Temporal Evolution of the Cross-polar-cap Potential After Sharp Enhancements in Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure

Mathematics – Logic

Scientific paper

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2712 Electric Fields (2411), 2723 Magnetic Reconnection (7526, 7835), 2776 Polar Cap Phenomena, 2784 Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions

Scientific paper

It is well known that the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) is the major contributor to geomagnetic activity on Earth. Recent studies, however, have shown that solar wind dynamic pressure variations are also important and cause global effects when they encounter the terrestrial magnetosphere. In particular, it has been shown, using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) measurements, that solar wind dynamic pressure enhancements significantly increase the cross-polar-cap potential drop and the coupling efficiency between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. It was previously suggested, based on DMSP data, that solar wind dynamic pressure enhancements induce enhanced magnetotail reconnection. Furthermore, Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) observations show that significantly enhanced ionospheric convection in the dayside ionosphere is associated with the impact of solar wind pressure fronts, implying an increase in dayside reconnection. Thus both enhanced dayside and magnetotail reconnection, and an increase in polar cap convection and the cross-polar-cap potential occur after a sharp increase in solar wind dynamic pressure. Case studies of long-lasting solar wind pressure steps indicate that the potential first rises in response to the increase in pressure, but gradually subsides a few hours later despite the solar wind pressure remaining high. However, the remaining potential is still higher than the pre-front value. We conduct a superposed epoch analysis of the potential temporal evolution after several long-lasting solar wind pressure fronts with similar characteristics and under similar IMF conditions. The results are discussed in relation to enhancements in magnetospheric reconnection induced by a solar wind pressure front.

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