Abstract
Abstract We examine the atmospheric drag on the low earth-orbiting satellite, KOMPSAT-1 in a sun-synchronous orbit at ~685-km altitude starting in 1999, during a 3-month (October-December) period in 2003. This 3-month interval includes the October 29-30 and November 20 magnetic superstorms and weak to moderate storms. We observed that the daily KOMPSAT-1 drag acceleration transiently responses to transient storm-time disturbances. That is, there is an one-to-one correspondence between the KOMPSAT-1 drag accelerations and the storm events. We find that the drag acceleration correlates strongly with the level of geomagnetic disturbance. This indicates that the trajectory of KOMPSAT-1 is significantly perturbed during extremely disturbed intervals because of atmospheric density increase. The main contributor to the density increase is Joule heating associated with the geomagnetic activity rather than the solar EUV radiation, as reported by previous studies. We suggest that understanding how the upper atmosphere responses to the geomagnetic-associated heating is important to predict space weather impacts on low earth-orbiting satellites.
Highlights
A satellite travelling through the atmosphere experiences a drag force in the opposite direction of its orbital motion
We suggest that the atmospheric density is strongly controlled by the solar EUV radiation for quiet-time interval and minor/moderate storm-time interval, but that the atmospheric density is mainly controlled by the geomagnetic activity rather than the the solar EUV radiation during severe geomagnetic storm interval
Netic storms (Dst < −250 nT); (2) During extreme geomagnetic condition, the change of the drag acceleration is associated with heating driven by geomagnetic activity; (3) Sudden enhancements of the drag acceleration on daily time scale occur during the storm main phases, with sharp decreases of the Dst (Ap) index
Summary
A satellite travelling through the atmosphere experiences a drag force in the opposite direction of its orbital motion. The 3-month period includes the October 29–30 and November 20 magnetic superstorms caused by Earthward coronal mass ejections (CMEs) as well as weak to moderate storms caused by high-speed streams from coronal holes and/or interplanetary CMEs. Comparing daily average KOMPSAT1 drag and solar/geomagnetic data, we examine the relative importance of the solar and geomagnetic effects for satellite drag during magnetically disturbed intervals.
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