Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1767734 Advances in Space Research 2005 6 Pages PDF
Abstract

Polar UV image and Astrid-2 electric and magnetic field data are used to study the evolution of the electrodynamical configuration of the high-latitude ionosphere during a 5-h transpolar arc event. During the course of the event we observe Sunward convection in narrow regions associated with pairs of upward and downward transpolar arc-related field-aligned currents. We also observe Sunward convection deriving from more remotely located field-aligned currents as well as stagnant convection in the centre of the polar region associated with a decoupling of the dawn and dusk side current systems. Schematic pictures of the current closure and convective flows are presented for a variety of configurations. The different states evolve naturally into each other and do not represent fundamentally different magnetospheric configurations.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Space and Planetary Science
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