Northward Interplanetary Magnetic Field Bz Research Articles

Multiple Satellite Observations of the High‐Latitude Cusp Aurora During Northward IMF Conditions

AbstractCusp auroras poleward of the typical auroral oval are ascribed to high‐latitude lobe reconnection when the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) Bz is predominantly northward. In this study, we further investigate the ionospheric characteristics of a unique high‐latitude cusp region employing multiple satellite observations. A cusp aurora event with wide spatial spread was observed in the postnoon polar cap region. It was found to be associated with northward IMF Bz and positive By components. The cusp aurora was located from 68° to 86° in magnetic latitude and within 15–17 hr in magnetic local time. This broad coverage in the polar cap indicates direct precipitating particles from the magnetosheath. Particle energy is different between the equatorward and poleward edges of the cusp aurora. The precipitating ions at the equatorward side maintain magnetosheath particle characteristics as expected, while ions with higher energies occurred in the poleward side. Further, the poleward edge of the cusp aurora was nearly situated in the center of a convection shear and was associated with an upward field‐aligned current. These observations suggest a lobe cell circulation, hence we attribute the formation of the cusp aurora to the high‐latitude lobe reconnection. Simultaneous observations in the southern hemisphere indicate the absence of cusp aurora. The auroral presence only in the northern hemisphere is probably due to the combination of large dipole tilt angle and positive IMF Bz, which facilitates the lobe reconnection.

Location and Timing of Magnetic Reconnections in Earth's Magnetotail: Accomplishments of the 29‐Year Geotail Near‐Earth Magnetotail Survey

AbstractThe spacecraft Geotail surveyed the near‐Earth plasma sheet from XGSM = −10 to −31 RE and YGSM = −20 to +20 RE during the period from 1994 to 2022. It observed 243 magnetic reconnection events and 785 tailward flow events under various solar wind conditions during plasma sheet residence time of over 23,000 hr. Magnetic reconnections associated with the onset of magnetospheric substorms occur mostly in the range XGSM = −23 to −31 RE. When the solar wind is intense and high substorm activities continue, magnetic reconnection can occur closer to the Earth. The YGSM locations of magnetic reconnections depend on the solar wind conditions and on previous substorm activity. Under normal solar wind conditions, magnetic reconnection occurs preferentially in the pre‐midnight plasma sheet. Under conditions with intense (weak) solar wind energy input, however, magnetic reconnection can occur in the post‐midnight (duskside) plasma sheet. Continuous substorm activity tends to shift the magnetic reconnection site duskward. The plasma sheet thinning proceeds faster under intense solar wind conditions, and the loading process that provides the preconditions for magnetic reconnection becomes shorter. When magnetic flux piles up during a prolonged period with a strongly northward‐oriented interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz, the time necessary to provide the preconditions for magnetic reconnection becomes longer. Although the solar wind conditions are the primary factors that control the location and timing of magnetic reconnections, the plasma sheet conditions created by preceding substorm activity or the strongly northward IMF Bz can modify the solar wind control.

Statistical analysis of equatorial electrojet responses to the transient changes of solar wind conditions

Introduction: Prior case studies have indicated that changes in solar wind conditions have a significant impact on equatorial ionospheric electrodynamics. However, there have been limited statistical studies on this topic, impairing our understanding of the coupling between solar wind, magnetosphere, and equatorial ionosphere electrodynamics.Methods: In this study, we conducted a superposed epoch analysis of long-term data from the South America equatorial electrojet (EEJ) spanning from 2001 to 2021 examining the responses of the equatorial ionospheric electric field to step-like changes in solar wind velocity, density, dynamic pressure, and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz.Result: Our study shows that step-like changes in solar wind velocity, density, and dynamic pressure can trigger changes in EEJ within ∼20–40 min. EEJ exhibits the highest sensitivity to variations in solar wind velocity while being relatively less sensitive to changes in dynamic pressure. Furthermore, the response of EEJ shows greater responsiveness to northward IMF Bz compared to southward IMF Bz.Discussion: Our work provides statistical evidence of how changes in solar wind can lead to changes in low-latitude ionospheric EEJ. We inferred that the changes in solar wind conditions cause magnetospheric deformation and changes in magnetic reconnection rates, leading to the fluctuations of the ionospheric electric field and the resultant EEJ variations.

Polar and Equatorial Ionospheric Electrodynamical Coupling Under a Prolonged Northward Bz Interval

AbstractThe interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) significantly influences the global ionospheric electrodynamics, but it is still largely unknown the high‐ and low‐latitude ionospheric electrodynamical coupling under long‐duration northward IMF Bz (NBz) and By conditions. During the long‐duration NBz and duskward By conditions (Kp < 2, AE < 100 nT, SYM‐H > −25 nT) on 20 August 2014, six pairs of magnetometer data showed that daytime equatorial electrojet (EEJ) underwent strong decreases (reach up to 90%) at wide longitudes. Thermosphere‐ionosphere‐electrodynamics general circulation model (TIE‐GCM) captured well the decrease and the control simulations revealed that both effects of the NBz and By significantly change the plasma convection, Joule heating, and thermospheric winds at high latitudes; and penetration electric field (PEF) due to the NBz plays an important role in the decrease of the equatorial electric field. This study indicates the significant NBz effects on the equatorial ionospheric electrodynamics even during weak geomagnetic conditions, apart from the widely believed meteorological effects. Further study should be taken to disclose the relative contribution between geomagnetic and meteorological effects on the decrease of the equatorial electric field.

Data‐Based Modeling of the Magnetosheath Magnetic Field

AbstractA quantitative model of the magnetosheath (MS) magnetic structure is developed, using a multi‐year set of Geotail, Themis, Cluster, and MMS magnetometer and plasma instrument data. The MS database is created using an identification algorithm, based on observed magnetic field magnitudes and proton densities, normalized by their concurrent interplanetary values, followed by additional filtering with the help of standard bow shock (BS) and magnetopause (MP) models. The model architecture is based on the toroidal/poloidal formalism and a coordinate system that naturally accounts for the tailward flaring of both boundaries. The magnetic field expansions include 960 free coefficients, derived by fitting the model to a grand data set, split into independent training and validation subsets with 1,291,380 and 411,933 1‐min records, respectively. The model faithfully reproduces basic types of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) wrapping around the MP. Regular IMF sectors result in strongly dawn‐dusk asymmetric draping, with much larger magnitudes at the quasi‐perpendicular dusk side of BS, and weaker at the quasi‐parallel dawn side, where the MS field lines are bent and dragged tailward. Except in the case of the flow‐aligned IMF orientation, the subsolar field steadily grows toward the MP, and the effect is clearly IMF Bz‐dependent: the field and its gradient are larger (smaller) for northward (southward) IMF Bz, implying a pile‐up of the magnetic flux in the first case and stronger reconnection in the second. Model distributions of the MS field magnitude reveal local depressions, associated with polar cusps near the high‐latitude limits of data coverage.

The Growth of Ring Current/SYM‐H Under Northward IMF Bz Conditions Present During the 21–22 January 2005 Geomagnetic Storm

AbstractThe total energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere is governed by the reconnection rate at the magnetosphere edges as the Z‐component of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bz) turns southward. The geomagnetic storm on 21–22 January 2005 is considered to be anomalous as the SYM‐H index that signifies the strength of ring current, decreases and had a sustained trough value of −101 nT lasting more than 6 hr under northward IMF Bz conditions. In this work, the standard WINDMI model is utilized to estimate the growth and decay of magnetospheric currents by using several solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling functions. However, it is found that the WINDMI model driven by any of these coupling functions is not fully able to explain the decrease of SYM‐H under northward IMF Bz. A dense plasma sheet along with signatures of a highly stretched magnetosphere was observed during this storm. The SYM‐H variations during the entire duration of the storm were only reproduced after modifying the WINDMI model to account for the effects of the dense plasma sheet. The limitations of directly driven models relying purely on the solar wind parameters and not accounting for the state of the magnetosphere are highlighted by this work.

Dependence of radiation belt flux depletions at geostationary orbit on different solar drivers during intense geomagnetic storms

The loss of electron flux of the outer radiation belt has been widely studied in terms of the mechanism that brings in these losses. There are a few studies which have attempted to explain the interplanetary conditions that favor the depletions. As the Sun is the prime cause of any change happening in the magnetosphere, it is important to look at the solar drivers that bring in such changes. In this study, we attempt to understand the effect of solar structures and substructures on the loss of radiation belt high-energy electrons during intense geomagnetic storms. The superposed epoch analysis is used to observe any peculiar changes in GOES electron flux data during the storms that are associated with solar structures such as CME and CIR, ICME substructures such as the magnetic cloud, magnetic cloud with sheath, ejecta, ejecta with sheath, and only sheath. The long-term data also give an opportunity to compare the flux decrease during solar cycles 23 and 24. It has been observed that 1) CIR-associated storms cause a comparatively higher flux decrease than CME-associated storms, 2) sheath-related storms bring out a higher flux decrease, and 3) there is no significant change in flux for the storms of both the solar cycles. The flux decrease in intense storms at the geostationary orbit is essentially triggered by the “Dst effect.” Apart from this, the minimum IMF Bz and northward IMF Bz before turning southward add to the flux decrease. These results hold true for the electron depletions occurring only during intense geomagnetic storms and may alter otherwise.

Swarm satellite observations of the effect of prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs) on plasma density around noon and midnight side of low latitudes during the 07–08 september 2017 geomagnetic storm

In this paper, using plasma density data (Ne) obtained from the Swarm satellite, the effect of prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs) on the distribution of plasma density at low latitudes during the 07–08 September 2017 geomagnetic storm is discussed. The observations of enhancements and reductions in ionospheric plasma around noon and midnight in association with the orientation of the north–south component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bz) are presented during the main phase and the recovery phase of geomagnetic storm. The days of 05–06 September 2017 were selected as geomagnetically quiet days, and the plasma density data on these days were plotted as a quiet-time reference. The plasma enhancements and reductions in the low latitudes are found closely related to the magnetic local time (MLT), the orientation of IMF Bz, the main phase and the recovery phase of geomagnetic storm. During the main phase of geomagnetic storm with southward IMF Bz, plasma density increased around noon (10:00–11:00 MLT), while plasma density decreased around midnight (22:00–23:00 MLT). During the recovery phase of geomagnetic storm with northward IMF Bz, plasma density decreased around noon (10:00–11:00 MLT), while plasma density increased around midnight (22:00–23:00 MLT). The plasma density around both noon and midnight after the geomagnetic storm shows a distribution very similar to the distribution of plasma density during the geomagnetically quiet period. It is assumed that PPEFs are responsible for these results. During the main phase of the geomagnetic storm, the eastward PPEFs cause an increase in plasma density around the noon side while the westward PPEFs cause a decrease in plasma density around midnight side.

South‐North Hemispheric Asymmetry of the FAE Distribution Around the Cusp Region: Cluster Observation

AbstractCluster data from late July to early October were used to study the distribution of field‐aligned electron (FAE) events around the two cusps. An FAE event was defined as electron parallel flux >3 × 108 (cm2 s)−1. The total number of FAE events around the two cusps was basically identical, but downward FAE events prevailed in the south and upward FAE events in the north. In the southern cusp, the peak of the FAE events distribution versus altitude was about 1.3 RE higher and the peak of the FAE events distribution versus invariant latitude (ILAT) was about 4° ILAT lower. Only the downward FAEs around the southern cusp had a second ILAT peak, which was located about 11° higher than the main peak. The normalized number of FAEs showed nearly the same features as the unnormalized number of the FAEs events. These results indicated a north‐south asymmetry of the FAE distribution around the two cusps. Some causes for the asymmetry are discussed, the main ones being the asymmetry of the magnetospheric configuration resulting from geomagnetic dipolar tilt and solar wind flows, the interplanetary magnetic field asymmetry related to the magnetosphere, and the difference of ionospheric conductivity in the two hemispheres. Various solar wind‐magnetosphere interaction processes, such as quasi‐viscous interaction and reconnection, are responsible for the asymmetry, too. The second distribution peak (at higher ILAT) of the downward FAE events around the southern cusp corresponded to high solar wind speed and may be associated with the northward interplanetary magnetic field Bz field‐aligned current at low altitude. This requires further studies, however.

