Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions
Polar cap ionospheric plasma flow studies often focus on large-scale averaged properties and neglect the mesoscale component. However, recent studies have shown that mesoscale flows are often found to be collocated with airglow patches. These mesoscale flows are typically a few hundred meters per se...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics |
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Language: | English |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026611 |
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ftncar:oai:drupal-site.org:articles_22838 2023-07-30T04:06:33+02:00 Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions Goodwin, L. V. (author) Nishimura, Y. (author) Zou, Yufei (author) Shiokawa, K. (author) Jayachandran, P. T. (author) 2019-09-01 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026611 en eng Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics--J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics--2169-9380--2169-9402 articles:22838 ark:/85065/d73n26hk doi:10.1029/2019JA026611 Copyright 2019 American Geophysical Union. article Text 2019 ftncar https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026611 2023-07-17T18:25:47Z Polar cap ionospheric plasma flow studies often focus on large-scale averaged properties and neglect the mesoscale component. However, recent studies have shown that mesoscale flows are often found to be collocated with airglow patches. These mesoscale flows are typically a few hundred meters per second faster than the large-scale background and are associated with major auroral intensifications when they reach the poleward boundary of the nightside auroral oval. Patches often also contain ionospheric signatures of enhanced field-aligned currents and localized electron flux enhancements, indicating that patches are associated with magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling on open field lines. However, magnetospheric measurements of this coupling are lacking, and it has not been understood what the magnetospheric signatures of patches on open field lines are. The work presented here explores the magnetospheric counterpart of patches and the role these structures have in plasma transport across the open field-line region in the magnetosphere. Using red-line emission measurements from the Resolute Bay Optical Mesosphere Thermosphere Imager, and magnetospheric measurements made by the Cluster spacecraft, conjugate events from 2005 to 2009 show that lobe measurements on field lines connected to patches display (1) electric field enhancements, (2) Region 1 sense field-aligned currents, (3) field-aligned enhancements in soft electron flux, (4) downward Poynting fluxes, and (5) in some cases enhancements in ion flux, including ion outflows. These observations indicate that patches highlight a localized fast flow channel system that is driven by the magnetosphere and propagates from the dayside to the nightside, most likely being initiated by enhanced localized dayside reconnection. Article in Journal/Newspaper Resolute Bay OpenSky (NCAR/UCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) Resolute Bay ENVELOPE(-94.842,-94.842,74.677,74.677) Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 124 9 7513 7532 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
OpenSky (NCAR/UCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftncar |
language |
English |
description |
Polar cap ionospheric plasma flow studies often focus on large-scale averaged properties and neglect the mesoscale component. However, recent studies have shown that mesoscale flows are often found to be collocated with airglow patches. These mesoscale flows are typically a few hundred meters per second faster than the large-scale background and are associated with major auroral intensifications when they reach the poleward boundary of the nightside auroral oval. Patches often also contain ionospheric signatures of enhanced field-aligned currents and localized electron flux enhancements, indicating that patches are associated with magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling on open field lines. However, magnetospheric measurements of this coupling are lacking, and it has not been understood what the magnetospheric signatures of patches on open field lines are. The work presented here explores the magnetospheric counterpart of patches and the role these structures have in plasma transport across the open field-line region in the magnetosphere. Using red-line emission measurements from the Resolute Bay Optical Mesosphere Thermosphere Imager, and magnetospheric measurements made by the Cluster spacecraft, conjugate events from 2005 to 2009 show that lobe measurements on field lines connected to patches display (1) electric field enhancements, (2) Region 1 sense field-aligned currents, (3) field-aligned enhancements in soft electron flux, (4) downward Poynting fluxes, and (5) in some cases enhancements in ion flux, including ion outflows. These observations indicate that patches highlight a localized fast flow channel system that is driven by the magnetosphere and propagates from the dayside to the nightside, most likely being initiated by enhanced localized dayside reconnection. |
author2 |
Goodwin, L. V. (author) Nishimura, Y. (author) Zou, Yufei (author) Shiokawa, K. (author) Jayachandran, P. T. (author) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
title |
Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
spellingShingle |
Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
title_short |
Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
title_full |
Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
title_fullStr |
Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
title_sort |
mesoscale convection structures associated with airglow patches characterized using cluster‐imager conjunctions |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026611 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-94.842,-94.842,74.677,74.677) |
geographic |
Resolute Bay |
geographic_facet |
Resolute Bay |
genre |
Resolute Bay |
genre_facet |
Resolute Bay |
op_relation |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics--J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics--2169-9380--2169-9402 articles:22838 ark:/85065/d73n26hk doi:10.1029/2019JA026611 |
op_rights |
Copyright 2019 American Geophysical Union. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026611 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics |
container_volume |
124 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
7513 |
op_container_end_page |
7532 |
_version_ |
1772819215994060800 |