A gravity-driven electric current in the Earth's ionosphere identified in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements
TLDR
In this article, the authors present the first observational evidence for a gravity-driven current system in the Earth's low-latitude ionosphere, which is clearly visible in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements.Abstract:
[1] A gravity field acting on a collisionless, magnetized space plasma causes electrons and ions to drift into opposite directions, in addition to gyrating around the magnetic field lines. This sets up an electric current which flows perpendicular to the gravity and magnetic fields in the eastward direction. Here we present the first observational evidence for such a gravity-driven current system in the Earth's low-latitude ionosphere. Its magnetic field signal, although 10,000 times smaller than the ambient Earth's magnetic field, is clearly visible in CHAMP satellite magnetic measurements. We find a current ribbon of more than 50 kA, about 66° wide in latitude, which moves with the sun northward in summer and southward in winter. Correcting magnetic measurements for this current's signature should lead to a better agreement between low-orbiting satellite and ground-based observations.read more
Citations
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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
International Reference Ionosphere 2000
TL;DR: The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is the international standard for the specification of ionospheric densities and temperatures as mentioned in this paper, which was developed and is being improved-updated by a joint working group of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).
Journal ArticleDOI
CHAMP mission status
TL;DR: The German small satellite CHAMP is on the final track for launch on July 15, 2000 into a circular, near-polar and 460 km altitude orbit as discussed by the authors, with synergetic use for precise orbit determination, global gravity and magnetic field recovery, and GPS atmosphere and ionosphere profiling.
Journal ArticleDOI
Ionospheric Electrodynamics Using Magnetic Apex Coordinates.
TL;DR: In this paper, the equations of ionospheric electrodynamics are developed for a geomagnetic field of general configuration, with specific application to coordinate systems based on Magnetic Apex Coordinates.