Mid- and low-latitude prompt-penetration ionospheric zonalplasma drifts

Authors

B. G. Fejer, Utah State UniversityFollow
L. Scherliess

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Geophysical Research Letters

Volume

25

Publisher

American Geophysical Union

Publication Date

1998

First Page

3071

Abstract

We have used ion drift observations from the DE-2 satellite to determine the latitudinal variation and the temporal evolution of mid- and low-latitude prompt penetration zonal plasma drifts driven by magnetospheric electric fields. Our results indicate that sudden increases in convection lead to predominantly westward perturbation drifts which decrease equartorwards and have largest amplitudes in the dusk-midnight sector. The diurnal perturbation drift patterns shift to later local times with increasing storm time and decay to new quasi-equilibrium values in about 2 hours, as the ring current readjusts to the new polar cap potential. The daily and latitudinal variations and temporal evolution of the DE-2 prompt penetration drifts are generally in good agreement with predictions from the Rice Convection Model, although the experimental results show larger amplitudes and longer shielding time constants.

Recommended Citation

Fejer, B. G., and L. Scherliess, Mid- and low-latitude prompt-penetration ionospheric zonal plasma drifts, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 3071, 1998.

https://doi.org/10.1029/98GL02325