Further studies of ionospheric and geomagnetic effects of sudden impulses

From riometer records for the sudden impulse event of 4 February 1969, it is shown that ionospheric absorption accompanying a sudden impulse has the same type of latitude and longitude variations found for sudden commencement events. In addition, an examination of magnetograms at College, Alaska shows that some positive sudden impulses may trigger negative bays around local midnight, similar to the recent results for sudden commencements.     

Further studies of non-maxwellian effects associated with the thermal escape of a planetary atmosphere

A recent calculation by Lindenfeld and Shizgal (1979) for the non-Maxwellian effects associated with the thermal escape of a dilute gas from a planetary atmosphere is extended. The modifications include retention of a non-linear term in the integral equation for the velocity distribution function, neglected in the earlier work. The retention of the non-linear term yields for low values of the escape parameter correction factors for the escape flux somewhat in better agreement with the Monte-Carlo results. In addition, the escaping gas density in this paper is given by the barometric distribution, instead of the previous assumption of a constant dependence with altitude. A detailed discussion of the role of the altitude dependence of the number density on the escape flux is also presented.     

Field-aligned and ionospheric currents

Zmuda and Armstrong (1974) showed that the field-aligned currents consist of two pairs; one is located in the morning sector and the other in the evening sector. Our analysis of magnetic records from the TRIAD satellite suggests that in each pair the poleward field-aligned current is more intense than the equatorward current, a typical ratio being 2:1. This difference has a fundamental importance in understanding the coupling between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. We demonstrate this importance by computing the ionospheric current distribution by solving the continuity equation $\text{▽ .}\text{I}\text{= j}{}_{\mathrm{\parallel }}$ using the “observed” distribution of j_∥ for several models of the ionosphere with a high conductive annular ring (simulating the auroral oval).It is shown that the actual field-aligned and ionospheric current system is neither a simple Birkeland type, Boström type nor Zmuda-Armstrong type, but is a complicated combination of them. The relative importance among them varies considerably, depending on the conductivity distribution, the location of the peak of the field-aligned currents, etc. Further, it is found that the north-south segment of ionospheric current which connects the pair of the field-aligned currents in the morning sector does not close in the same meridian and has a large westward deflection. Thus, it has an appreciable contribution to the westward electrojet. One of the model calculations shows that the entire north-south closure current contributes to the westward electrojet.     

Electrolytic currents in Europa

Electrical currents should flow in Europa because of its presence in Jupiter's corotating magnetosphere. The possible magnitudes of these currents are calculated assuming that Europa is a differentiated body consisting of an outer H₂O layer and a silicate core. Two types of models are considered here: one in which the water is completely frozen and a second in which there is an intermediate liquid layer. For the transverse electric mode (eddy currents), the calculated current density in a liquid layer is approximately 10^?5 A m^?2. For the transverse magnetic mode (unipolar generator), the calculated current density in the liquid is severely constrained by the ice layer to only 10^?10 to 10^?11 A m^?2, for a total H₂O thickness of 100 km, provided that neither layer is less than 4 km thick. The current density is less for a completely frozen H₂O layer. If transient cracks were to appear in the ice layer, exposing liquid, the calculated current density could rise to a range of 10^?6 to 10^?5 A m^?2, depending on layer thicknesses, requiring an exposed area of 10^?9 to 10^?8 of the Europa surface. Electrical heating would be significant only if the ice layer thickness were on the order of 1 m, such as might occur if an exposed liquid surface were to freeze over; the heating under this condition could hinder the thickening of the ice layer.     

The directional characteristics of lunar infrared radiation

A theory of the directional characteristics of the lunar infrared radiation measured by Saari and Shorthill has been derived. This theory is in excellent agreement with experiment at all angles of observation and at all phase angles. The radiation law used to describe the angular dependence of the infrared radiation emitted by a flat element of the lunar surface is 0.85 cos + 0.22 cos², where is the angle between the surface normal and the direction of observation. This radiation law is subsequently modified by taking into account lunar surface roughness. We assume a surface covered in part with spherical craters of various depth to diameter ratios as a model for the lunar soil. Re-radiation within the craters has been accounted for. Extensive use is made of group theoretical and invariant tensor methods which enable us to show that most of the details of the radiation pattern do not depend on the detailed nature of the surface features assumed, but only on the average surface slope. A best fit to the Saari-Shorthill data has been obtained by assuming 50% of the lunar surface to be covered with craters with a depth to diameter ratio of 1:3, while the remainder of the surface is essentially flat. The mean deviation between theory and experiment is 4K.This work has been supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Contracts No. NAS8-20 385 and NAS8-25 585, Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama.Receipt delayed due to postal strike in Great Britain.     

Physical consequences of intrinsic dilation currents

In the Einstein-Carten theory only the traceless part of the torsion field can be related spin. Here we generalize the Einstein-Cartan theory by allowing iutrinsic dilation currents, which couple algebraically to the torsion trace. This implies implies a variable gravitational coupling, G.     

Electric fields and currents in the ionosphere generated by field-aligned currents observed by TRIAD

On the basis of the experimental data on the ionospheric conductivities and field-aligned currents the electric fields and currents in the ionosphere generated by the field-aligned currents were computated for various magnetic activity conditions. The model of the ionospheric conductivities by Vanyan and Osipova (1975) was used taking into account the influence of the universal time seasons and magnetic activity. The field-aligned current patterns and their change with magnetic activity was set on the basis of the TRIAD data. It is shown that the calculated patterns of the ionospheric electric fields and currents are in agreement with the measured electric fields and the equivalent current systems of the magnetic disturbances in high latitudes. The conclusion is made that the magnetospheric field-aligned currents are the main sources of the presently known polar magnetic disturbances.     

Closure of field-aligned currents in the ionosphere

The ionospheric currentsj closing the field-aligned currents (FACs) flow mostly along the auroral oval and connect dawn and dusk sides of the oval. The currentj has a significant component directed across the auroral oval in the immediate vicinity of the interface between the two regions of Iijima and Potemra (1976) only. The value ofj is larger poleward of the interface than equatorward of the interface.     

A numerical study of polar ionospheric currents

Numerical calculations for the electric current in the polar ionosphere have been made by assuming some realistic distributions of the electric field and conductivity. Two dynamo actions are taken into account; one of which is induced by ionospheric winds and the other by the solar wind. For the solar wind dynamo action, it is found that the secondary polarization field caused by non-uniform distribution of ionospheric conductivity is much larger than the primary field induced by the solar wind, suggesting its important effect on charged particles in the magnetosphere, and that the irrotational current having a source and sink is of the same order of magnitude as the solenoidal current closing its circuit in the ionosphere. It is also found that the solar wind is, in general, more effective than the ionospheric winds in producing polar current systems such as DP 1 and 2, but in some cases the ionospheric winds have a significant effect on the current distribution.     

Representations of coronal magnetic fields including currents

Solar Physics - Coronal electric currents are superposed on the calculated large-scale current-free (potential) magnetic field of the solar corona and the new magnetic configurations are mapped....     

Field-aligned currents above an auroral arc

Simultaneous observations of precipitating electrons and protons in the energy range from 15 eV to 35 keV and magnetic field variations were made onboard a sounding rocket payload launched from the Andoya Rocket Range. The electric current density deduced from the electron precipitation observed during the passage over an auroral arc was comparable to that determined from the magnetic field variations. In addition, a downward current was observed by its magnetic field signature at the northern edge of the arc which was, however, not accompanied by significant particle fluxes in the energy range under consideration. It will be assumed that this current was carried by thermal electrons of ionospheric origin.     

Birkeland currents in the Earth's magnetosphere

As a result of his polar expeditions at the beginning of this century, Kristian Birkeland determined that intense ionospheric currents were associated with the aurora. Birkeland suggested that these currents originated far from the Earth and that they flowed ointo and away from the polar atmosphere along the geomagnetic field lines. The existence of such field-aligned or Birkeland currents was disputed because it was not possible to unambiguously identify current systems that are field-aligned (as suggested by Alfvén, 1939, 1940) and those which are completely contained in the ionosphere (as developed by Vestine and Chapman, 1938) with surface magnetic field observations. The presence of Birkeland currents has been absolutely confirmed with satellite-borne particle and magnetic field experiments conducted over the past two decades. These satellite observations have determined the large-scale patterns, flow directions, and intensities of Birkeland currents in the auroral and polar regions, and their relationship to the orientation and magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field. The Birkeland currents are directly associated with visible and UV auroral forms observed with satellites. The results obtained from a variety of recently launched satellites are discussed here. These include Sweden's first satellite, VIKING, which has provided evidence for resonant Alfvén waves on the same geomagnetic field lines that guide stationary Birkeland currents. These observations demonstrate the important role that these currents play in the coupling of energy between the interplanetary medium and the lower ionosphere and atmosphere.Paper dedicated to Professor Hannes Alfvén on the occasion of his 80th birthday, 30 May 1988.     

Field azimuth disambiguation using ambiguity-free currents

Using the ambiguity-free vertical current defined by Semel and Skumanich (1995) we derive a minimum-current azimuth disambiguation for the observed magnetic field in the active region NOAA 7201. A comparison of such a minimum-current azimuth resolution with those from other extant methods indicates that the resulting resolution, even though found to be limited by noise, is a useful first approximation. A comparison of our minimum current distribution with the currents we derive from an extant disambiguation (Lites et al., 1995) indicates the presence of current discontinuities in the form of linear features near the magnetic neutral line of the associated -spot.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is funded by the National Science Foundation     

Further investigations of Jupiter models

In our previous investigation of Jupiter models, subject to the constraint that the hydrogen-to-helium ratio is solar, we found a need to include considerable additional mass in the form of volatilized condensates in the atmosphere and excess mass in a central core. The stricter constraints imposed by the measurement of the gravitational moments of the planet as a result of the Pioneer 10 flyby indicate that the mass of the excess volatilized condensates, assumed to be water, relative to the core mass, assumed to be rock, exceeds the ratio of the relevant elements in the solar composition. In this paper we have tested the sensitivity of this conclusion to varying assumptions about the constraints and the equation of state: in particular, to variations in the hydrogen-to-helium ratio, in the softness of the equation of state for water, in the treatment of the internal adiabat, in departures from an internal adiabat, and to variations in the temperature at the 1 bar level. The above conclusion is not changed if any of these alterations are made within reasonable limits.     

Convection currents within a rotating Earth

We establish the equations of motion for a fluid spherical shell which constitutes the upper-most layer of a rotating body and which is heated from below because of radiogenic decay occurring in the lower layers. We solve these equations in terms of series of products of Bessel functions and Gegenbauer polynomials. By the step-wise solution of an infinite-order determinant equation we determine those values for the Taylor and Rayleigh numbers of the flow, up to the 10¹⁶ order, that will give rise to convective cells in the liquid layer.Using these eigenvalues, we solve linear systems of equations to determine the coefficients of the series solutions.     

Exact reconstruction with directional wavelets on the sphere

A new formalism is derived for the analysis and exact reconstruction of band-limited signals on the sphere with directional wavelets. It represents an evolution of a previously developed wavelet formalism developed by Antoine & Vandergheynst and Wiaux et al. The translations of the wavelets at any point on the sphere and their proper rotations are still defined through the continuous three-dimensional rotations. The dilations of the wavelets are directly defined in harmonic space through a new kernel dilation, which is a modification of an existing harmonic dilation. A family of factorized steerable functions with compact harmonic support which are suitable for this kernel dilation are first identified. A scale-discretized wavelet formalism is then derived, relying on this dilation. The discrete nature of the analysis scales allows the exact reconstruction of band-limited signals. A corresponding exact multi-resolution algorithm is finally described and an implementation is tested. The formalism is of interest notably for the denoising or the deconvolution of signals on the sphere with a sparse expansion in wavelets. In astrophysics, it finds a particular application for the identification of localized directional features in the cosmic microwave background data, such as the imprint of topological defects, in particular, cosmic strings, and for their reconstruction after separation from the other signal components.     

Neutral currents and the cooling of neutron stars

Although the neutrino cooling rate by purely leptonic processes is altered by the neutral currents, the overall cooling of model neutron stars is shown to remain practically unaffected.     

Observation of Birkeland currents with the TRIAD satellite

The intimate connection between geomagnetic storms and the aurora was appreciated by many early scientists including Edmund Halley and Anders Celsius, but the first serious study of this phenomena was made by Kristian Birkeland who, during his polar expeditions of 1902–1903, determined that large-scale ionospheric current were associated with the aurora. Birkeland was also the first to suggest that these currents originated far from the Earth and that they flowed into and away from the polar atmosphere along the geomagnetic field lines. The existence of such field-aligned orBirkeland currents was widely disputed because it was not possible to unambiguously identify current systems that are field-aligned (Alfvén, 1939, 1940) and those which are completely contained in the ionosphere (Vestine and Chapman, 1938) only from a study of surface magnetic field measurements. During the last decade, the presence of Birkeland currents has been absolutely confirmed with particle and magnetic field observations acquired from a variety of rocket and satellite instruments. The vector magnetometer on the low-altitude (800 km) polar orbiting TRIAD satellite has been used to determine for the first time the flow direction, spatial distribution, and intensities of Birkeland currents in the north and south auroral regions. These observations support the mechanism originally proposed by Alfvén (1939, 1940)-later expanded by Shieldet al. (1969)-to drive Birkeland currents in the auroral regions, and they demonstrate the important role that these intense currents (ranging between 10⁶ and 10⁷ amperes) play in the coupling of energy between the magnetosphere and the lower ionosphere and atmosphere.Paper dedicated to Professor Hannes Alfvén on the occasion of his 70th birthday, 30 May, 1978.     

Field-aligned currents and erosion of the dayside magnetosphere

The influence of the three-dimensional current system of the precursory phase of a substorm on the magnetic field in the dayside magnetosphere is considered. The current system includes the field-aligned currents flowing into the high-latitude ionosphere at dawn and flowing out at dusk. These currents decrease the magnetic field in the dayside magnetosphere and cause the transference of part of the dayside magnetic field lines into the magnetotail. As a result two kinds of deformation arise: the shrinkage of the dayside magnetopause and the equatorward displacement of the dayside polar cusps.     

Auroral-polar currents during periods of moderate magnetospheric activity

Data from a meridian line of three component magnetometers were used to investigate the character of the equivalent overhead current flow at high latitudes during periods of moderately strong magnetospheric activity. The polar cap equivalent current flow is inexplicable in terms of our knowledge of the polar cap electric field configuration and probably represents the combined effect of several real current systems seated in the auroral oval and the polar cap. An important contributing factor is the current system associated with the interaction of the magnetosphere with the azimuthal component of the interplanetary magnetic field. The region of the Harang discontinuity is identifiable through the intrusion of polar cap equivalent current flow into the latitudinal regime normally occupied by the eastward and westward electrojets. The Harang discontinuity exhibits marked changes in scale size in association with substorm activity.