24-10-2012, 04:58 PM
Svalbard: AWindow for Understanding Temporal/Spatial Aspects of SolarWind Coupling to the Magnetosphere and Ionosphere
ABSTRACT
The research facilities on the Svalbard archepelego provide a unique opportunity for observing the temporal and spatial
characteristics of the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. The first sounding rockets from
the SvdRak range at Ny-Alesund have opened a new perspective for separating temporal and spatial effects. Finding a
correlation between observations from the rockets and the Wind satellite located nearly 200 R(sub E) upstream in the solar
wind that had a lag time less than the advection time forced consideration of tilted phase planes of the interp1anetary electric
field. From this it was deduced that the interaction process has to involve high latitude merging, the interplanetary magnetic
field (IMF) B(sub Y) bifurcates the cusp relative to the high latitude source regions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres,
IMF B(sub X) controls the interaction time in each hemisphere, and the small convection cell is driven by opposite hemisphere
merging. Studies with 4 satellites in the solar wind have shown that the tilt of the phase plane varies on a minute-by-minute
basis and change significantly on time scales of tens of minutes. Images of the cusp at 557.7 nm provide a nearly instantaneous
picture of the temporal and spatial characteristics of merging at the magnetopause and show that the process can occur at
multiple locations. The rate and location vary with time.
ABSTRACT
The research facilities on the Svalbard archepelego provide a unique opportunity for observing the temporal and spatial
characteristics of the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. The first sounding rockets from
the SvdRak range at Ny-Alesund have opened a new perspective for separating temporal and spatial effects. Finding a
correlation between observations from the rockets and the Wind satellite located nearly 200 R(sub E) upstream in the solar
wind that had a lag time less than the advection time forced consideration of tilted phase planes of the interp1anetary electric
field. From this it was deduced that the interaction process has to involve high latitude merging, the interplanetary magnetic
field (IMF) B(sub Y) bifurcates the cusp relative to the high latitude source regions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres,
IMF B(sub X) controls the interaction time in each hemisphere, and the small convection cell is driven by opposite hemisphere
merging. Studies with 4 satellites in the solar wind have shown that the tilt of the phase plane varies on a minute-by-minute
basis and change significantly on time scales of tens of minutes. Images of the cusp at 557.7 nm provide a nearly instantaneous
picture of the temporal and spatial characteristics of merging at the magnetopause and show that the process can occur at
multiple locations. The rate and location vary with time.