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  1. Abstract

    Although lagged correlations have suggested influences of solar wind velocity (V) and number density (N), Bz, ultralow frequency (ULF) wave power, and substorms (as measured by the auroral electrojet (AE) index) on MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit over an impressive number of hours and days, a satellite's diurnal cycle can inflate correlations, associations between drivers may produce spurious effects, and correlations between all previous time steps may create an appearance of additive influence over many hours. Autoregressive‐moving average transfer function (ARMAX) multiple regressions incorporating previous hours simultaneously can eliminate cycles and assess the impact of parameters, at each hour, while others are controlled. ARMAX influences are an order of magnitude lower than correlations uncorrected for time behavior. Most influence occurs within a few hours, not the many hours suggested by correlation. A log transformation accounts for nonlinearities. Over all hours, solar wind velocity (V) and number density (N) show an initial negative impact, with longer term positive influences over the 9 (V) or 27 (N) hr. Bz is initially a positive influence, with a longer term (6 hr) negative effect. ULF waves impact flux in the first (positive) and second (negative) hour before the flux measurement, with further negative influences in the 12–24 hr before. AE (representing electron injection by substorms) shows only a short term (1 hr) positive influence. However, when only recovery and after‐recovery storm periods are considered (using stepwise regression), there are positive influences of ULF waves, AE, andV, with negative influences ofNand Bz.

     
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  2. Abstract

    We present an automated method to identify high‐frequency geomagnetic disturbances in ground magnetometer data and classify the events by the source of the perturbations. We developed an algorithm to search for and identify changes in the surface magnetic field, dB/dt, with user‐specified amplitude and timescale. We used this algorithm to identify transient‐large‐amplitude (TLA) dB/dtevents that have timescale less than 60 s and amplitude >6 nT/s. Because these magnetic variations have similar amplitude and time characteristics to instrumental or man‐made noise, the algorithm identified a large number of noise‐type signatures as well as geophysical signatures. We manually classified these events by their sources (noise‐type or geophysical) and statistically characterized each type of event; the insights gained were used to more specifically define a TLA geophysical event and greatly reduce the number of noise‐type dB/dtidentified. Next, we implemented a support vector machine classification algorithm to classify the remaining events in order to further reduce the number of noise‐type dB/dtin the final data set. We examine the performance of our complete dB/dtsearch algorithm in widely used magnetometer databases and the effect of a common data processing technique on the results. The automated algorithm is a new technique to identify geomagnetic disturbances and instrumental or man‐made noise, enabling systematic identification and analysis of space weather related dB/dtevents and automated detection of magnetometer noise intervals in magnetic field databases.

     
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  3. Abstract

    Nearly all studies of impulsive geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs, also known as magnetic perturbation events MPEs) that can produce dangerous geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) have used data from the northern hemisphere. In this study, we investigated GMD occurrences during the first 6 months of 2016 at four magnetically conjugate high latitude station pairs using data from the Greenland West Coast magnetometer chain and from Antarctic stations in the conjugate AAL‐PIP magnetometer chain. Events for statistical analysis and four case studies were selected from Greenland/AAL‐PIP data by detecting the presence of >6 nT/s derivatives of any component of the magnetic field at any of the station pairs. For case studies, these chains were supplemented by data from the BAS‐LPM chain in Antarctica as well as Pangnirtung and South Pole in order to extend longitudinal coverage to the west. Amplitude comparisons between hemispheres showed (a) a seasonal dependence (larger in the winter hemisphere), and (b) a dependence on the sign of theBycomponent of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF): GMDs were larger in the north (south) when IMFBywas >0 (<0). A majority of events occurred nearly simultaneously (to within ±3 min) independent of the sign ofByas long as |By| ≤ 2 |Bz|. As has been found in earlier studies, IMFBzwas <0 prior to most events. When IMF data from Geotail, Themis B, and/or Themis C in the near‐Earth solar wind were used to supplement the time‐shifted OMNI IMF data, the consistency of these IMF orientations was improved.

