An Examination of Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere Influences During a SAPS Event
Name
Geophysical Research Letters - 2021 - Kunduri - An Examination of Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere Influences During a SAPS Event.pdf
Description
Published version
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1.33 MB
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Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
6f15ac305c9c2441eaefebc8a10f0d27
Author(s)
Kunduri, BSR
Baker, JBH
Ruohoniemi, JM
Coster, AJ
Vines, SK
Anderson, BJ
Shepherd, SG
Chartier, AT
Date Issued
September 27, 2021
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
Citation
Kunduri, B. S. R., Baker, J. B. H., Ruohoniemi, J. M., Coster, A. J., Vines, S. K., Anderson, B. J., et al. (2021). An examination of magnetosphere-ionosphere influences during a SAPS event. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL095751.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
The sub‐auroral polarization stream (SAPS) is a region of westward high velocity plasma convection equatorward of the auroral oval that plays an important role in mid‐latitude space weather dynamics. In this study, we present observations of SAPS flows extending across the North American sector observed during the recovery phase of a minor geomagnetic storm. A resurgence in substorm activity drove a new set of field‐aligned currents (FACs) into the ionosphere, initiating the SAPS. An upward FAC system is the most prominent feature spreading across most SAPS local times, except near dusk, where a downward current system is pronounced. The location of SAPS flows remained relatively constant, firmly inside the trough, independent of the variability in the location and intensity of the FACs. The SAPS flows were sustained even after the FACs weakened and retreated polewards with a decline in geomagnetic activity. The observations indicate that the mid‐latitude trough plays a crucial role in determining the location of the SAPS and that SAPS flows can be sustained even after the magnetospheric driver has weakened.
MIT Department
Haystack Observatory
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gl095751
