Earth's ion upflow associated with polar cap patches: Global and in situ observations

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Zhang, Qing-He, Zong, Qiu-Gang, Lockwood, Michael, Heelis, Roderick A., Hairston, Marc, Liang, Jun, McCrea, Ian, Zhang, Bei-Chen, Moen, Joran, Zhang, Shun-Rong, Zhang, Yong-Liang, Ruohoniemi, J. Michael, Lester, Mark, Thomas, Evan G., Liu, Rui-Yuan, Dunlop, Malcolm W., Liu, Yong C.M., Ma, Yu-Zhang
• Other Authors: Zhang, QH (reprint author), Shandong Univ, Inst Space Sci, Shandong Prov Key Lab Opt Astron & Solar Terr Env, Weihai, Peoples R China., Shandong Univ, Inst Space Sci, Shandong Prov Key Lab Opt Astron & Solar Terr Env, Weihai, Peoples R China., Peking Univ, Sch Earth & Space Sci, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Univ Reading, Dept Meteorol, Reading, Berks, England., Univ Texas Dallas, William B Hanson Ctr Space Sci, Richardson, TX 75083 USA., Univ Calgary, Dept Phys & Astron, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada., Rutherford Appleton Lab, Div Space Sci, Didcot OX11 0QX, Oxon, England., Polar Res Inst China, SOA Key Lab Polar Sci, Shanghai, Peoples R China., Univ Oslo, Dept Phys, Oslo, Norway., MIT, Haystack Observ, Westford, MA 01886 USA., Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, Laurel, MD USA., Virginia Polytech Inst & State Univ, Bradley Dept Elect & Comp Engn, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA., Univ Leicester, Dept Phys & Astron, Leicester LE1 7RH, Leics, England., Chinese Acad Sci, Ctr Space Sci & Appl Res, State Key Lab Space Weather, Beijing, Peoples R China.
• Format: Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Chinese
• Published: GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2016
• Subjects: ion upflow; polar cap patches; polar ionosphere; magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling; INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC-FIELD; HIGH-LATITUDE CONVECTION; F-REGION; WIND JETS; IONOSPHERE; PLASMA; MAGNETOSPHERE; RECONNECTION; SUPERDARN; OUTFLOW; Antarctic; Arctic; Canada; Norway; Antarc*; Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/437537; https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL067897

We report simultaneous global monitoring of a patch of ionization and in situ observation of ion upflow at the center of the polar cap region during a geomagnetic storm. Our observations indicate strong fluxes of upwelling O+ ions originating from frictional heating produced by rapid antisunward flow of the plasma patch. The statistical results from the crossings of the central polar cap region by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F16-F18 from 2010 to 2013 confirm that the field-aligned flow can turn upward when rapid antisunward flows appear, with consequent significant frictional heating of the ions, which overcomes the gravity effect. We suggest that such rapidly moving patches can provide an important source of upwelling ions in a region where downward flows are usually expected. These observations give new insight into the processes of ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. National Basic Research Program [2012CB825603]; National Natural Science Foundation [41574138, 41274149, 41274148]; Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation [JQ201412]; International Collaboration Supporting Project, Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration [IC201511]; STFC [ST/M000885/1]; Research Council of Norway [230996]; national scientific funding agency in Australia; national scientific funding agency in Canada; national scientific funding agency in China; national scientific funding agency in France; national scientific funding agency in Japan; national scientific funding agency in South Africa; national scientific funding agency in United Kingdom; national scientific funding agency in United States of America; NSF [AGS-0946900, AGS-0838219]; Virginia Space Grant Consortium; NERC [NE/K011766/1] SCI(E) EI ARTICLE [e-mail] 5 1845-1853 43