The relation between solar activity and orientation of the solar wind electric field relative to the Earth’s magnetic moment

The relation of the Kp index of geomagnetic activity to the solar wind electric field (E _SW) and the projection of this field onto the geomagnetic dipole has been estimated. An analysis indicated that the southward component of the IMF vector (B _z < 0) is the main geoeffective parameter, as was repeatedly indicated by many researchers. The presence of this component in any combinations of the interplanetary medium parameters is responsible for a high correlation between such combinations and geomagnetic activity referred to by the authors of different studies. Precisely this field component also plays the main role in the relation between the Kp index and the relative orientation of E _SW and the Earth’ magnetic moment.     

Reflection of the solar wind parameters in the CR geomagnetic cutoff rigidity before a strong magnetic storm in November 2003

The time variations in the CR geomagnetic cutoff rigidity and their relation to the interplanetary parameters and the Dst index during a strong magnetic storm of November 18–24, 2003, have been analyzed. The Tsyganenko (Ts03) model of a strongly disturbed magnetosphere [Tsyganenko, 2002a, 2002b; Tsyganenko et al., 2003] have been used to calculate effective geomagnetic thresholds with the help of the method for tracing CR particle trajectories in the magnetospheric magnetic field. The geomagnetic thresholds have been calculated using the method of global spectrographic survey (GSS), based on the data from the global network of CR stations, and the results have been compared with the effective geomagnetic cutoff rigidities. The daily anisotropy of effective geomagnetic thresholds during the Dst variation minimum have been estimated. The relation of the theoretical and experimental geomagnetic thresholds, obtained using the GSS method, to the interplanetary parameters and Dst variation is analyzed. The Dst variations, IMF B _z , and solar wind density are most clearly defined in the geomagnetic thresholds during this storm. The correlation between B _y and experimental geomagnetic thresholds is higher than such a correlation between this parameter and theoretical thresholds by a factor 2–3, which suggests that a real dawn-dusk asymmetry during this storm was stronger than such an asymmetry represented by the Ts03 model.     

Relation of long-period variations in the critical frequencies of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> layer to geomagnetic activity

The relation of the long-period variations in the midnight and noon values of the critical frequency of the ionospheric F ₂ layer at three midlatitude stations (Irkutsk, Moscow, and Boulder) to the daily mean index of geomagnetic activity in years of different solar activity has been studied. It has been found that the correlation coefficients between the above parameters depend on time of day, season, and solar activity level. The correlation coefficients are higher at night than in the daytime, especially at low solar activity. The highest absolute values of the correlation coefficient most often appear during equinoxes: April–May and September–October. It has been shown that the variability of the critical frequencies of the midlatitude ionospheric F ₂ layer depends not only on geomagnetic activity but also (to a considerable degree) on the effect of the lower atmosphere.     

MEM Analysis of Geomagnetic Field Variations Over Narssarssuaq

—Maximum entropy spectral analysis (MESA) has been applied to 24 series of hourly daily data and only one daily mean series for the horizontal (H) and vertical (Z) components of the geomagnetic field for the year 1983 as observed at Narssarssuaq, Greenland (71.2°N, 36.7°E) (gm coordinate). The method has isolated some prominent medium frequency signal components. The maximum peaks for H are at 06 hr (0.174 cycles per day (cpd), 3.2 × 10⁴ db) and 08 hr (0.09 cpd, 3.5 × 10⁴ db). Similarly, the maximum peak in Z is observed at 04 hr (0.114 cpd, 5.7 × 10⁴ db). The spectral results for the daily-mean data indicate periods are greater than two days, with 178.5 days (nearly semiannual) being common to both H and Z. Other harmonics have been found for all the series of H and Z components which are mainly caused by the "Effective Period", i.e., the period produced by the combined effect of the sunspot numbers and the sun’s rotation period. Such frequencies correspond very well with those found in the geomagnetic indices A _p ?, C _p and AE. This suggests that the disturbance transient variations are caused by viscous interaction of the solar energies emanating from sunspot regions with the outermost magnetospheric boundary which, in turn, influences the magnetosphere-iono sphere coupling and produces the medium intensity long-duration continuous auroral activities (MILD CAAs) over high latitude regions. Thus, the higher latitude geomagnetic activities are nothing but the "effective period driven MILDCAAs" having a recurrence tendency of 27/n, where n is an integer.     

Correlation between the near-Earth solar wind parameters and the source surface magnetic field

The solar magnetic field B _s at the Earth’s projection onto the solar-wind source surface has been calculated for each day over a long time interval (1976–2004). These data have been compared with the daily mean solar wind (SW) velocities and various components of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near the Earth. The statistical analysis has revealed a rather close relationship between the solar-wind parameters near the Sun and near the Earth in the periods without significant sporadic solar and interplanetary disturbances. Empirical numerical models have been proposed for calculating the solar-wind velocity, IMF intensity, and IMF longitudinal and B _z components from the solar magnetic data. In all these models, the B _s value plays the main role. It is shown that, under quiet or weakly disturbed conditions, the variations in the geomagnetic activity index Ap can be forecasted for 3–5 days ahead on the basis of solar magnetic observations. Such a forecast proves to be more reliable than the forecasts based on the traditional methods.     

Dependence of time derivative of horizontal geomagnetic field on sunspot number and aa index

This work investigated an interrelationship between the monthly means of time derivatives of horizontal geomagnetic field, dH/dt, sunspot number, R _z , and aa index for the period of substorms (from ?90 to ?1800 nT) during the years 1990–2009. A total of 232 substorms were identified during the period of study. The time derivative of horizontal geomagnetic field, dH/dt, used as a proxy for geomagnetically induced current (GIC) exhibited high positive correlation with sunspot number (0.86) and aa index (0.8998). The obtained geomagnetic activity is in 92.665% explicable by the combined effect of sunspot number and aa index. The distribution of substorms as a function of years gives a strong support for the existence of geomagnetic activity increases, which implies that as the sunspot number increases the base level of geomagnetic activity increases too.     

Seasonal changes in daily variations of ELF-VLF atmospherics detected at auroral latitudes

Daily variations in the intensities of atmospherics at 600 Hz and 6 kHz detected at the Lovozero observatory from June to December 2012 were studied. Under quiet geomagnetic conditions, daily variations of atmospherics are shown to be determined by both the waveguide parameters of the Earth’s ionosphere and the activity of storm centers. In summer, a broad daytime maximum of atmospherics flow N _hr (the number of atmospherics per hour) is detected most likely due to the lightning activity in mid-latitude regions that are nearer to the observatory than the global storm centers. The daily variations in atmospherics mean amplitudes per hour A _hr differ appreciably from the daily variations N _hr, reflecting largely the changes in lighting conditions along signal propagation paths. The distribution function of the levels of atmospherics can be approximated by the following formula taken from publications: P(X) = [1 + (X/X ₅₀) ^k ]^?1, where k is a parameter that changes from 2.2 to 3.2 at f = 600 Hz and from 1.5 to 2 at f = 6 kHz under quiet geomagnetic conditions.     

Geomagnetic factor of Dst variations in the selective generation of ionospheric characteristic waves

HF Waves of rotating polarization have been experimentally studied on the Magadan-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskii path. It has been obtained that the degree of suppression of one of the characteristic waves during the selective polarization generation depends on the Dst value and sign. It has been established that changes in the amplitude ratio of the signals received from the antennas of clockwise and counterclockwise polarization are maximal at a quiet geomagnetic field when Dst is positive. Under the conditions of medium disturbance of the geomagnetic field and small-scale negative Dst values, it has not been ruled out that the second characteristic wave can be observed at a receiving point in the case when one of the characteristic waves is generated. Selective polarization generation of one of the characteristic waves can be mainly masked by an increase in small-scale irregularities of ionospheric plasma.     

Interhemispheric comparison of TDIM E- and F-region ionospheres on 14 January 1988

The USU time-dependent ionospheric model (TDIM) simulated the northern (winter) and southern (summer) ionospheres as they responded to the changing solar wind and geomagnetic activity on 14 January 1988. This period began with moderately disturbed conditions, but as the IMF turned northward, the geomagnetic activity decreased. By 1400 UT, the IMF B_y component became strongly negative with B_z near zero; and eventually B_z turned southward. This began a period of intense activity as a magnetic storm developed. The magnetospheric electric field and auroral electron precipitation drivers for these simulations were obtained from the Naval Research Laboratories (NRL) Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) magnetospheric simulation for this event.The F-region ionospheric simulations contrast the summer–winter hemispheres. Then, the difference in how the two hemispheres respond to the geomagnetic storm is related to the differences in magnetospheric energy deposition in the two hemispheres. This also emphasizes the role played by the E-region in the magnetosphere–ionosphere (M–I) coupling and subsequent lack of conjugacy in the two hemispheres. The F-region’s response to the changing geomagnetic conditions also demonstrates a striking lack of conjugacy. This manifests itself in a well-defined ionospheric morphology in the summer hemisphere and a highly irregular morphology in the winter hemisphere. These differences are found to be associated with the differences in the magnetospheric electric field input.     

Solar flare effect on the geomagnetic field and ionosphere

This paper studies the ionospheric and geomagnetic response to an X6.2 solar flare recorded at 14:30 UT on December 13, 2001, in quiet geomagnetic conditions which allow the variations in the geomagnetic field and ionosphere measurements to be easily related to the solar flare radiation.By using measurements from the global positioning system (GPS) and geomagnetic observatories, the temporal evolution of ionospheric total electron content variation, vTEC_V, and geomagnetic field variations, δB, as well as their rates of variation, were obtained around the subsolar point at different solar zenith angles. The enhancement of both parameters was recorded one to three minutes later than the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) programme recording; such delay tends to depend on the latitude, longitude, and solar zenith angle of the observatory's observations.The vTEC_V is related to the local time and the δB to the intensity and position of the ionospheric currents.The vTEC_V′s maximum value is always recorded later than the maximum values reached by δB and the X-ray intensity. The maximum δB is larger in the local morning than in the afternoon.The rates of vTEC_V and δB have two maximum values at the same time as the maximum values recorded by Hα (for each ribbon).This work shows the quantitative and qualitative relations between a solar flare and the ionospheric and geomagnetic variations that it produces.     

Planetary distribution of geomagnetic pulsations during a geomagnetic storm at solar minimum

We investigate the features of the planetary distribution of wave phenomena (geomagnetic pulsations) in the Earth’s magnetic shell (the magnetosphere) during a strong geomagnetic storm on December 14–15, 2006, which is untypical of the minimum phase of solar activity. The storm was caused by the approach of the interplanetary magnetic cloud towards the Earth’s magnetosphere. The study is based on the analysis of 1-min data of global digital geomagnetic observations at a few latitudinal profiles of the global network of ground-based magnetic stations. The analysis is focused on the Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations, whose frequencies fall in the band of 1.5–7 mHz (T ～ 2–10 min), on the fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and in the solar wind density in this frequency band. It is shown that during the initial phase of the storm with positive IMF Bz, most intense geomagnetic pulsations were recorded in the dayside polar regions. It was supposed that these pulsations could probably be caused by the injection of the fluctuating streams of solar wind into the Earth’s ionosphere in the dayside polar cusp region. The fluctuations arising in the ionospheric electric currents due to this process are recorded as the geomagnetic pulsations by the ground-based magnetometers. Under negative IMF Bz, substorms develop in the nightside magnetosphere, and the enhancement of geomagnetic pulsations was observed in this latitudinal region on the Earth’s surface. The generation of these pulsations is probably caused by the fluctuations in the field-aligned magnetospheric electric currents flowing along the geomagnetic field lines from the substorm source region. These geomagnetic pulsations are not related to the fluctuations in the interplanetary medium. During the main phase of the magnetic storm, when fluctuations in the interplanetary medium are almost absent, the most intense geomagnetic pulsations were observed in the dawn sector in the region corresponding to the closed magnetosphere. The generation of these pulsations is likely to be associated with the resonance of the geomagnetic field lines. Thus, it is shown that the Pc5 pulsations observed on the ground during the magnetic storm have a different origin and a different planetary distribution.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>W</Subscript>9 Tohoku earthquake in 2011 in Japan: precursors uncovered by natural time analysis

This paper reviews the precursory phenomena of the 2011 M _W9 Tohoku earthquake in Japan that emerge solely when we analyze the seismicity data in a new time domain termed natural time. If we do not consider this analysis, important precursory changes cannot be identified and hence are missed. Natural time analysis has the privilege that enables the introduction of an order parameter of seismicity. In this frame, we find that the fluctuations of this parameter exhibit an unprecedented characteristic change, i.e., an evident minimum, approximately two months before Tohoku earthquake, which strikingly is almost simultaneous with unique anomalous geomagnetic field variations recorded mainly on the z component. This is consistent with our finding that such a characteristic change in seismicity appears when a seismic electric signal (SES) activity of the VAN method (from the initials of Varotsos, Alexopoulos, Nomicos) initiates, and provides a direct confirmation of the physical interconnection between SES and seismicity.     

The geomagnetic field at the Proterozoic-Paleozoic boundary and lower-mantle plumes

Data on the amplitude of variations in the direction of the geomagnetic field and the frequency of reversals in the Vendian-Cambrian are presented. It has been established from these data that (a) distributions of variations in the direction of the geomagnetic field S _p are bimodal (modes 9° and 11°); (b) the maximum of the average amplitude S _p takes place by 5–10 Myr later than the Vendian-Cambrian boundary; (c) S _p tends to increase as plume epicenters are approached; and (d) the plume formation is more often confined to intervals with different frequencies of geomagnetic reversals than to the interval of a stable state of the geomagnetic field without reversals (Vendian hyperchron). The listed features of the geomagnetic field behavior are repeated near all boundaries of geological eras of the Phanerozoic.     

Geomagnetic disturbances and earthquakes in the Vrancea zone

Based on the example of the Vrancea zone of concentrated seismicity, it is shown how the stress-strain state of the medium responds to a disturbance of the geomagnetic field. Geomagnetic conditions are examined in relation to earthquakes in the Vrancea zone in the period 1988–1996. It is established that the seismic energy release in the Vrancea zone is associated with differences (“gradients”) in the H component of the geomagnetic field. Such a gradient preceding earthquakes is shown to be the midnight polar substorm and the degree of its mid-latitude effect. The time interval from the maximum of the substorm development to a shock (τ, h) is directly related to the focal depth. The seismic characteristics K _en and h (km) are demonstrated to be related to morphological features of the substorm development, namely, its duration T (min), intensity, and background. Differences in the duration of polar substorms before crustal (shallow) and deep earthquakes are revealed. Morphological features of the spectrum of geomagnetic variations preceding the seismic energy release are established.     

Method for determining the geomagnetic activity index based on wavelet packets

A method for determining quiet daily variations (Sq curve) in automatic mode and calculating the K index of geomagnetic activity based on wavelet packets has been proposed. The method makes it possible to reproduce the Bartels technique and includes the separation of geomagnetic signal informative components, determination of geomagnetic field disturbances, and the formation of quiet daily variations. The method effectiveness was proved experimentally.     