     
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  4. Abstract

    Simultaneously cycling space weather parameters may show high correlations even if there is no immediate relationship between them. We successfully remove diurnal cycles using spectral subtraction, and remove both diurnal and longer cycles (e.g., the 27 days solar cycle) with a difference transformation. Other methods of diurnal cycle removal (daily averaging, moving averages [MAs], and simpler spectral subtraction using regression) are less successful at removing cycles. We apply spectral subtraction (a finite impulse response equiripple bandstop filter) to hourly electron flux (Los Alamos National Laboratory satellite data) and a ground‐based ULF index to remove a 24 hr noise signal. This results in smoother time series appropriate for short‐term (approximately < 1 week) correlation and observational studies. However, spectral subtraction may not remove longer cycles such as the 27 days and 11 yr solar cycles. A differencing transformation (ytyt−24) removes not only the 24 hr noise signal but also the 27 days solar cycle, autocorrelation, and longer trends. This results in a low correlation between electron flux and the ULF index over long periods of time (maximum of 0.1). Correlations of electron flux and the ULF index with solar wind velocity (differenced atytyt−1) are also lower than previously reported (≤0.1). An autoregressive, MA transfer function model (ARIMAX) shows that there are significant cumulative effects of solar wind velocity on ULF activity over long periods, but correlations of velocity and ULF waves with flux are only seen over shorter time spans of more homogeneous geomagnetic activity levels.

     
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  5. Abstract

    We present a characterization of transient‐large‐amplitude (TLA) geomagnetic disturbances that are relevant to geomagnetically induced currents (GIC). TLA events are defined as one or more short‐timescale (<60 s) dB/dt signature with magnitude ≥6 nT/s. The TLA events occurred at six stations of the Magnetometer Array for Cusp and Cleft Studies throughout 2015. A semi‐automated dB/dt search algorithm was developed to identify 38 TLA events in the ground magnetometer data. While TLA dB/dts do not drive GICs directly, we show that second‐timescale dB/dts often occur in relation to or within larger impulsive geomagnetic disturbances. Sudden commencements are not the main driver, rather the events are more likely to occur 30 min after a substorm onset or within a nighttime magnetic perturbation event. The characteristics of TLA events suggest localized ionospheric source currents that may play a key role in generating some extreme geomagnetic impulses that can lead to GICs.

     
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  6. Abstract

    We investigate the timing and relative influence of VLF in the chorus frequency range observed by the DEMETER spacecraft and ULF wave activity from ground stations on daily changes in electron flux (0.23 to over 2.9 MeV) observed by the HEO‐3 spacecraft. At eachL‐shell, we use multiple regression to investigate the effects of each wave type and each daily lag independent of the others. We find that reduction and enhancement of electrons occur at different timescales. Chorus power spectral density and ULF wave power are associated with immediate electron decreases on the same day but with flux enhancement 1–2 days later. ULF is nearly always more influential than chorus on both increases and decreases of flux, although chorus is often a significant factor. There was virtually no difference in correlations of ULF Pc3, Pc4, or Pc5 with electron flux. A synergistic interaction between chorus and ULF waves means that enhancement is most effective when both waves are present, pointing to a two‐step process where local acceleration by chorus waves first energizes electrons which are then brought to even higher energies by inward radial diffusion due to ULF waves. However, decreases in flux due to these waves act additively. Chorus and ULF waves combined are most effective at describing changes in electron flux at >1.5 MeV. At lowerL(2–3), correlations between ULF and VLF (likely hiss) with electron flux were low. The most successful models, overL = 4–6, explained up to 47.1% of the variation in the data.

     
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  7. Abstract

    Large changes of the magnetic field associated with magnetic perturbation events (MPEs) with amplitudes |ΔB| of hundreds of nT and 5–10 min duration have been frequently observed within a few hours of midnight. This study compares the statistical location of nighttime MPEs with |dB/dt| ≥ 6 nT/s within the auroral current system observed during 2015 and 2017 at two stations, Cape Dorset and Kuujjuarapik, in Eastern Canada. Maps of the two dimensional nightside auroral current system were derived using the Spherical Elementary Current Systems (SECS) technique. Analyses were produced at each station for all events, and for premidnight and postmidnight subsets. We examine four MPE intervals in detail, two accompanied by auroral images, and show the varying associations between MPEs and overhead ionospheric current systems including electrojets and the field‐aligned like currents. We find 225 of 279 MPEs occurred within the westward electrojet and only 3 within the eastward electrojet. For the premidnight MPEs 100 of 230 events occurred within the Harang current system while many of the remainder occurred within either the downward region 1 current system or the upward region 2 current system. Many of the 49 postmidnight MPEs occurred in either the downward region 1 (11 events) or upward region 2 current system (27 events). These result suggest that the source of MPEs in the premidnight sector is somewhere between the inner to mid plasma sheet and the source for the MPEs in the postmidnight sector is somewhere between the inner magnetosphere and the inner plasma sheet.

