HR: 1330h
AN: SM42B-0601    [PDF]
TI: Comparison of Rice Field Model to Simultaneous Conjugate Auroral Images
AU: * Garcia, K S
EM: ksgarcia@rice.edu
AF: Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy - MS 61 Rice University 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005-1892 United States
AU: Reiff, P H
EM: reiff@rice.edu
AF: Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy - MS 61 Rice University 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005-1892 United States
AU: Naehr, S
EM: naehr@rice.edu
AF: Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy - MS 61 Rice University 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005-1892 United States
AU: Frey, H
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory University of Berkeley 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 United States
AU: Sigwarth, J
AF: University of Iowa, The University of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy 203 Van Allen Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1479 United States
AU: Ostgaard, N
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory University of Berkeley 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 United States
AU: Mende, S
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory University of Berkeley 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 United States
AU: Frank, L
AF: University of Iowa, The University of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy 203 Van Allen Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1479 United States
AU: Hill, T
AF: Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy - MS 61 Rice University 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005-1892 United States
AU: Toffoletto, F
AF: Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy - MS 61 Rice University 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005-1892 United States
AB: We examine simultaneous conjugate satellite images of the north and south hemispheres from a two-hour time period on August 17, 2001. IMF conditions during this time show a strong B$_{y}$ component and a negative B$_{z}$ component, with geomagnetic indices indicating that this time period took place in the middle of a magnetic storm, as well as during the growth phase and onset of a substorm. As a result of these conditions, the satellite images show a large polar cap size shifted toward dawn in the north and dusk in the south. We use the Rice Field Model to map field lines from one hemisphere to the other in order to determine the polar cap size and the positions of conjugate features in the auroral zone. This comparison between model output and data allows us to optimize the adjustable parameters of the model, resulting in greater accuracy for the field model. The angle of rotation of the magnetotail was increased in order to match the polar cap shape and position to the satellite images. The final output of the model successfully described to first order the polar cap size, shape, and position and the direction of shift of various features from one hemisphere to the other. The model fell short, however, in its attempt to model the more dynamic substorm effects. In general, simultaneous images of the aurora allow for a better understanding of how magnetic field lines and polar cap boundaries map from one hemisphere to the other, as well as aid in determining which auroral features are real and are most likely to be seen in model outputs.
DE: 2700 MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS
DE: 2704 Auroral phenomena (2407)
DE: 2784 Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions
DE: 2788 Storms and substorms
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting