Inonospheric Convecton During Very Weak IMF and Solar Wind Driving
Abstract
A series of high latitude ionospheric convection patterns determined using the combined data from the Greenland incoherent scatter radar, SuperDARN radars and DMSP driftmeter are analyzed during the interval May 12, 2007 - May 17, 2007. These days are particularly unique as characterized by the magnetospheric driving parameters in the solar wind. The IMF is unusually weak with B total between 1 and 3 nT. The solar wind is also unusually slow with V ranging between 300 and 350 km/s and the density near 1/cc and sometimes less than 1/cc. The May 12 - 17, 2007 interval has a much weaker IMF and slower solar wind than the previously investigated "Day the solar wind went away", May 11, 1999. The present investigation examines the driving conditions for extremely weak coupling by reconnection and by the so-called viscous driving. Preliminary plots show polar cap potentials during the quietest driving conditions of around 20 - 25 kV.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2007
- Bibcode:
- 2007AGUFMSM13B1321C
- Keywords:
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- 2411 Electric fields (2712);
- 2431 Ionosphere/magnetosphere interactions (2736);
- 2463 Plasma convection (2760);
- 2475 Polar cap ionosphere;
- 2784 Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions