A missing variable in solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling studies. Issue 23 (11th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sergeev, V. A.; Sormakov, D. A.; Angelopoulos, V.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 41:Issue 23(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 8215
• Page End: 8220
• Publication Date: 2014-12-11
• Subjects: magnetic variations -- plasma sheet control; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2014GL062271
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: The auroral electrojet ( AL ) index is commonly used to characterize the magnetospheric activity. The ground magnetic perturbations that comprise AL are formed predominantly by Hall currents, however, and the Hall conductivity is sensitive to plasma sheet T e and N e parameters, which control the production of energetic electrons via their field‐aligned acceleration. Using AL index and nightside‐dawn sector plasma sheet electron data, we demonstrate that a hotter, lower density plasma sheet is associated with stronger ground magnetic variations in the nightside auroral zone than a colder, denser plasma sheet under similar solar wind driving conditions. The T e 1 / 2 / N e ‐dependent difference may exceed a factor of 4 during the growth phase events, whereas the acceleration during substorm expansions smears it out. Background plasma sheet state is mainly controlled by the solar wind velocity and density. We suggest that plasma sheet T e 1 / 2 / N e variable constitutes an important (and currently ignored) variable in studies of solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling. Key Points: Plasma sheet T e / N e controls electron acceleration and Hall conductance Associated AL difference up to an order of magnitude in the absence of substorms SW density and velocity dictate plasma sheet T e / N e in the absence of substorms