Polar cap response to the solar wind density jump under constant southward IMF

Abstract

Sharp changes of the solar wind parameters determining the dynamic pressure jump lead to strong magnetosphere-ionosphere disturbances. Here the effect on the Earth’s ionospheric high latitudes of the solar wind dynamic pressure pulse caused only by the increase of the interplanetary plasma density under southward constant IMF is considered. We investigate reaction of the cross-polar cap potential on the increase of AL index and/or jump of the solar wind density. It is found that for the case of 10 January 1997 the main contribution to the polar cap potential drop increase gave the growth of AL index relative to the input of the solar wind density jump. We also study the influence of the solar wind density increase on the crosspolar cap potential for the quiet magnetospheric conditions. It occurred that the polar cap potential difference decreases with the great increase of the interplanetary plasma density. For the disturbed magnetosphere the main role in the polar cap potential drop increase plays increase of AL. Thus, we found the change of the cross-polar cap potential due to the AL index variations and/or the solar wind density drop even in a case when the interplanetary electric field is constant.