Spacecraft Measurements of Ionospheric Poynting Flux
Date
2015-07-20
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Abstract
We present measurements of ionospheric Poynting flux using new data from the EFI (Electric Field Instruments) and magnetometers on the ESA Swarm spacecraft. Global maps of the ionospheric Poynting flux are provided as a function of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions and geomagnetic activity levels. On average, it is found that the ionospheric Poynting flux is directed downwards into the Earth, indicating that it acts to dissipate elec- tromagnetic energy from the Sun-Magnetosphere system. A preliminary analysis indicates that the total Poynting flux into the ionosphere depends on IMF Bz. It is found that the total dissipation in the northern hemisphere exceeds that which occurs in the southern hemisphere by approximately one order of magnitude. This implies that electrical dissipation structures in the ionosphere are acting as potential, rather than current driven systems.
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Atmospheric Sciences, Geophysics, Fluid and Plasma
Citation
Patrick, M. (2015). Spacecraft Measurements of Ionospheric Poynting Flux (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27838