Abstract
The simplest theory of electric circuits is applied to analysis of the observed large-scale electric field and currents in a disturbed magnetosphere-ionosphere system. Maps of distribution of field-aligned currents (FACs) obtained from ground-based magnetic measurements using the original magnetogram inversion method (MIT) and measurements by satellites were used. A method for circuit determination according to the data of such maps based on the detection of spatial R.N inhomogeneities in each of three Iijima and Potemra FAC zones is proposed. The results of the new method are used to describe some electric field and current generators not known before, new types of current systems in tail lobes and plasma sheet, and the formation and dynamics of new types of three-dimensional systems with auroral electrojets and meridional ionospheric Pedersen current, which have not been paid due attention in the literature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akasofu, S-I., Several Controversial Issues on Substorms, Space. Sci. Rev., 2004, vol. 113, pp. 1–40.
Amm, O. and Fujii, R., Separation of Cowling Channel and Local Closure Currents in the Vicinity of a Substorm Breakup Spiral, J. Geophys. Res., 2008, vol. 113, p. A06304.
Cowley, S.W.H. and Lockwood, M., Excitation and Decay of Solar Wind Driven Flows in the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere System, Ann. Geophys., 1992, vol. 10, pp. 103–115.
Förster, M., Mishin, V.M., Stauning, P., et al., Plasma Convection in the Earth’s Magnetosphere and Ionosphere during Substorms, Adv. Space Res., 2006, vol. 38, pp. 1750–1754.
Gjerloev, J.W. and Hoffman, R.A., The Convection Electric Field in Auroral Substorms, J. Geophys. Res., 2001, vol. 106, p. 12912.
Heikkila, W.J, Magnetospheric Topology of Fields and Currents, Geophys. Monogr. Am. Geophys. Union, Ser. Magnetos. Currents, 1984, vol. 28, pp. 208–222.
Iijima, T., Potemra, T.A., and Zanetti, L.J., Large-Scale Characteristics of the Magnetospheric Equatorial Currents, J. Geophys. Res., 1990, vol. 95, p. 991.
Kamide, Y. and Baumjohann, W., Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling, Berlin: Springer, 1993.
Kamide, Y., Richmond, A.D., and Matsushita, S., Estimation of Ionospheric Electric Fields, Ionospheric Currents, and Field-Aligned Currents from Ground Magnetic Records, J. Geophys. Res., 1981, vol. 86, pp. 801–813.
Kan, J.R., On the Formation of near Earth X-Line at Substorm Expansion Onset, J. Geophys. Res., 2007, vol. 112, p. A01207.
Liang, J. and Liu, W.W., An MHD Mechanism for Generation of the Meridional Current System during Substorm Expansion Phase, J. Geophys. Res., 2007, vol. 112, p. A09208.
Lui, A.T.Y. and Kamide, Y., A Fresh Perspective of the Current System and Its Dynamo, Geophys. Res. Lett., 2003, vol. 30, no. 18; doi: 10.1029/2003GL0017835.
Lyatsky, V.B., Tokovye sistemy magnitosferno-ionosfernykh magnitnykh vozmushchenii (Current Systems of Magnetospheric-Ionospheric Magnetic Disturbances), Moscow: Nauka, 1987.
McPherron, R.L., Russell, C.T., and Aubry, M.P., Satellite Studies of Magnetospheric Substorms on August 15, 1968. 9. Phenomenological Model for Substorms, J. Geophys. Res., 1973, vol. 78, pp. 3131–3152.
Mishin, V., Pu, Z., Sapronova, L., et al., Active Phase a Substorm as a Chain of Two Types of Reconnection in the Closed Plasma Sheet and in the Open Tail Lobes, Geomagn. Aeron., 2009a, vol. 49, no. 8, p. 1193.
Mishin, V.M, Mishin, V.V, Shirapov, D.Sh, et al., Electric Field and Field-Aligned Currents, in Auroral Phenomena and Solar-Terrestrial Relations, Zelenyi, L.M., Geller, M.A., and Allen, J.H., Eds., CAWSES Handbook-001, 2004, pp. 128–133.
Mishin, V.M. Sapronova, L., Saifudinova, T., et al., The Hall’s and Cowling’s Currents Contribution into the Westward Auroral Electrojet during Substorm-Unloading Phase, Proc. 31th Annual Seminar Physics of Auroral Phenomena, Apatity, 2008, pp. 42–45.
Mishin, V.M., Block, L.P., Bazarzhapov, A.D., et al., A Study of the CDAW9C Substorm, May 3, 1986 Using Magnetogram Inversion Technique 2 and a Substorm Scenario with Two Active Phases, J. Geophys. Res., 1997, vol. 102, p. 19 845.
Mishin, V.M., Foerster, M., Saifudinova, T.I., et al., Spontaneous Substorms and Ordered Type of Magnetospheric Disturbances during the Superstorm of November 20, 2003, Geomagn. Aeron., 2007, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 457–469 [Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.), 2007, vol. 47, pp. 429–441].
Mishin, V.M., Kurikalova, M.A., and Foerster, M., Electric Circuits and Their Generators in the Earth’s Magnetosphere: The Concept of Electric Circuits as Applied to the Initial Phase of the Superstorm of April 6, 2000, Soln.-Zemn. Fiz., 2010, no. 15, pp. 66–74.
Mishin, V.M., Saifudinova, T.I., Bazarzhapov, A.D., et al., Two Distinct Substorm Onsets, J. Geophys. Res., 2001, vol. 106, pp. 13105–13118.
Mishin, V.M., Saifudinova, T.I., Karavaev, Yu.A., et al., Spatial Distribution of the Field-Aligned Current Density in the Polar Ionosphere and the Contribution of Magnetosonic Waves, Geomagn. Aeron., 2009b, vol. 49, p. 975.
Mishin, V.M., The Magnetogram Inversion Technique and Some Applications, Space Sci. Rev., 1990, vol. 53, pp. 83–163.
Papitashvili, V.O., Christiansen, F., and Neubert, T., A New Model of Field-Aligned Currents Derived from High-Precisions Satellite Magnetic Field Data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 2002, vol. 29, no. 14, p. 1683.
Parker, E.N., Newton, Maxwell and Magnetospheric Physics, Geophys. Monogr. Am. Geophys. Union, Ser. Magnetos. Current Systems, 2000, vol. 118, pp. 1–10.
Parker, E.N., The Alternative Paradigm for Magnetospheric Physics, J. Geophys. Res., 1996, vol. 101, pp. 10587–10625.
Potemra, T.A, Sources of Large-Scale Birkeland Currents, in Physical Signatures of Magnetospheric Boundary Layer Processes, Holter, J.A. and Egeland, A., Eds., 1994, pp. 3–27.
Siebert, K.D. and Siscoe, G.L., Dynamo Circuits for Magnetopause Reconnection, J. Geophys. Res., 2002, vol. 107A, p. JA000237.
Siscoe, G., Crooker, N.U., Erickson, G.M., et al., Global Geometry of Magnetospheric Currents, Geophys. Monogr. Am. Geophys. Union, Ser. Magnetos. Current Systems, 2000, vol. 118, pp. 41–52.
Siscoe, G.L., Energy Coupling between Regions 1 and 2 Birkeland Current Systems, J. Geophys. Res., 1982, vol. 87A, pp. 5124–5130.
Siscoe, G.L., Lotko, W., and Sonnerup, B.U.O., A High-Latitude, Low-Latitude Boundary Layer Model of the Convection Current System, J. Geophys. Res., 1991, vol. 96A, pp. 3487–3496.
Vasyliunas, V.M., Electric Field and Plasma Flow: What Drives What?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 2001, vol. 28, pp. 2177–2180.
Weimer, D.R., Maps of Ionospheric Field-Aligned Currents as a Function of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field Derived, J. Geophys. Res., 2001, vol. 106A, pp. 12889–12902.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Original Russian Text © V.M. Mishin, A.D. Bazarzhapov, U. Sukhbaatar, M. Förster, 2010, published in Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika, 2010, Vol. 15, pp. 88–95.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mishin, V.M., Bazarzhapov, A.D., Sukhbaatar, U. et al. Electric circuits of the disturbed magnetosphere-ionosphere system and their generators. Geomagn. Aeron. 50, 988–996 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793210080098
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793210080098