HR: 0800h
AN: SA21A-0294    [Abstracts]
TI: The response of the inner magnetospheric electric field to global stormtime ionosphere-thermosphere changes
AU: * Garner, T W
EM: garner@arlut.utexas.edu
AF: Applied Research Lab., the University of Texas at Austin, P. O. Box 8029 , Austin, TX 78713
AU: Crowley, G
EM: kimcrowley@satx.rr.com
AF: Atmospheric and Space Technology Research Associates, 11119 Quail Pass, San Antonio, TX 78249
AU: Wolf, R
EM: rawolf@rice.edu
AF: Rice University, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy P O Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251
AB: The interaction between the solar wind and magnetosphere imposes a convection electric field across the magnetosphere. This electric field is associated with the region-1 Birkeland currents and is called the "driving" or the "convection" field. A second electric field, called the shielding field, is generated by the region-2 Birkeland currents. The strength of this electric field is related to both the density gradient along the inner edge of the plasma sheet and the conductivity of the ionosphere. The "penetration" electric field is the difference between the convection field and the shielding field. During magnetic storms, the ionospheric conductivity changes due to changes in auroral particle precipitation and the global ionospheric response. This study examines the impact on the subauroral electric field caused by conductivity changes that are part of the global ionospheric-thermospheric (IM) response to the magnetic storm. Using time-varying conductances calculated from the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME-GCM) in the Rice Convection Model, the impact of the global IM response upon the development of the subauroral electric field is investigated.
DE: 2411 Electric fields (2712)
DE: 2463 Plasma convection (2760)
DE: 2712 Electric fields (2411)
DE: 2721 Field-aligned currents and current systems (2409)
DE: 2764 Plasma sheet
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005