Azimuthal propagation of Pc5 geomagnetic field pulsations in the southern polar cap

A statistical analysis of low frequency geomagnetic fluctuations at the two Antarctic stations Mario Zucchelli Station (geographic coordinates: 74.7°S, 164.1°E; corrected geomagnetic coordinates: 80.0°S, 306.8°E) and Dumont D’Urville (geographic coordinates: 66.7°S, 140.0°E; corrected geomagnetic coordinates: 80.4°S, 236.0°E) is shown. The analysis focuses on power spectra, coherence and phase difference between the stations, which are both located in the polar cap, with a 5-h magnetic local time displacement along a geomagnetic parallel; in this situation, the phase difference between geomagnetic fluctuations indicates the direction of their azimuthal propagation. Coherent fluctuations have been found to occur preferably when both stations are on the same side (dawnward or duskward) with respect to the polar cusp; moreover, around local magnetic midnight, they occur essentially during open magnetospheric conditions. The phase difference for coherent fluctuations indicates a propagation direction away from local geomagnetic noon and midnight. Also the analysis of three individual pulsation events, occurring at different times during the day, is shown; they are characterized at the two stations by simultaneous, coherent fluctuations, whose phase difference finds correspondence with the statistical behaviour.     

Multi-beam sounding ionograms in the polar cap region: Absorption induced by proton precipitations

The simulation of the multi-beam ionograms in the polar cap region, assessing absorption effect is performed. It is reasonable to distinguish among four different mechanisms responsible for absorption: regular absorption due to solar UV illumination, absorption associated with energetic particles precipitation, absorption connected with X-rays flare and additional absorption in Auroral oval area. In this paper the absorption attributed to proton precipitations is envisaged. The computational model of the high-latitude ionosphere with irregularities oriented to application for the high frequency wave propagation problem was elaborated (Zaalov et al., 2005). A number of the quasi-vertical ionograms in the polar cap region were simulated on the basis of this model. A well-known algorithm (Sauer and Wilkinson, 2008) is applied for the absorption effects calculation. The simulated high-latitude ionograms with the absorption effect and the measured ionograms exhibit quite a good resemblance. This paper illustrates the importance of the understanding and taking into account the absorption effect in the presence of the various structural features in the polar ionosphere (in particular, patches of enhanced electron density) in interpreting ionosonde data.     

Polarization pattern of low and mid-frequency magnetic pulsations in the polar cap: A comprehensive analysis at Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica)

The polarization pattern of ULF pulsations (f ≈ 1–100 mHz) at Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica, CGM λ ∼ 80°) has been determined for the entire 2003, soon after the solar maximum. A comparison with the results of previous investigations, conducted at the same station close to the solar minimum (1994–96), allows to focus common elements and major differences among different frequency bands which persist through the entire solar cycle. Basically, between f ∼ 1.5 and 5 mHz, the day can be divided into four sectors with alternate polarizations. The local time and latitudinal dependence of the observed pattern can be tentatively interpreted in terms of a latitude of resonant field lines reaching λ ∼ 80° in the noon sector; on the other hand, resonance effects of lower latitude field lines can be clearly identified also far from the noon meridian when the station moves into the deep polar cap. Moreover, in the morning sector the resonance region would extend to lower latitudes than in the evening sector. The proposed profile of the resonant region can interpret also the results obtained at other cusp/auroral stations and appears consistent with that one inferred in the northern hemisphere at smaller latitudes. The resonance region progressively shifts toward lower latitude with increasing frequency; correspondingly, the four-sector pattern progressively disappears at TNB. Above f ∼ 20 mHz, the experimental observations might suggest an additional contribution from Sunward propagating waves, possibly via the magnetotail lobes.     

A steady-state model for the D- to F-region of the polar cap

For obvious reasons the ionosphere of the polar cap, surrounded by the auroral zone, is only poorly investigated. Even ionosonde data are very scant from geomagnetic latitudes beyond 70°. Since 1997 the European incoherent scatter radar facility EISCAT has an additional installation on Svalbard and has been providing electron density data nearly continuously ever since. These measurements which mainly cover the E- and F-regions are supplemented by rocket data from Heiss Island at a comparable magnetic latitude; these data are more sporadic, but cover lower altitudes and densities. A provisional, steady-state, neural network-based model is presented which uses the data of both sites.     

Solar polar magnetic field dependency of geomagnetic activity semiannual variation indicated in the Aa index

Three major hypotheses have been proposed to explain the well-known semiannual variation of geomagnetic activity, maxima at equinoxes and minima at solstices. This study examined whether the seasonal variation of equinoctial geomagnetic activity is different in periods of opposite solar magnetic polarity in order to understand the contribution of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the Sun-Earth connection. Solar magnetic polarity is parallel to the Earth’s polarity in solar minimum years of odd/even cycles but antiparallel in solar minimum years of even/odd cycles. The daily mean of the aa, Aa indices during each solar minimum was compared for periods when the solar magnetic polarity remained in opposite dipole conditions. The Aa index values were used for each of the three years surrounding the solar minimum years of the 14 solar cycles recorded since 1856. The Aa index reflects seasonal variation in geomagnetic activity, which is greater at the equinoxes than at the solstices. The Aa index reveals solar magnetic polarity dependency in which the geomagnetic activity is stronger in the antiparallel solar magnetic polarity condition than in the parallel one. The periodicity in semiannual variation of the Aa index is stronger in the antiparallel solar polar magnetic field period than in the parallel period. Additionally, we suggest the favorable IMF condition of the semiannual variation in geomagnetic activity. The orientation of IMF toward the Sun in spring and away from the Sun in fall mainly contributes to the semiannual variation of geomagnetic activity in both antiparallel and parallel solar minimum years.