Uplift by thermal expansion of the lithosphere

Summary. If one can measure the anomalous horizontal magnetic field associated with a (locally bounded) two-dimensional conductivity anomaly, the transfer function which results from correlating the vertical with the anomalous horizontal magnetic field directly indicates the depth to an equivalent line-current. A. numerical model can be used to illustrate this. If three-dimensional effects (including current channelling) produce the current anomaly, interpretation in terms of conductive structure would be less clear. It has been claimed (Babour & Mosnier etc.) that such three-dimensional effects are experimentally observed in the highly coherent transfer functions determined from differential geomagnetic sounding experiments. These effects are, specifically, the 'linear polarization' of the anomalous fields, and the invariance of the phase of the measured anomalous field across the anomaly. It is suggested in this present paper that both these effects can be explained in terms of simple local induction models.
If the embedded two-dimensional anomaly is sufficiently close to the Earth's surface, the transfer function (between the vertical and the total horizontal field) contains more information than is usually interpreted. With this in mind, the magnetovariational data collected by Rooney & Hutton in the Kenyan Rift is re-examined.     

Effect of the presence of a conducting channel between India and Sri Lanka Island on the features of the equatorial electrojet

Summary. Transient geomagnetic variations like SSCs, Bays, Sq and storm-time variations show anomalously large Z amplitudes at the three permanent magnetic observatories in India under the equatorial electrojet. Our earlier studies have shown that these anomalies cannot be explained in terms of the usual coastal effect. Another unique feature of this area is the small equatorial enhancement of all magnetic fluctuations, which still remains to be completely understood. It is also noticed that Z/H ratio at Annamalainagar is very large for night-time variations but becomes insignificant for day-time fluctuations, whereas no such large difference is seen at Trivandrum, the other coastal station. All the above features have been explained here by introducing the presence of a conducting channel in the lower crust or upper mantle between India and Sri Lanka Island. The anomalies of the equatorial electrojet in the Indian region thus do not necessitate the conducting surface of the mantle to be deeper in this area as has been suggested by earlier workers. A less conducting mantle in the Indian region otherwise could be difficult to incorporate in the present theories of mantle convection when this area is known to be tectonically active. The presence of the conducting channel is further confirmed by analogue model experiments of Papamastorakis. We further observe that the equatorial electrojet does have an associated internal part in the Indian region.     

Phase variability of Sq (H) on normal quiet days in the equatorial electrojet region

Summary. From a study of 'abnormal quiet days' (AQDs) at equatorial latitudes it was found earlier (Sastri) that the occurrence of an abnormal Sq ( H ) phase confined to the equatorial electrojet belt is closely associated with the incidence of complete or partial counter-electrojet (CEJ) conditions (marked daytime depressions in the H field in the electrojet region) for about 5 hr around the normal time interval of the diurnal maximum of the H field. In this paper, we investigate the causative mechanism of the Sq ( H ) phase variability on 'normal quiet days' (NQDs), defined as days on which the diurnal maximum of the H field occurs in the time interval 0930-1230 LT, in the equatorial electrojet belt using published geomagnetic data of stations in the Indian equatorial region. It is found that much of the phase variability of Sq ( H ) on NQDs may be caused by the influence of southward (negative) perturbation fields in the H component, similar in nature to those associated with AQDs but of a much smaller amplitude, close to the usual time of the diurnal maximum of the H field. The perturbation fields are noticed to be essentially of the ionospheric dynamo region origin. Possible mechanisms that might give rise to the observed perturbation fields are discussed.     

The complex-image method for calculating the magnetic and electric fields produced at the surface of the Earth by the auroral electrojet

For studying the auroral electrojet and for examining the effects it can produce in power systems on the ground, it is useful to be able to calculate the magnetic and electric fields that the electrojet produces at the surface of the Earth. Including the effects of currents induced in the Earth leads to a set of integral expressions, the numerical computation of which is complicated and demanding of computer resources. An approximate solution can be achieved by representing the induced currents by an image current at a complex depth. We present a simple derivation of the complex-image expressions and use them to calculate the fields produced by the auroral electrojet at the surface of an earth represented by layered conductivity models. Comparison of these results with ones obtained using the exact integral solution show that the errors introduced are insignificant compared to the uncertainties in the parameters used. The complex-image method thus provides a simple, fast and accurate means of calculating the magnetic and electric fields.     

