Dual E × B flow responses in the dayside ionosphere to a sudden IMF By rotation
Abstract
We report for the first time a dual transition state in the dayside ionosphere following a sudden rotation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the upstream magnetosheath from IMF By By > 0 during Bz E × B drifts respond with different time delays in the dayside auroral zone and high‐latitude polar cap with an initial 11 min transition state of oppositely directed E × B drifts coexisting at these locations. This is followed by a 6–8 min rotation of lower latitude E × B flow from dusk to dawn. We propose that this sequence of events is consistent with two separate X lines coexisting on the subsolar and lobe magnetopause. Time delays are proposed for merged flux of the draped preceding IMF to exit the subsolar region before the new IMF may be processed along a newly reconfigured component reconnection X line. Finally, a strong direct correlation is observed between magnetosheath plasma density and auroral zone E × B speeds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jul 12, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1002/2017gl073374
Entities
People
- Delores Knipp
- Frederick Wilder
- J. B. H. Baker
- Karlheinz Trattner
- Maimaitirebike Maimaiti
- Stefan Eriksson
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Center for Atmospheric Research
- National Science Foundation
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Virginia Tech