Magnetic disturbance generation during the historic magnetic storm in September 1859

Abstract

The model calculation of a magnetic disturbance, which was registered at Colaba observatory (India) during the historic giant magnetic storm on September 1–2, 1859, is illustrated. The calculation demonstrates that the observed, unusually fast, 2-h main phase of this storm, when the negative amplitude of the geomagnetic field vector H component was −1600 nT, and an extremely fast (1.5-h) initial field recovery phase from the maximum to the −110 nT amplitude can be generated. The following models of the magnetospheric current systems were used in the calculations: the ring current (DR), the magnetospheric magnetopause current (DCF), the magnetotail current system (DT), and the high-latitude current system (DP). The unusual time variation in the registered geomagnetic disturbance is related to the probable fast and considerable equatorward shift of the high-latitude currents during the main phase of the analyzed giant storm and to the same fast backward motion of these currents during the initial field recovery phase. The unusually large amplitude of the registered geomagnetic disturbance could have been caused by the total contribution of the indicated magnetospheric current systems during the time when the storm was generated as a result of the interaction between the magnetosphere and the solar plasma ejected during the gigantic solar flare before the storm.