Issue |
J. Space Weather Space Clim.
Volume 12, 2022
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | 39 | |
Number of page(s) | 15 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2022037 | |
Published online | 18 November 2022 |
Research Article
A statistical study of polar cap flow channels observed in both hemispheres using SuperDARN radars
1
Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen 9171, Norway
2
Birkeland Centre for Space Science, University of Bergen, Bergen 5007, Norway
* Corresponding author: katieh@unis.no
Received:
19
April
2022
Accepted:
29
October
2022
This paper details the first large-scale, interhemispheric statistical study into ionospheric fast flow (>900 m/s) channels in the polar cap using the SuperDARN radar network. An automatic algorithm was applied to 6 years of data (2010–2016) from 8 SuperDARN radars with coverage in the polar cap regions in both hemispheres. Over 17,000 flow channels were detected, the majority of which occurred in the dayside polar cap region. To determine a statistical relationship between the flow channels and the IMF, a Monte Carlo simulation was used to generate probability distribution functions for IMF conditions and dipole tilt angles. These were used as a baseline for comparisons with IMF conditions associated with the flow channels. This analysis showed that fast flow channels are preferentially driven by IMF By dominant conditions, suggesting that a magnetic tension force on the newly reconnected field lines is required to accelerate the ionospheric plasma to high speeds on the dayside. The flow channels also occur preferentially during disturbed IMF conditions. Large populations of flow channels were observed on the flanks of the polar cap region. This indicates that significant momentum transfer from the magnetosphere can routinely occur on open field lines on the flanks, far from the dayside and nightside reconnection regions.
Key words: Ionospheric flow channels / Ionospheric convection / Solar wind driving conditions
© K. Herlingshaw et al., Published by EDP Sciences 2022
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.