Abstract
The ring current is tightly coupled with the surrounding plasma populations from the ionosphere, plasmasphere, to the radiation belts. Magnetic depression produced by the ring current alters the drift paths of radiation belt electrons and can cause significant electron flux dropout. The development of pitch-angle anisotropy in ring current ions and electrons provides favorable conditions for various wave growths, which in turn cause radiation belt diffusive loss and/or energization. Gradients in the ring current particle pressure produce field aligned currents flowing into and out from the ionosphere. These currents alter the ionospheric electric potential distributions and modify plasma convection in both the ionosphere and magnetosphere. The electron component of the ring current only has a minor contribution to the total pressure; however, its precipitation loss will enhance the ionospheric conductivity and thus change the electric potential distribution. The ring current modulation of electric field in the ionosphere can result in features such as shielding, over-shielding and sub-auroral polarization streams. In this chapter, we describe major coupling processes of the ring current in the inner magnetosphere and the ionosphere. The basic theory of the interactions is outlined. We also demonstrate that important particle and field signatures in the magnetosphere and ionosphere can be explained by the ring current cross-regional coupling.
Published Version
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