Lunar semi-monthly variation in the equatorial electrojet field in India

Summary. Using an index derived from the observations of horizontal intensity at two stations in the Indian equatorial region, the characteristics of the lunar semi-monthly tide in the equatorial electrojet strength are studied. It is shown that a contamination of the lunar signal by recurrent geomagnetic disturbance is largely eliminated and that the strength of the signal vanes systematically with solar time. Comparison of amplitude between conditions of low and high solar activity indicates a difference in local time progression, while the phase change is independent of the solar activity and season. Results of seasonal subdivision of data indicate that the largest amplitude is associated with the d-season. With increased solar activity there is an increase in the d- and e-seasons and a marginal decrease in the j-season. For all the seasons, the phase progression is fairly consistent with the theoretical considerations of Stening.     

Geomagnetic field analysis - I. Stochastic inversion

Summary. Most of the Earth's magnetic field and its secular change originate in the core. Provided the mantle can be treated as an electrical insulator, stochastic inversion enables surface observations to be analysed for the core field. A priori information about the variation of the field at the core boundary leads to very stringent conditions at the Earth's surface. The field models are identical with those derived from the method of harmonic splines (Shure, Parker & Backus) provided the a priori information is specified appropriately.
The method is applied to secular variation data from 106 magnetic observatories. Model predictions for fields at the Earth's surface have error estimates associated with them that appear realistic. For plausible choices of a priori information the error of the field at the core is unbounded, but integrals over patches of the core surface can have finite errors. The hypothesis that magnetic fields are frozen to the core fluid implies that certain integrals of the secular variation vanish. This idea is tested by computing the integrals and their standard and maximum errors. Most of the integrals are within one standard deviation of zero, but those over the large patches to the north and south of the magnetic equator are many times their standard error, because of the dominating influence of the decaying dipole. All integrals are well within their maximum error, indicating that it will be possible to construct core fields, consistent with frozen flux, that satisfy the observations.     

Modelling of solar quiet magnetic field variations near a conductivity anomaly

Summary. A simplified model of the solar quiet-time ionospheric current system is used to calculate the induced currents in a model earth. The conductivity is assumed to be constant below a depth of about 400 km and zero above that depth. The current induced in the north—south conductivity anomaly under the Rocky Mountains is then estimated from the time-varying potential difference between points at 30 and 45° latitude at the surface of the conducting sphere. The purpose of these calculations is to investigate whether variations in the latitude of the northern hemisphere current system vortex will substantially alter the relationship between the observed magnetic field components at the Earth's surface and the local magnetic field gradient caused by the conductivity anomaly. We find that a 10° shift in the latitude of the ionospheric current focus causes a change of 6 per cent or less in the transfer function from the field components to the gradient in the total field. Thus such latitude shifts cannot explain much of the magnetic field gradient variation at periods near 24 hr that has been observed near Boulder, Colorado.     

Daily Variation and Secular Variation of the Geomagnetic Field from Shipboard Observations in the Gulf of Aden

Summary The problems of reducing geomagnetic observations from ships at sea in areas influenced by the effect of the equatorial electrojet are discussed. In particular, observations within the Gulf of Aden have been corrected for daily variation and secular variation for the purposes of constructing a contoured magnetic anomaly chart.
An empirical formula is given with which the range of daily variation at different latitudes within the Gulf was estimated for the purpose of correcting the data for daily variation. The observed secular variation, which was used to correct the data, is—11 γ/yr. which differs from the secular variation of +19 γ/yr. in the Gulf of Aden given by the recently adopted International Geomagnetic Reference Field (Zmuda 1969).     

A study of the physics of telluric current flow at very low frequencies in the Earth's crust

Summary. Interpretation of the effects of natural electromagnetic induction is often in terms of models in which changes in resistivity at great distances from the point of measurement are not taken into account. In this paper we will try to show that this is not a valid approximation for very low-frequency telluric currents, flowing near the surface in the Earth's crust, when the material separating the crust from the mantle has a sufficiently high electrical resistance. In this case the shape and dimensions of the circuit, as well as the resistivity distribution along the whole length of the path followed by the currents, play a part in determining the induced electromagnetic field. A number of experimentally verifiable consequences follow from this.     

Coseismic rotation changes from the 2004 Sumatra earthquake: the effects of Earth's compressibility versus earthquake induced topography

Polar motion is modelled for the large 2004 Sumatra earthquake via dislocation theory for an incompressible elastic earth model, where inertia perturbations are due to earthquake-triggered topography of density–contrast interfaces, and for a compressible model, where inertia perturbation due to compression-dilatation of Earth's material is included; density and elastic parameters are based on a multilayered reference Earth. Both models are based on analytical Green's functions, propagated from the centre to the Earth's surface. Preliminary and updated seismological solutions are considered in elucidating the effects of improving earthquake parameters on polar motion. The large Sumatra thrust earthquake was particularly efficient in driving polar motion since it was responsible for large material displacements occurring orthogonally to the strike of the earthquake and to the Earth's surface, as imaged by GRACE gravity anomalies over the earthquake area. The effects of earthquake-induced topography are four times larger than the effects of Earth's compressibility, for l = 2 geopotential components. For varying compressional Earth properties and seismic solution, modelled polar motion ranges from 8.6 to 9.4 cm in amplitude and between 117° and 130° east longitude in direction. The close relationship between polar motion direction, earthquake longitude and thrust nature of the event, are established in terms of basic physical concepts.     

Day-to-day variability of geomagnetic hourly amplitudes at low latitudes

A study of the variability of the amplitude of Sq at a fixed hour from one day to the next at nine stations from the dip equator to about 22° north of it has produced interesting results. The amplitude and sign of the variability change virtually randomly, making the mean practically zero. The variability occurs at all hours of the day. Its magnitudes in the components D, H and Z have the same diurnal variation, which peaks in the noon period like Sq(H) in low latitudes, and a weak seasonal variation that peaks at the June solstice (local summer). It is demonstrated that changes in the current intensities of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) and the worldwide part of the Sq (W Sq) current layers have contrasting phases and can sometimes be in antiphase. Indeed, the changes are mostly independent. Inclusion of the magnetic element D revealed that the EEJ current system has not only an east–west but also a north–south component. The study shows that the meridional component of the EEJ current intensity evidenced at the Kodaikanal and Annamalainagar stations is an integral part of the zonal component at Trivandrum. This confirms the results of Rastogi (1996 ) and validates those of Onwumechili (1997 ). The results suggest that ionospheric conductivity mainly controls the magnitude, while the electric field and ultimately winds mainly control the phase and randomness of the day-to-day variability of the hourly amplitudes of Sq . The random component is attributed to local and/or regional atmospheric winds, probably of gravity wave origin.     

On the nature of abnormal quiet days in Sq(H)

Summary. It is well known that the time of occurrence of the minimum in the horizontal component of the Earth's magnetic field ( H _min) on quiet days at a mid-latitude station on the poleward side of the Sq focus shows considerable variability from day to day. This variability has previously been discussed in terms of the incidence of so-called 'abnormal quiet days'(AQD), arbitrarily defined for the station Hartland as quiet days when H _min occurred outside an interval of ± 2½ hr centred on the most common time of 1130 LT. AQDs have some interesting properties, which have been documented, but their precise nature and cause have not been elucidated. In this paper we report the results of a study of AQDs as identified at Hartland using a chain of Northern hemisphere stations situated approximately along the 0° longitude meridian and extending on both sides of the Sq focus. It is found that there are two effects on AQDs: (i) a northward component field varying in LT is superposed at all latitudes throughout the day, so reducing the amplitude of the normal Sq(H) variation at stations poleward of the focus and increasing it on the equatorward side, (ii) a southward perturbation field, of most probable magnitude 6.0 nT for the period studied, is imposed for about 4 hr at a fixed UT at all latitudes, so constituting an 'AQD event' which can lead to the occurrence of H _min at an anomalous local time for a station poleward of the focus. It is shown that the AQD event may be of large geographical extent and that it is related to the interplanetary magnetic field. All the main properties of AQD occurrences are explained, and it is suggested that much of the day-to-day variability in the amplitude and phase of the normal Sq(H) variation probably also arises from the occurrence of AQD events at times close to the diurnal turning points.     

The magnetic structure of convection-driven numerical dynamos

The generation of a magnetic field in numerical simulations of the geodynamo is an intrinsically 3-D and time-dependent phenomenon. The concept of magnetic field lines and the frozen-flux approximation can provide insight into such systems, but a suitable visualization method is required. This paper presents results obtained using the Dynamical Magnetic Field line Imaging (DMFI) technique, which is a representation of magnetic field lines accounting for their local magnetic energy, together with an algorithm for the time evolution of their anchor points. The DMFI illustrations are consistent with previously published dynamo mechanisms, and allow further investigation of spatially and temporally complex systems. We highlight three types of magnetic structures: (i) magnetic cyclones and (ii) magnetic anticyclones are expelled by, but corotate with axial flow vortices; (iii) magnetic upwellings are amplified by stretching and advection within flow upwellings, and show structural similarity with helical plumes found in rotating hydrodynamic experiments. While magnetic anticyclones are responsible for the regeneration of a stable axial dipole, here we show that excursions and reversals of the dipole axis are caused by the emergence of magnetic upwellings, which amplify and transport a generally multipolar magnetic field from the inner to the outer boundary of the models. Geomagnetic observations suggest the presence of magnetic structures similar to those found in our models; thus, we discuss how our results may pertain to Earth's core dynamo processes. In order to make DMFI a standard tool for numerical dynamo studies, a public software package is available upon request to the authors (supplementary material is available at: http://www.ipgp.jussieu.fr/~aubert/DMFI.html ).     

Electromagnetic response of an ocean-coast model to E-polarization induction

summary . An ocean-coast model which consists of a uniformly conducting half-space screened by a perfectly conducting half-plane (the model ocean) is studied. On the land the electric field decreases continuously to zero as the coast is approached. The horizontal magnetic field component is found to vary rapidly, but remains finite; the vertical component on the other hand, increases to infinity at the coast. On the surface of the model ocean as well as on the sea floor, electric field and vertical magnetic field are both nil, but the horizontal magnetic field becomes singular as the seashore is approached. This horizontal magnetic field however, is different on the sea floor and at the ocean surface, because the integrated ocean current is finite, even growing to infinity as the shore is approached. The very large ocean currents near the shore act as an extremely long line antenna, which radiates far afield. This antenna feature explains the very long range of the ocean-coast effects observed under E -polarization induction, compared to the corresponding H -polarization effects where no such antenna-like feature occurs. A similarly large difference of ranges can be expected for all shallow structures with large lateral conductivity contrasts. The present study may therefore be of some interest in relation to geomagnetic depth soundings by the inductive and magnetotelluric methods, as well as in understanding the ocean-coast effect known for some time from records of coastal observatories.     

A study of two polar magnetic substorms with a two-dimensional magnetometer array

Summary. The paper reports studies of the three-dimensional magnetospheric—ionospheric current systems which produced polar magnetic substorms on 1974 September 7 and September 18. The data were magnetic perturbation fields observed with a two-dimensional array of 23 three-component magnetometers located in western Canada beneath the auroral oval. In an earlier study of a substorm of September 11 (Bannister & Gough) the fields fitted calculated field for a Boström Type 1 current loop with field-aligned currents at east and west ends of the ionospheric segment, and with uniform current density across the width. The substorms here reported could not be modelled with uniform current density. An inverse method due to Oldenburg was therefore used to estimate current density distributions, and satisfactory fits of calculated to observed field resulted. Each substorm was modelled at six representative epochs. In general the principal ionospheric current seem by the array was westward. At four epochs of the September 7 substorm and throughout the September 18 substorm, significant eastward ionospheric current (or its equivalent in terms of the fields produced) was observed north of the westward electrojet. Northwestward bends in the ionospheric current segments were found at four epochs on September 7 and at three epochs on September 18. As in the September 11 substorm (Paper 1), these bends were either west of or close to magnetic midnight. In some cases the bends may follow the auroral oval, but in others they are sharper and may be associated with the Harang discontinuity. East of geomagnetic the ionospheric currents tend to run in a constant geomagnetic midnight latitude range. The developments of the three substorms, of September 7, 11 (Paper 1) and 18, are compared. They showed a variety of shifts in longitude, though all moved eastward relative to magnetic midnight.     

Monopoly

Summary. A model for the geomagnetic secular variation field is given, consisting of a series of magnetic monopoles at the surface of the Earth's core. These are distributed according to the density of the data to allow more detailed representation in areas where the density of observations is high, without introducing spurious detail where data are sparse. A monopole model is calculated from observatory secular change data for the epoch 1957.5–1962.5 and its usefulness assessed.     

Observation of electric currents in the Alaska oil pipeline resulting from auroral electrojet current sources

Summary. Currents in the 1.28 × 10³ km Alaska oil pipeline, induced from the ionospheric, auroral electrojet, were measured at three sites, near Fairbanks, Paxson and Valdez, Alaska, using a gradient configuration of two fluxgate magnetometers. The observed pipeline current magnitudes, which reached 50 A during times of mild geomagnetic activity, displayed a linear relationship with the electric earth potential. Using the induction relationship between the electric and magnetic fields and the typical spectral composition of the geomagnetic field at high latitudes, I obtained a spectral appearance of the current that shows a maximum in the range of 4.5- to 10-min period. Near Fairbanks the pipeline current amplitudes, I (Amperes), could be represented, approximately, by I = 0.65 B _x T ^−0.5, where B _x(nT) is the north—south geomagnetic field variation amplitude and T (min) is its apparent period. There is much less pipelines current at the sites south of Fairbanks. A previously established relationship between the local electric field and the planetary geomagnetic activity index, Ap , permitted a prediction of the pipeline current surge amplitudes in the Fairbanks region as approximately I = 5.0 Ap . Current surges larger than 500 A may be expected rather often in the Alaska pipeline during large geomagnetic storms.     

Spherical prism magnetic effects by Gauss–Legendre quadrature integration

Regional spherical coordinate observations of the Earth's crustal magnetic field components are becoming increasingly available from shipborne, airborne, and satellite surveys. In assessing the geological significance of these data, theoretical anomalous magnetic fields from geologic models in spherical coordinates need to be evaluated. This study explicitly develops the elegant Gauss–Legendre quadrature formulation for numerically modelling the complete magnetic effects (i.e. potential, vector and tensor gradient fields) of the spherical prism. We also use these results to demonstrate the magnetic effects for the crustal prism and to investigate the crustal magnetic effects at satellite altitudes for a large region of the Middle East centred on Iran.     

Determination of Geomagnetic Palaeointensities in Vacuum

Summary. Specimens with low and intermediate Curie points from six Hawaiian historic basalt flows were used for the determination of the intensity of the historic geomagnetic field by the Thelliers' method. The specimens were heated either in air or in a vacuum of 10⁻⁵ torr. The regional intensity of the Earth's magnetic field at the time of extrusion of these rocks is known from direct observations. The palaeointensities determined in vacuum from four low and intermediate Curie point flows are correct within the uncertainty caused by the local field anomalies, whereas those determined in air from the same four flows are of lesser quality and accuracy. Unaltered submarine basalts have similarly low Curie points and thus may also be amenable to palaeointensity determination in vacuum. The behaviour of the remaining two flows, which had higher Curie points, was more erratic, and they yielded less accurate palaeointensities regardless of whether they were determined in air or vacuum.     

极区电离层F区加热激发极低频波研究

"极区电急流天线"辐射依赖于低电离层D/E区背景电急流,而高电离层F区极低频调制加热,可产生抗磁性电流,形成极低频波辐射源。利用电离层F区一维时变加热数值模型,采用全波解算法研究高纬Troms(69.59°N,19.23°E)地区电离层F区极低频调制加热。模拟结果表明,极区高电离层激发的极低频波与极区低电离层激发的结果不同。加热泵波的有效辐射功率(effective radiated power,ERP)、调制频率及电离层背景对极低频波强度有着重要影响。