmospheric electrical parameters at Maitri, Antarctica: First results; Earth Planet. Space 62 545–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park C G 1976 Downward mapping of high-latitude ionospheric electric fields to the ground; J. Geophys. Res. 81 (1) 168–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rangarajan G K and Barreto L M 1999 Use of K p index of geomagnetic activity in the forecast of solar activity; Earth Planet. Space 51 363–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reddell B D, Benbrook J R, Bering E A, Cleary E N and Few A A 2004 Seasonal variations of atmospheric electricity measured at Amundsen-Scott, South Pole Station; J. Geophys. Res. 109 A09308, doi: 10.1029/2004JA010536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiff P H and Luhmann J G 1986 Solar wind control of the polar cap potential, in solar wind-magnetospheric coupling (eds) Kamide Y and Slavin J A, 453 Terra Sci., Tokyo.

  • Richmond A D 1986 Upper-atmospheric electric field sources; In: Study in Geophysics – The Earth’s electrical environment; Natl. Acad. Press, Washington DC, pp. 195–205.

  • Roble R G and Tzur I 1986 The global atmosphere electrical circuit, in the earth’s electrical environment (eds) Krider E P and Roble R G, Natl. Acad. Press, Washington DC, pp. 206– 231.

  • Ruhnke L H 1969 Area averaging of atmospheric electric currents; J. Geomagn. Geoelectr. 21 453–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rycroft M J, Israelsson S and Price C 2000 The global atmospheric electric circuit, solar activity and climate change; J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys. 62 1563–1576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rycroft M J, Harrison R G, Nicoll K A and Mareev E A 2008 An overview of Earth’s global electric circuit and atmospheric conductivity; Space Sci. Rev. 137 83–105, doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-87664-1-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sao K 1967 Correlation between solar activity and the atmospheric potential gradient at the Earth’s surface in the polar regions; J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys. 29 (2) 213–215, doi: 10.1016/0021-9169(67)90135-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suzanne Mary Imber, Milan S E and Lester M 2012 The Heppner–Maynard boundary measured by SuperDARN as a proxy for the latitude of the auroral oval; J. Geophys. Res., doi: 10.1029/2012ja018222.

  • Tinsley B A 2008 The global atmospheric electric circuit and its effects on cloud microphysics; Rep. Prog. Phys. 71 066801–066832, doi: 10.1088/0034/71/6/066801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tinsley B A, Weiping L, Rohrbaugh R P and Kirkland M W 1998 South Pole electric field responses to overhead ionospheric convection; J. Geophys. Res 103 (D20) 6137–6146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ye G., Kivelson M G and Walker R J 2013 Two models of cross polar cap potential saturation compared: Siscoe-Hill model versus Kivelson-Ridley model; J. Geophys. Res. 118 794–803, doi: 10.1002/jgra.50124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Virkkula A, Vana M, Hirsikko A, Aalto P A, Kulmala M and Hillamo R 2005 Air ion mobility and aerosol particle size distributions at the Finnish Antarctic research stationAboa; In: Abstracts of the European Aerosol Conference (ed.) W Maenhaut, Elsevier, New York, 698p.

  • Weimer D R 1996 A flexible IMF dependent model of high-latitude electric potentials having space weather applications; Geophys. Res. Lett. 23 2549–2552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We, the authors, gratefully acknowledge referees for their valuable suggestions, which helped in making improvements on the original version. We gratefully acknowledge CDAWeb and the Kyoto Data Center for providing the ACE and geomagnetic activity indices used in this study. We acknowledge JHU/APL for getting auroral oval image under the OVATION project. We also thank the PIs of the SuperDARN radars, Daniel Weimer’s models and CEDAR. The Ministry of Earth Science, Government of India, for conducting a variety of experiments at the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri, is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Equatorial Geophysical Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Krishnapuram, Tirunelveli, 627 011, India.

    N Jeni Victor, C Panneerselvam & C P Anil Kumar

Authors
  1. N Jeni Victor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C Panneerselvam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C P Anil Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C Panneerselvam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Victor, N.J., Panneerselvam, C. & Anil Kumar, C.P. Variation of surface electric field during geomagnetic disturbed period at Maitri, Antarctica. J Earth Syst Sci 124, 1721–1733 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-015-0638-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-015-0638-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation