Hemispheric Asymmetry of the Vertical Ion Drifts at Dawn Observed by DMSP

Abstract

AbstractBased on the measurements from Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F12, F13, and F15 satellites in 1995–2014, we report significant hemispheric asymmetries in vertical ion drift velocity (Vz) at dawn (0500–0700 solar local time) in geomagnetic and geographic coordinates. Vz is distributed in 0300–0900 magnetic local time sector in both the northern (NH) and southern (SH) hemispheres. The north‐south asymmetries are persistent no matter under what kind of seasonal, solar activity, and IMF conditions. In the polar cap, downward Vz is stronger in the SH. Such difference shows clear IMF BY dependence and is more significant in the local winter and/or under low solar activity conditions. In the geomagnetic coordinates, the auroral zone is dominated by upward Vz in the NH but by downward Vz in the SH statistically. In the geographic coordinates, the geographic longitudinal variation of Vz is more pronounced in the SH. The seasonal variations of high‐latitude Vz are different in the NH and SH. The average asymmetric feature of Vz largely depends on the occurrence and magnitude of ion upflow/outflow, which are modulated by the combined effects of the asymmetric magnetic field configuration between the two hemispheres, and the dynamic processes in the tightly coupled ionosphere‐thermosphere system, and their (probably nonlinear) interactions with each other.