Average field‐aligned current configuration parameterized by solar wind conditions

Carter, J. A., Milan, S. E., Coxon, John, Walach, M.‐T. and Anderson, B. J. (2015) Average field‐aligned current configuration parameterized by solar wind conditions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 121 (2). pp. 1294-1307. ISSN 2169-9380

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA021567

Abstract

We present the first large-scale comparison of the spatial distribution of field-aligned currents as measured by the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment, with the location and brightness of the average auroral oval, determined from the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration far ultraviolet instrument. These distributions are compared under the same interplanetary magnetic field magnitude and clock angle conditions. The field-aligned currents and auroral oval drop to lower latitudes, as the interplanetary magnetic field becomes both increasingly stronger in magnitude and increasingly southward. We find that the region 2 currents are more closely aligned with the distribution of auroral UV emission, whether that be in the discrete auroral zone about dusk or in the postmidnight diffuse aurora sector. The lack of coincidence between the region 1 field-aligned currents with the auroral oval in the dusk sector is contrary to expectation.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding information: STFC consolidated. Grant Number: ST/K001000/1 NERC. Grant Number: NE/L007177/1 STFC studentship
Uncontrolled Keywords: auroral oval, field-aligned currents
Subjects: F500 Astronomy
F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences
Department: Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering
Depositing User: Rachel Branson
Date Deposited: 24 Feb 2022 10:52
Last Modified: 24 Feb 2022 11:00
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/48537

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