Convection in the inner magnetosphere - Model predictions and data

The linear, semianalytical, time-dependent magnetospheric convection model of Senior and Blanc (1984) was adapted to the predictions of the time variation of midlatitude electric fields induced by known variations of the electrostatic potential drop generated by the solar-wind/magnetosphere dynamo across the polar cap. Simulations were performed for two GISMOS periods and for the CDAW-6 event (March 22, 1979), for which a large amount of data were available. The agreement between observations and model predictions was found to be excellent for two of the three days studied. It is concluded that this result represents a very positive test of the capacity of the model to predict the convection electric fields generated at midlatitudes by the closure of high-latitude currents through the ionospheric conductor. The physical implications of this conclusion are examined.