AbstractIt is well known that the solar wind can significantly affect high-latitude ionospheric dynamics. However, the effects of the solar wind on the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are much less studied. In this paper, we report observations that large perturbations in the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are well correlated with solar wind variations. In one event, a significant (20–30%) decrease of the midlatitude ionospheric electron density over a large latitudinal range was related to a sudden drop in the solar wind pressure and a northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field, and the density decrease became larger at lower latitudes. In another event, periodic perturbations in the dayside equatorial ionospheric E×B drift and electrojet were closely associated with variations in the interplanetary electric field. Since the solar wind is always changing with time, it can be a very important and common source of ionospheric perturbations at middle- and low-latitudes. The relationship between solar wind variations and significant ionospheric perturbations has important applications in space weather.


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    Title :

    Prompt effects of solar wind variations on the inner magnetosphere and midlatitude ionosphere


    Contributors:
    Huang, Chao-Song (author) / Foster, J.C. (author) / Yumoto, K. (author) / Chau, J.L. (author) / Veliz, O. (author)

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 36 , 12 ; 2407-2412


    Publication date :

    2003-09-22


    Size :

    6 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English