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Response of the Earth's Magnetosphere to Changes in the Solar WindThe solar wind couples to the magnetosphere via dynamic pressure and electric field. Pressure establishes the size and shape of the system, while the electric field transfers energy, mass, and momentum to the magnetosphere. When the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is antiparallel to the dayside magnetic field, magnetic reconnection connects the IMF to the dipole field. Solar wind transport of the newly opened field lines to the nightside creates an internal convection system. These open field lines must ultimately be closed by reconnection on the nightside. For many decades, it was thought that a magnetospheric substorm was the process for accomplishing this and that all magnetic activity was a consequence of substorms. It is now recognized that there are a variety of modes of response of the magnetosphere to the solar wind. In this paper, we briefly describe these modes and the conditions under which they occur. They include substorms, pseudo-breakups, poleward boundary intensifications (PBI), steady magnetospheric convection (SMC), sawtooth injection events, magnetic storms, high-intensity long-duration continuous AE activities (HILDCAAs), and storm-time activations. There are numerous explanations for these different phenomena, some of which do not involve magnetic reconnection. However, we speculate that it is possible to interpret each mode in terms of differences in the way magnetic reconnection occurs on the nightside.
Document ID
20080018867
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
McPherron, Robert L.
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Weygand, James M.
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Hsu, Tung-Shin
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
October 4, 2007
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Volume: 70
Issue: 4-Feb
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: ATM-0120950
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG04GA93G
CONTRACT_GRANT: ATM 02-1798
CONTRACT_GRANT: ATM 02-08501
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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