Studies of high latitude current systems using MAGSAT vector data

The magnetic disturbance fields caused by global external current systems are considered with particular emphasis on improving the understanding of the physical processes which control high latitude current systems. Following processing the MAGSAT data were routinely plotted in the Universal Time (UT) format as well as in a polar plot format. The H'D'U' coordinate system, was adopted as the standard for representing the MAGSAT residual magnetic field vectors. A data file was generated and the TPOLAR computer code was developed to determine from the orbital elements, the time, latitude, and MLT of the extremum latitude of each transpolar segment of orbit. The precision of the vector data set from MAGSAT prompted an extended exploratory phase for data analysis procedures, modeling techniques and phenomenology.