Deformation of the geomagnetic field by the solar wind

Abstract

From the three-dimensional numerical solution to the Chapman-Ferraro problem of a steady solar wind perpendicularly incident upon a dipole field, a simple spherical harmonic description of the distorted field is obtained. From this, a three-dimensional picture of the field line configuration within the magnetosphere is given. The field lines are found to be compressed on both the daytime and nightiime sides. The behavior of the field lines on the daylight side changes abruptly as one approaches a critical latitude, which ranges between 80 and 85 deg , depending on the intensity of the solar wind. Above this latitude, lines originating along the noon meridian pass over the north pole and cross the equator alorg the midnight meridian. The behavior of conjugate-point phenomena and trapped particles near this critical latitude is discussed. Magnetic changes at the earth's surface due to an increase in the solar wind intensity are calculated. The diurnal variations due to a steady solar wind are also calculated; they are found to be small compared with observed S/sub q/ fields. (auth)