Study on neutral wind contribution to the electrodynamics in the polar ionosphere using EISCAT CP-1 data

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research, Washington, DC Washington, DC, 1998-07, Vol.103 (A7), p.14731-14739
• Main Authors: Fujii, Ryoichi, Nozawa, Satonori, Matuura, Nobuo, Brekke, Asgeir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Interaction between ionosphere and magnetosphere; Physics of the ionosphere
• ISSN: 0148-0227; 2156-2202
• DOI: 10.1029/97JA03687

Energy coupling between the thermosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere is studied quantitatively through an analysis using the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Common Program (CP) −1 version H data obtained on May 3, 1988. A negative excursion of the H component in the Tromsø magnetogram occurred during the experiment period, which involved the following two features: (1) the electric potential across the polar cap was expected to be reduced abruptly in association with a sudden change of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz polarity from southward to around null and (2) the negative excursion had a relatively long duration of development (about 4 hours), which may drive neutrals to move significantly through ion drag. In order to investigate the energy coupling between the thermosphere and ionosphere, we evaluate quantitatively the electromagnetic energy flux J·E, the Joule heating rate J·E′ (E′ = E + U × B), and the mechanical energy transfer rate U·(J × B), where U is the neutral wind velocity. The CP‐I‐H experiment provides directly or indirectly all quantities above at altitudes of 101 km, 109 km, 119 km, and 132 km. The results are summarized as follows. (1) The amplitude of the neutral wind related electric field U × B varied greatly with altitude, i.e., at altitudes above 119 km it often became larger than 50% of the amplitude of the observed electric field; (2) during the late recovery phase of the negative excursion of the H component of the Tromsø magnetic field, the neutral wind related electric field tended to be canceled with the observed electric field; (3) in the E region the neutral wind mechanical energy transfer rate U·(J × B) is not negligible but is comparable to the Joule heating rate J·E′; and (4) in particular, at higher altitudes (132 km high) the conversion from the neutral wind mechanical energy to the electromagnetic energy occasionally may occur.