Earth's magnetic field

About: Earth's magnetic field is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 20360 publications have been published within this topic receiving 446747 citations. The topic is also known as: magnetic field of Earth & geomagnetic field.

Resonant acceleration and diffusion of outer zone electrons in an asymmetric geomagnetic field

Abstract: [1] The outer zone radiation belt consists of energetic electrons drifting in closed orbits encircling the Earth between ∼3 and 7 RE Electron fluxes in the outer belt show a strong correlation with solar and magnetospheric activity, generally increasing during geomagnetic storms with associated high solar wind speeds, and increasing in the presence of magnetospheric ULF waves in the Pc-5 frequency range In this paper, we examine the influence of Pc-5 ULF waves on energetic electrons drifting in an asymmetric, compressed dipole and find that such particles may be efficiently accelerated through a drift-resonant interaction with the waves We find that the efficiency of this acceleration increases with increasing magnetospheric distortion (such as may be attributed to increased solar wind pressure associated with high solar wind speeds) and with increasing ULF wave activity A preponderance of ULF power in the dawn and dusk flanks is shown to be consistent with the proposed acceleration mechanism Under a continuum of wave modes and frequencies, we find that the drift resonant acceleration process leads to additional modes of radial diffusion in the outer belts, with timescales that may be appropriate to those observed during geomagnetic storms

Large-scale convection patterns observed by DMSP

Abstract: The authors present a comprehensive compilation of the average distribution of the electrostatic potential across the high-latitude ionosphere. The averages are compiled from potentials along the satellite path calculated from thermal ion drift data from instrumentation on the Defense Meterological Satellite Program (DMSP) flights 8 and 9 satellites. Data were collected from the DMSP F8 satellite during the period September 1987 to December 1990 and from the DMSP F9 satellite during the period March 1988 to December 1990. The potential distributions are separated by geomagnetic position, season, and orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and then averages of the distributions are calculated. The average potential distributions clearly show the displacement of polar cap convection contours to the dusk or dawk flanks under the influence of the IMF B{sub y} component. The cross-cap potential decreases as IMF B{sub z} changes from southward to northward. The average distributions indicate that the development of more than two convection cells for northward IMF is either uncommon or nonexistent. For IMF B{sub z} > 0 and B{sub z} >{vert_bar}B{sub y}{vert_bar}, a distorted pattern is observed in the average potential distribution, not a four-cell pattern as some previous studies suggest it should be. For allmore » orientations of the IMF, the convection reversal boundary at the poleward edge of the auroral zone is observed in the average distributions to be a rotational boundary. It is not a shear boundary as suggested by some previous investigations. On average, the Harang discontinuity (convection reversal in the auroral zone near midnight) is observed to exist weakly or not at all. When examining individual passes, a strong eastward flow is present sometimes in the region of the Harang discontinuity, especially on the poleward boundary, but not at all times as implied by the Heppner-Maynard model. 39 refs., 9 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Statistical analysis of geomagnetic reversal data and the precision of potassium‐argon dating

Abstract: A new statistical method has been developed for analyzing the magnetic polarity of rocks as a function of their potassium-argon ages for the purpose of determining the ages of the boundaries between geomagnetic polarity epochs The analysis also yields an estimate of the precision of the potassium-argon dating A value of 36% is found by this analysis for the dating precision of rocks about 25 my old, which is in agreement with an independent estimate of the precision of the dating obtained from an analysis of analytical errors The following are the best statistical estimates of the ages of the boundaries between geomagnetic polarity epochs: Gilbert-Gauss boundary, 336 my; Gauss-Matuyama boundary, 25 my; Matuyama-Brunhes boundary, 070 my The duration of polarity events is estimated to vary from 007 to 016 my, and the best estimate of the time required for the earth's field to undergo a complete change in polarity is 4600 years

Geomagnetic Variations and the Electrical Conductivity of the Upper Mantle

Abstract: Summary The electrical conductivity of the upper mantle can be determined by comparing the measured response of the Earth to magnetic variations of all frequencies with the theoretical response of particular conductivity distributions. On the basis of a limited amount of data the response has been estimated at frequencies in the range 0.003 to 0.25 c day−1. In this range of the geomagnetic spectrum, line spectra at frequencies of 1 and 2 c yr−1 and 1, 2, and 3 cycles per 27 days can be used. Investigations of the continuum spectrum show that it also occurs on a worldwide scale, and must correspond to a real geophysical process. Meaningful estimates of the response can therefore be made over the whole of the frequency range considered. The entire magnetic variation spectrum in the range 2 c yr−1 to 0.25 c day−1 appears to be generated by fluctuations in the strength of the ring current, and a P10 spherical harmonic adequately describes the variation of the magnetic field over the surface of the Earth.

Magnetospheric impulse response for many levels of geomagnetic activity

Abstract: The temporal relationship between the solar wind and magnetospheric activity has been studied using 34 intervals of high time resolution IMP 8 solar wind data and the corresponding AL auroral activity index. The median values of the AL index for each interval were utilized to rank the intervals according to geomagnetic activity level. The linear prediction filtering technique was then applied to model magnetospheric response as measured by the AL index to the solar wind input function VB(s). The linear prediction filtering routine produces a filter of time-lagged response coefficients which estimates the most general linear relationship between the chosen input and output parameters of the magnetospheric system. It is found that the filters are composed of two response pulses speaking at time lags of 20 and 60 min. The amplitude of the 60-min pulse is the larger for moderate activity levels, while the 20-min pulse is the larger for strong activity levels. A possible interpretation is that the 20-min pulse represents magnetospheric activity driven directly by solar wind coupling and that the 60-min pulse represents magnetospheric activity driven by the release of energy previously stored in the magnetotail. If this interpretation is correct, the linear filtering results suggest that both the driven and the unloading models of magnetospheric response are important facets of a more comprehensive response model.