Scaling characteristics of SEGMA magnetic field data around the Mw 6.3 Aquila earthquake

We apply detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) on fluxgate and search-coil data in ULF range (scales 10–90 s or 0.1–0.011 Hz) for the months January–April 2009 available from the South European GeoMagnetic Array stations: Castello Tesino (CST), Ranchio (RNC), and L’Aquila (AQU) in Italy; Nagycenk (NCK) in Hungary; and Panagyuriste (PAG) in Bulgaria. DFA is a data processing method that allows for the detection of scaling behaviors in observational time series even in the presence of non-stationarities. The H and Z magnetic field components at night hours (00-03 UT, 01–04 LT) and their variations at the stations CST, AQU, NCK, and PAG have been examined and their scaling characteristics are analyzed depending on geomagnetic and local conditions. As expected, the scaling exponents are found to increase when the K _p index increases, indicating a good correlation with geomagnetic activity. The scaling exponent reveals also local changes (at L’Aquila), which include an increase for the Z (vertical) component, followed by a considerable decrease for the X (horizontal) component in the midst of February 2009. Attempts are made to explain this unique feature with artificial and/or natural sources including the enhanced earthquake activity in the months January–April 2009 at the L’Aquila district.     

Response of the midlatitude ionosphere to extreme geomagnetic storms of the 23rd solar cycle

The ionospheric response in the Irkutsk region (52.3° N, 104.3° E) to the extreme geomagnetic storms of solar cycle 23 was studied based on the data of the Irkutsk incoherent scatter radar (ISR) and DPS-4 vertical sounding digital ionosonde. The deviations of parameters from the undisturbed level, i.e., from the monthly medians or the values obtained on a quiet day, were considered as an ionospheric response. Values of the electron concentration maximum (N _mF2) and electron temperature (T _e) at a height of 350 km were chosen as parameters. The ionospheric response is interpreted in the scope of the concept of a thermospheric storm and penetration of the magnetospheric electric field.     

Response of the high-latitude polar ionosphere to changes in the orientation of the Poynting vector near the Earth orbit relative to the geomagnetic moment orientation

The effect of the mutual orientation of the Poynting vector P of the electromagnetic energy density in the solar wind and the vector M of the Earth’s magnetic moment (taking into account its orbital and diurnal motions) on the geomagnetic activity has been examined for the first time using the measurements of the solar wind parameters on the Earth orbit in 1963–2005. The component P _m of the vector P along the vector M is shown to have a pronounced annual variation with the extrema in November and May and a diurnal variation with the extrema at ∼6 and 18 UT. The phases of the variations are shown to be determined only by the geometric parameters and are independent of the sign of the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field. The experimental data on the planetary and high-latitude geomagnetic activity, which is a response to changes in the orientation of P relative to M, are presented. The power of the sources of the electromagnetic energy of the solar wind during strong geomagnetic disturbances is also estimated.     

Chaotic behaviour of interplanetary magnetic field under various geomagnetic conditions

In the present study, the deterministic chaotic behaviour of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) under various geomagnetic conditions of low and high solar active periods was analyzed, using the time series of IMF |B| and B_z, by employing chaotic quantifiers like, Lyapunov exponent, Tsallis entropy, correlation dimension, and non-linear prediction error. We have investigated whether the chaotic behaviour of interplanetary magnetic field would modify, when it produces major geomagnetic storms, and how it depends on the phase of solar activity. The yearly average values of Lyapunov exponent for the time series of IMF |B| and B_z, show solar flux dependence, whereas those values of entropy, correlation dimension and non-linear prediction error had no significant solar flux dependence. The yearly average values of entropy for quiet periods are higher compared to those values for major storm periods belonging to low/high solar active conditions, for both the time series |B| and B_z.     

Prediction of maximal daily average values of relativistic electron fluxes in geostationary orbit during the magnetic storm recovery phase

The relation of the maximal daily average values of the relativistic electron fluxes with an energy higher than 2 MeV, obtained from the measurements on GOES geostationary satellites, during the recovery phase of magnetic storms to the solar wind parameters and magnetospheric activity indices has been considered. The parameters of Pc5 and Pi1 geomagnetic pulsations and the relativistic electron fluxes during the prestorm period and the main phase of magnetic storms have been used together with the traditional indices of geomagnetic activity (A _E, K _p, D _st). A simple model for predicting relativistic electron fluxes has been proposed for the first three days of the magnetic storm recovery phase. The predicted fluxes of the outer radiation belt relativistic electrons well correlate with the observed values (R ∼ 0.8–0.9).