     
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  8. Abstract

    Rapid changes of magnetic fields associated with nighttime magnetic perturbation events (MPEs) with amplitudes |ΔB| of hundreds of nT and 5–10 min duration can induce geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) that can harm technological systems. Here we present superposed epoch analyses of large nighttime MPEs (|dB/dt| ≥ 6 nT/s) observed during 2015 and 2017 at five stations in Arctic Canada ranging from 64.7° to 75.2° in corrected geomagnetic latitude (MLAT) as functions of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), solar wind dynamic pressure, density, and velocity, and the SML, SMU, and SYM/H geomagnetic activity indices. Analyses were produced for premidnight and postmidnight events and for three ranges of time after the most recent substorm onset: (a) 0–30 min, (b) 30–60 min, and (c) >60 min. Of the solar wind and IMF parameters studied, only the IMF Bz component showed any consistent temporal variations prior to MPEs: a 1–2 h wide 1–3 nT negative minimum at all stations beginning ∼30–80 min before premidnight MPEs, and minima that were less consistent but often deeper before postmidnight MPEs. Median, 25th, and 75th percentile SuperMAG auroral indices SML (SMU) showed drops (rises) before pre‐ and post‐midnight type A MPEs, but most of the MPEs in categories B and C did not coincide with large‐scale peaks in ionospheric electrojets. Median SYM/H indices were flat near −30 nT for premidnight events and showed no consistent temporal association with any MPE events. More disturbed values of IMF Bz, Psw, Nsw, SML, SMU, and SYM/H appeared postmidnight than premidnight.

     
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  9. Abstract

    Nearly all studies of impulsive magnetic perturbation events (MPEs) with large magnetic field variability (dB/dt) that can produce dangerous geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) have used data from the Northern Hemisphere. Here we present details of four large‐amplitude MPE events (|ΔBx| > 900 nT and |dB/dt| > 10 nT/s in at least one component) observed between 2015 and 2018 in conjugate high‐latitude regions (65–80° corrected geomagnetic latitude), using magnetometer data from (1) Pangnirtung and Iqaluit in eastern Arctic Canada and the magnetically conjugate South Pole Station in Antarctica and (2) the Greenland West Coast Chain and two magnetically conjugate chains in Antarctica, AAL‐PIP and BAS LPM. From one to three different isolated MPEs localized in corrected geomagnetic latitude were observed during three premidnight events; many were simultaneous within 3 min in both hemispheres. Their conjugate latitudinal amplitude profiles, however, matched qualitatively at best. During an extended postmidnight interval, which we associate with an interval of omega bands, multiple highly localized MPEs occurred independently in time at each station in both hemispheres. These nighttime MPEs occurred under a wide range of geomagnetic conditions, but common to each was a negative interplanetary magnetic fieldBzthat exhibited at least a modest increase at or near the time of the event. A comparison of perturbation amplitudes to modeled ionospheric conductances in conjugate hemispheres clearly favored a current generator model over a voltage generator model for three of the four events; neither model provided a good fit for the premidnight event that occurred near vernal equinox.

     
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  10. Abstract

    Auroral arcs and diffuse auroras are common phenomena at high latitudes, though characteristics of their source plasma and fields have not been well understood. We report the first observation of fields and particles including their pitch‐angle distributions in the source region of auroral arcs and diffuse auroras, using data from the Arase satellite atL ~ 6.0–6.5. The auroral arcs appeared and expanded both poleward and equatorward at local midnight from ~0308 UT on 11 September 2018 at Nain (magnetic latitude: 66°), Canada, during the expansion phase of a substorm, while diffuse auroras covered the whole sky after 0348 UT. The top part of auroral arcs was characterized by purple/blue emissions. Bidirectional field‐aligned electrons with structured energy‐time spectra were observed in the source region of auroral arcs, while source electrons became isotropic and less structured in the diffuse auroral region afterwards. We suggest that structured bidirectional electrons at energies below a few keV were caused by upward field‐aligned potential differences (upward electric field along geomagnetic field) reaching high altitudes (~30,000 km) above Arase. The bidirectional electrons above a few keV were probably caused by Fermi acceleration associated with the observed field dipolarization. Strong electric‐field fluctuations and earthward Poynting flux were observed at the arc crossing and are probably also caused by the field dipolarization. The ions showed time‐pitch‐angle dispersion caused by mirror reflection. These results indicate a clear contrast between auroral arcs and diffuse auroras in terms of source plasma and fields and generation mechanisms of auroral arcs in the inner magnetosphere.

     
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