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The space hurricane is a newly discovered large-scale three-dimensional magnetic vortex structure that spans the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere. It has been suggested to open a fast energy transport channel for the solar wind to invade Earth’s magnetosphere under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. It is, therefore, an important phenomenon to understand the solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling process under northward IMF conditions. In this study, we report the three-dimensional ionospheric plasma properties of a space hurricane event in the Northern Hemisphere observed by multiple instruments. Based on the convection velocity observations from ground-based radars and polar satellites, we confirm that the major modulation to the polar cap convection called a space hurricane rotates clockwise at the altitude of the ionosphere. Ground-based incoherent scatter radar and polar satellite observations reveal four features associated with the space hurricane: 1) strong plasma flow shears and being embedded in a clockwise lobe convection cell; 2) a major addition to the total energy deposition in the ionosphere–thermosphere system by Joule heating; 3) downward ionospheric electron transport; and 4) multiple ion-temperature enhancements in the sunward velocity region, likely from the spiral arms of the space hurricane. These results present, first, the impact of space hurricane on the low-altitude ionosphere and provide additional insights on the magnetospheric impact on structuring in the polar ionosphere.
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On the Momentum Transfer From Polar to Equatorial Ionosphere
Abstract During space weather events, a large amount of energy and momentum from the solar wind inputs into the ionosphere‐thermosphere. A critical question is that if the solar wind‐magnetosphere interaction drives only the open field region in the polar caps, how the solar wind energy and momentum are transmitted to the low latitude and equatorial ionosphere. This important issue has been studied over decades and is still poorly understood, impeding space weather forecasting ability. Here we use our newly developed 2.5‐D ionosphere‐thermosphere simulation model that self‐consistently solves the density, velocity, and temperature for electrons, multiple ion and neutral species, and electromagnetic fields to study this challenging problem. The focus of the present study is on the prompt response of the ionosphere to a convection disturbance from the polar magnetosphere. The longer time scale responses caused by the neutral winds from the polar caps will be the topic of future studies. We show that the momentum is transferred from polar to equatorial ionosphere predominately by fast magnetosonic waves, and propagation of perturbations from the source region experiences delay, damping, and substantial reflection, and the ionosphere/thermosphere behaves like a low‐band‐pass filter. The finding from this study sheds new insight onto coupling processes within the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1702134
- PAR ID:
- 10445708
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
- Volume:
- 124
- Issue:
- 7
- ISSN:
- 2169-9380
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 6064-6073
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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