A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements

Details A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements

Jan 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006georl..3302812m&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 33, Issue 2, CiteID L02812

Physics

7

Geomagnetism And Paleomagnetism: Satellite Magnetics: Main Field, Crustal Field, External Field, Ionosphere: Current Systems (2721), Ionosphere: Equatorial Ionosphere, Ionosphere: Midlatitude Ionosphere, Ionosphere: Modeling And Forecasting

Scientific paper

A gravity field acting on a collisionless, magnetized space plasma causes electrons and ions to drift into opposite directions, in addition to gyrating around the magnetic field lines. This sets up an electric current which flows perpendicular to the gravity and magnetic fields in the eastward direction. Here we present the first observational evidence for such a gravity-driven current system in the Earth's low-latitude ionosphere. Its magnetic field signal, although 10,000 times smaller than the ambient Earth's magnetic field, is clearly visible in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements. We find a current ribbon of more than 50 kA, about 66° wide in latitude, which moves with the sun northward in summer and southward in winter. Correcting magnetic measurements for this current's signature should lead to a better agreement between low-orbiting satellite and ground-based observations.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements 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 A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1211211