NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Latitudinal variation of perturbation electric fields during magnetically disturbed periods - 1986 Sundial observations and model resultsF-region incoherent scatter radar drift observations from Millstone Hill and Jicamarca, h-prime F observations from Huancayo, and high latitude ground-magnetometer measurements taken during the Sundial 1986 campaign are used to study the relationship between plasmaspheric electric field perturbations and high latitude currents during disturbed periods. The observations are in good agreement with numerical results from a Rice Covection Model run that involved a sharp increase in the polar cap potential drop followed by a subsequent decrease. The zonal disturbance electric field pattern is latitude independent, and the corresponding amplitudes change approximately as L exp n (where n is about 1.5). The meridional electric field patterns and amplitudes have larger latitudinal variations. The mid-, low, and equatorial electric fields from the Rice Convection Model are in good agreement with previous results from the semianalytic, Senior-Blanc (1987) model. Also discussed are three physical mechanisms (over-shielding, fossil winds, and magnetic reconfiguration) that contribute to the long lasting (1-2 h) equatorial zonal electric field perturbations associated with a sudden northward turning of the IMF. It is predicted that the penetration of high latitude electric fields to low latitudes should, in general, be closely related to the rate of motion of the shielding layer and the equatorward edge of the diffuse aurora.
Document ID
19900064186
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Fejer, B. G.
(Utah State University Logan, United States)
Spiro, R. W.
(Utah State Univ. Logan, UT, United States)
Wolf, R. A.
(Rice University Houston, TX, United States)
Foster, J. C.
(Haystack Observatory Westford, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Annales Geophysicae
Volume: 8
ISSN: 0992-7689
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
90A51241
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-1650
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-89-08001
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-482
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-88-12860
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-86-16456
CONTRACT_GRANT: F19628-86-C-0029
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available