We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Ionospheric Flow Vortex Induced by the Sudden Decrease in the Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure.
- Authors
Jin, Yaqi; Moen, Jøran Idar; Spicher, Andres; Liu, Jianjun; Clausen, Lasse B. N.; Miloch, Wojciech J.
- Abstract
Abrupt changes in the solar wind dynamic pressure can greatly affect the Earth's magnetosphere‐ionosphere system. We present an ionospheric flow vortex in the morning sector during the sudden decrease in the solar wind dynamic pressure. The flow vortex was clearly observed by both the Hankasalmi radar and the azimuthal scan mode of the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Svalbard Radar (ESR). The flow vortex was first seen in the eastern field of view (FOV) of the Hankasalmi radar, and then propagated poleward and westward into the FOV of the ESR. During the passage of the flow vortex, a gradual decrease of electron density was observed by the field‐aligned ESR 42 m antenna. When the equatorward directed ionospheric flow reached the ESR site, weak and visible increases in the electron density and electron temperature were observed. This impact was likely caused by soft electron precipitation associated with the clockwise flow vortex and upward field‐aligned current. The azimuthal scan mode of the ESR 32 m radar at low elevation angle (30°) allowed us to measure key ionospheric parameters over a larger area (6° in latitude and 120° in azimuthal angle). The latitudinal scan of the electron temperature was used to proxy the equatorward auroral boundary, which shows that the flow vortex was located in the subauroral region. We further demonstrated that it is possible to study the weak increase of electron density by using GPS total electron content (TEC) data. A minor TEC increase was observed near the center of the flow vortex. Key Points: An ionospheric flow vortex was likely triggered by the sudden decrease in the solar wind dynamic pressureThe flow vortex resulted in a reduction of the electron densityIn the morning sector, the flow vortex was clockwise and associated with upward field‐aligned current and downward electron precipitation
- Subjects
DYNAMIC pressure; WIND pressure; SOLAR wind; ELECTRON density; ELECTRON temperature; INCOHERENT scattering
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, 2023, Vol 128, Issue 11, p1
- ISSN
2169-9380
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2023JA031690