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A numerical model of the ionospheric signatures of time-varying magnetic reconnection: III. Quasi-instantaneous convection responses in the Cowley-Lockwood paradigm
- Source :
- Annales Geophysicae, Vol 24, Pp 961-972 (2006)
- Publication Year :
- 2006
- Publisher :
- Copernicus Publications, 2006.
-
Abstract
- Using a numerical implementation of the cowlock92 model of flow excitation in the magnetosphere-ionosphere (MI) system, we show that both an expanding (on a ~12-min timescale) and a quasi-instantaneous response in ionospheric convection to the onset of magnetopause reconnection can be accommodated by the Cowley-Lockwood conceptual framework. This model has a key feature of time dependence, necessarily considering the history of the coupled MI system. We show that a residual flow, driven by prior magnetopause reconnection, can produce a quasi-instantaneous global ionospheric convection response; perturbations from an equilibrium state may also be present from tail reconnection, which will superpose constructively to give a similar effect. On the other hand, when the MI system is relatively free of pre-existing flow, we can most clearly see the expanding nature of the response. As the open-closed field line boundary will frequently be in motion from such prior reconnection (both at the dayside magnetopause and in the cross-tail current sheet), it is expected that there will usually be some level of combined response to dayside reconnection.
- Subjects :
- Science
Physics
QC1-999
Geophysics. Cosmic physics
QC801-809
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09927689 and 14320576
- Volume :
- 24
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Annales Geophysicae
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.8d16bff4a9b64776a67607ab743dbdfd
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-24-961-2006