HR: 15:05h
AN: SM23D-04 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: A Parameterized, Global Model of the Subauroral Electric Fields
AU: * Anderson, P
EM: phillip.anderson1@utdallas.edu
AF: University of Texas at Dallas, Box 830688 WT15, Richardson, TX 75083, United States
AU: Johnston, W
EM: wrj041000@utdallas.edu
AF: University of Texas at Dallas, Box 830688 WT15, Richardson, TX 75083, United States
AB: Any models attempting to describe the structure of the thermosphere, the ionosphere, the plasmasphere, the inner magnetosphere and the ring current are dependent on the spatial and temporal distribution of the magnetospheric electric fields. As the inner magnetosphere is coupled to the subauroral ionosphere via magnetic field lines, the magnetospheric electric field structure is in turn dependent on the ionospheric electrodynamics. Electric fields influence numerous processes in the ionosphere/thermosphere (IT) system including plasma transport in the ionosphere, the ion drag force which affects neutral winds, and the Joule heating which drives much of the composition and structure of the IT system. These electric fields can extend to very low latitudes and can contribute substantially to the magnetospheric electric field structure, particularly during geomagnetic storms. The subauroral electric fields are known to reduce the ionospheric conductivity through fast chemistry and transport which produces a feedback mechanism into the magnetosphere through coupling along magnetic field lines further increasing the magnetospheric electric fields. They modify the plasmaspheric structure and drive the plasmasphere/electron plasmasheet interface (the plasmapause) inward. They are also extremely important to ring current formation and decay in that they enhance ring current formation during the storm main phase and slow storm recovery by providing a mechanism for transport of ring current particles to low L-values. Modelers have begun to understand the importance of the subauroral electric field coupling to the thermosphere, the inner magnetosphere and the plasmasphere and are clearly in need of an empirical model describing the global distribution of the subauroral electric fields. We are developing a parameterized, global model of the subauroral electric fields that will adjust to inputs of measured values of the equatorward edge of the auroral oval and the subauroral electric field and will present preliminary results of our efforts.
DE: 2411 Electric fields (2712)
DE: 2431 Ionosphere/magnetosphere interactions (2736)
DE: 2730 Magnetosphere: inner
DE: 2736 Magnetosphere/ionosphere interactions (2431)
DE: 2788 Magnetic storms and substorms (7954)
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly