Abstract
Recent studies of the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction are reviewed in terms of the input-output relationship. We show that the magnetosphere is primarily a directly driven system and that the interaction constitutes a dynamo. As another important problem of the interaction, we examine the chain of processes by which the dynamo-generated power is transmitted to the polar ionosophere, leading to various auroral phenomena. Possible implications of these magnetospheric findings for solar flare studies are discussed.
It emerges from our analysis that in solar-terrestrial physics, the solar activity-magnetospheric disturbance relationship should be considered as a single sequence of processes involving four dynamos: (1) the solar wind generation dynamo, (2) the sunspot dynamo, (3) the solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo, and (4) the auroral dynamo. As one of the basic problems in solar-terrestrial physics, the importance of a study of causes of the north-south component of the solar wind magnetic field and of its time variations is emphasized as a missing link between solar activity and magnetospheric disturbances.
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Akasofu, S.I. Solar-wind disturbances and the solar wind-magnetosphere energy coupling function. Space Sci Rev 34, 173–183 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194625
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194625