Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-29-2007

Publication Title

Annales Geophysicae

Abstract

We show results of the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry (LFM) global MHD simulations of an event previously ex- amined using Iridium spacecraft observations as well as DMSP and IMAGE FUV data. The event is chosen for the steady northward IMF sustained over a three-hour pe- riod during 16 July 2000. The Iridium observations showed very weak or absent Region 2 currents in the ionosphere, which makes the event favorable for global MHD model- ing. Here we are interested in examining the model’s per- formace during weak magnetospheric forcing, in particular, its ability to reproduce gross signatures of the ionospheric currents and convection pattern and energy deposition in the ionosphere both due to the Poynting flux and particle precipi- tation. We compare the ionospheric field-aligned current and electric potential patterns with those recovered from Iridium and DMSP observations, respectively. In addition, DMSP magnetometer data are used for comparisons of ionospheric magnetic perturbations. The electromagnetic energy flux is compared with Iridium-inferred values, while IMAGE FUV observations are utilized to verify the simulated particle en- ergy flux.

DOI

10.5194/angeo-25-1345-2007

Download
COinS