Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Dec 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agufmsm32a0809r&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, abstract #SM32A-0809
Mathematics
Logic
2411 Electric Fields (2712), 2455 Particle Precipitation, 2716 Energetic Particles, Precipitating, 2736 Magnetosphere/Ionosphere Interactions, 2753 Numerical Modeling
Scientific paper
We consider the possibility that the Earth's rotation is an energy source for auroral arcs. There are two sources for the motional electric field in the rotating frame, one from the rotating magnetic dipole and the other from the external magnetic field. The first electric field is electrostatic and the second inductive which leads to a finite parallel electric field along the magnetic field lines. This parallel electric field is inductive in the rotating frame and electrostatic in the inertial frame, which is characteristic of an electrical generator. Therefore, the question arises as to whether the rotation of the Earth can be a major driver of auroral phenomena. Using the T96 [Tsyganenko, 1996] external magnetic field model, it is found that values of E-parallel greater or equal to 0.1 mV/m are attainable only in the auroral regions and near the cusp. The direction of the parallel electric fields is earthward which corresponds to precipitating ions. We, therefore, compare the invariant magnetic latitude profiles of the field-aligned potential drops with similar profiles of the average ion precipitation energy as measured on board the F6 and F7 satellites of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program by Hardy et al. [1989]. General agreement is found with the ion data, particularly in the cusp region and at local midnight which gives substantial credence to the above hypothesis. Finally, a simple circuit model is suggested for the generation of auroral arcs where one magnetic field line, along which ions may precipitate, acts as an electrical generator, and another, where electron precipitation takes place, as a load. This approach agrees very well with UV observations of the global auroral oval [Potemra and Peratt, 1989]. In our model the power for the electrical generator comes from the Earth's rotation. We find that the decay time of the Earth's rotational speed due to this effect is too long to have any significant impact.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Earth's Rotation as an Energy Source for Auroral Arcs does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Earth's Rotation as an Energy Source for Auroral Arcs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Earth's Rotation as an Energy Source for Auroral Arcs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1384459