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On the cause of IMF B y related mid‐ and low latitude magnetic disturbances
Author(s) -
Vennerstrom S.,
Christiansen F.,
Olsen N.,
Moretto T.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl030175
Subject(s) - latitude , polar , interplanetary magnetic field , altitude (triangle) , low latitude , physics , geophysics , high latitude , magnetic field , middle latitudes , geology , atmospheric sciences , geodesy , solar wind , astronomy , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
An analysis of the effect of the IMF B y on near‐Earth low and mid‐latitude magnetic disturbances is presented. In particular the contribution from field‐aligned currents (FACs) connected to the polar regions is investigated. Based on statistically determined high‐latitude FAC patterns for various Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) directions, we estimate the FAC contribution to the mid‐ and low latitude magnetic disturbance and its dependence on the IMF. The estimated perturbations are compared with observations from the ground and from the low‐altitude polar orbiting satellite Oersted. It is found that the long‐distance effect of the high‐latitude FACs constitute the major source to IMF B y and B z related magnetic east‐west disturbances at mid‐ and low latitudes.