H. Tachihara

Penetration of auroral electric fields to the equator during a substorm

We have studied the negative magnetic bay associated with the substorm that occurred on April 20, 1993, and have found that it is markedly enhanced at the daytime dip equator, coherent with that at afternoon subauroral latitudes. The amplitude of the negative bay decreases monotonously with the latitude, but it is amplified at the dip equator by a factor of 2.5 compared to the low-latitude negative bay. This latitudinal profile implies that in addition to the three-dimensional current system in the magnetosphere, DP ionospheric currents originating in the polar ionosphere contribute greatly to negative bays. Penetration of the convection electric field and the effect of a shielding electric field due to Region 2 (R2) field-aligned currents (FACs) are examined on the basis of European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) and International Monitor for Auroral Geomagnetic Effects (IMAGE) magnetometer observations made in the afternoon sector. The northward electric field at EISCAT (66° corrected geomagnetic latitude (CGMLAT)) is well correlated with the magnetic field X component at Nurmijarvi (56° CGMLAT) during the presubstorm period, but the coherency breaks down during the substorm cycle. By assuming that the R2 FACs intensify the northward electric field at EISCAT but reduce it at Nurmijarvi, we demonstrate that the R2 FACs grow concurrently, although delay by some 17 min, with the convection electric field. Our analytical results indicate that the convection electric field decreases abruptly during the substorm and that the shielding electric field overcomes the convection electric field at around the peak of the negative bay, owing to its delayed reaction. The equatorial negative bay is thus due to an overshielding effect caused by the electric field associated with the R2 FACs.

Wave characteristics of geomagnetic pulsations across the dip equator

In order to clarify the wave characteristics of Pi2 and Pc 4–5 magnetic pulsations around the dip equator, we analyzed magnetic data from the latitudinally dense magnetometer array in Brazil. We found that the phase difference between Pi2 pulsations observed at globally separated low-latitude stations is small, whereas Pi2 pulsations observed within the dayside dip equator region of ±2° latitude show phase lags of about 30° ∼ 50° behind those in the off-dip equator region. Pc 4–5 magnetic pulsations at the dip equator also show the same phase character. Pi2 amplitudes are enhanced in the equatorial region, where the phase lags of pulsations must be associated with the enhancement of ionospheric conductivity. The equatorial phase lags can be explained by invoking the induction effect of the equatorial enhanced ionospheric current above the good conductor Earth.

Preliminary impulse of the geomagnetic storm sudden commencement of November 18, 1993

The characteristics of the geomagnetic sudden commencement (SC) that occurred at 1211:30 UT on November 18, 1993, following an interval of prolonged geomagnetic quietness are studied using high time resolution data of several magnetometer networks. We present the first results concerning the behavior of the preliminary reverse impulse (PRI) of the H component of the SC near the dip equator from simultaneous observations in different longitude (local time) sectors. It is found that the preliminary reverse impulse appeared only in the prenoon (0912 LT) sector very close to the magnetic equator (dip 0.6°). At locations farther away (dip 6.0°_7.2°) but on the same meridian, the preliminary reverse impulse diminished in amplitude and led to a delayed onset of the main impulse (MI) of the SC. The preliminary reverse impulse is not apparent at locations close to the magnetic equator (dip 1.2°-2.7°) in either the afternoon (1300 LT) or the near-dusk (1740 LT) sectors. What is seen instead here is an unambiguous reduction in the rate of increase of H component coincident with the preliminary reverse impulse in the forenoon sector. HF Doppler radar measurements of F layer vertical plasma drift close to the magnetic equator (dip 4.9°) near the dusk sector showed the SC-related disturbance to be a decrease in ambient upward drift with considerable temporal structure, which indicates the imposition of a westward electric field. The preliminary reverse impulse is seen in the subauroral to polar region (MLAT 56.8°- 76°) on the afternoon side simultaneous with that near the prenoon dip equator and with a conspicuous increase in amplitude and duration with latitude over MLAT range 66°-76°. Theoretical calculations suggest that the global current system set up by a pair of field-aligned currents at 80° latitude and shifted to morningside (centers at 1300 and 0300 LT) could, in general, account for the observed behavior of the preliminary reverse impulse, except in the dip equatorial region near dusk.

A substorm onset signature at the auroral zone as observed with SuperDARN and equatorial magnetometers

Ionospheric convection enhancement with high westward velocities exceeding 1500 m s−1 was observed in association with the particle injection event by SuperDARN in the dusk sector of the auroral zone. Such a convection enhancement could be attributable to the enhanced sunward plasma flows in the dusk sector of the magnetosphere. At the dip equator a ground Pi2 onset was found to occur in association with these convection transients. The onset of the Pi2 lagged behind the convection enhancement by 4–11 min. It is argued that the convection transient could be the earliest indicator of the substorm onset among energetic particle injection, low-latitude Pi2 onset, and, perhaps, the auroral breakup.