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Weak Magnetic Storms Can Modulate Ionosphere‐Plasmasphere Interaction Significantly: Mechanisms and Manifestations at Mid‐Latitudes
Author(s) -
Kotov D.V.,
Richards P.G.,
Truhlík V.,
Maruyama N.,
Fedrizzi M.,
Shulha M.O.,
Bogomaz O.V.,
Lichtenberger J.,
HernándezPajares M.,
Chernogor L.F.,
Emelyanov L.Ya.,
Zhivolup T.G.,
Chepurnyy Ya.M.,
Domnin I.F.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2019ja027076
Subject(s) - plasmasphere , ionosphere , atmospheric sciences , geomagnetic storm , physics , geophysics , earth's magnetic field , solar wind , plasma , magnetic field , magnetosphere , quantum mechanics
A comprehensive study of the response of the ionosphere‐plasmasphere system at mid‐latitudes to weak (Dst min > −50 nT) magnetic storms is presented. For the first time, it is shown that weak magnetic disturbances can lead to significant modulation of ionosphere‐plasmasphere H + ion fluxes. It is found that this modulation is caused by the enhancements/reductions of the topside O + ion density, which is induced by F2‐layer peak height rise and fall during the storms. The F2‐layer motion is caused by thermospheric wind changes and by a penetration electric field. Both drivers are closely related to the changes in the B z component of interplanetary magnetic field. The most prominent manifestation of the H + ion flux modulation is strong changes in H + ion fraction in the topside ionosphere. This study also indicates that the NRLMSISE‐00 model provides the correct relative changes of neutral H density during weak magnetic storms and also that there is a compelling need to include geomagnetic activity indices, in addition to solar activity (F 10.7 ), as input parameters to empirical topside ionosphere models.