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Conjugate Observations of the Evolution of Polar Cap Arcs in Both Hemispheres
Author(s) -
Xing Zanyang,
Zhang Qinghe,
Han Desheng,
Zhang Yongliang,
Sato Natsuo,
Zhang Shunrong,
Hu Zejun,
Wang Yong,
Ma Yuzhang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/2017ja024272
Subject(s) - northern hemisphere , interplanetary magnetic field , polar , dusk , southern hemisphere , geology , asymmetry , sky , geophysics , ionosphere , physics , polar cap , geodesy , magnetic field , astrophysics , atmospheric sciences , climatology , astronomy , solar wind , quantum mechanics
We report results from the analysis of a case of conjugate polar cap arcs (PCAs) observed on 5 February 2006 in the Northern Hemisphere by the ground‐based Yellow River Station all‐sky imager (Svalbard) and in both hemispheres by the space‐based DMSP/SSUSI and TIMED/GUVI instruments. The PCA's motion in dawn‐dusk direction shows a clear dependence on the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B y component and presents a clear asymmetry between Southern and Northern Hemispheres, that is, formed on the duskside and moving from dusk to dawn in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa in the other hemisphere. The already existing PCAs' motion is influenced by the changes in the IMF B y with a time delay of ~70 min. We also observed strong flow shears/reversals around the PCAs in both hemispheres. The precipitating particles observed in the ionosphere associated with PCAs showed properties of boundary layer plasma. Based on these observations, we might reasonably expect that the topological changes in the magnetotail can produce a strip of closed field lines and local processes would set up conditions for the formation and evolution of PCAs.