How the IMF By Induces a Local By Component During Northward IMF Bz and Characteristic Timescales

AbstractWe use the Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry global magnetohydrodynamics model to study the effects of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By component on the coupling between the solar wind and magnetosphere‐ionosphere system when IMF Bz>0. We describe the evolution of how a magnetospheric By component is induced on closed field lines during these conditions. Starting from dayside lobe reconnection, the magnetic tension on newly reconnected field lines redistribute the open flux asymmetrically between the two hemispheres. This results in asymmetric magnetic energy density in the lobes. Shear flows are induced to restore equilibrium, and these flows are what effectively induces a local By component. We show the radial dependence of the induced By and compare the results to the induced By during southward IMF conditions. We also show the response and reconfiguration time of the inner magnetosphere to IMF By reversals during northward IMF Bz . A superposed epoch analysis of magnetic field measurements from seven Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite spacecraft at different local times both for negative‐to‐positive and positive‐to‐negative IMF By reversals is presented. We find that the induced By responds within 16 min of the arrival of IMF By at the bow shock, and it completely reconfigures within 47 min.

The Detached Auroras Induced by the Solar Wind Pressure Enhancement in Both Hemispheres From Imaging and In Situ Particle Observations

AbstractThis paper presents simultaneous detached proton auroras that appeared in both hemispheres at 11:06 UT, 08 March 2012, just 2 min after a sudden solar wind pressure enhancement (~11:04 UT) hit the Earth. They were observed under northward interplanetary magnetic field Bz condition and during the recovery phase of a moderate geomagnetic storm. In the Northern Hemisphere, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager observed that the detached arc occurred within 60°–65° magnetic latitude and covered a few magnetic local time (MLT) hours ranging from 0530 to 0830 MLT with a possible extension toward noon. At the same time (11:06 UT), Polar Orbiting Environment Satellites 19 detected a detached proton aurora around 1300 MLT in the Southern Hemisphere, centering ~62° magnetic latitude, which was at the same latitudes as the northern detached arc. This southern aurora was most probably a part of a dayside detached arc that was conjugate to the northern one. In situ particle observations indicated that the detached auroras were dominated by protons/ions with energies ranging from around 20 keV to several hundreds of keV, without obvious electron precipitations. These detached arcs persisted for less than 6 min, consistent with the impact from pressure enhancement and the observed electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. It is suggested that the increasing solar wind pressure pushed the hot ions in the ring current closer to Earth where the steep gradient of cold plasma favored EMIC wave growth. By losing energy to EMIC waves the energetic protons (>20 keV) were scattered into the loss cone and produced the observed detached proton auroras.

The responses of the earth’s magnetopause and bow shock to the IMF Bz and the solar wind dynamic pressure: a parametric study using the AMR-CESE-MHD model

We have used the AMR-CESE-MHD model to investigate the influences of the IMF Bz and the upstream solar wind dynamic pressure (Dp) on Earth’s magnetopause and bow shock. Our results present that the earthward displacement of the magnetopause increases with the intensity of the IMF Bz. The increase of the northward IMF Bz also brings the magnetopause closer to the Earth even though with a small distance. Our simulation results show that the subsolar bow shock during the southward IMF is much closer to the Earth than during the northward IMF. As the intensity of IMF Bz increases (also the total field strength), the subsolar bow shock moves sunward as the solar wind magnetosonic Mach number decreases. The sunward movement of the subsolar bow shock during southward IMF are much smaller than that during northward IMF, which indicates that the decrease of solar wind magnetosonic Mach number hardly changes the subsolar bow shock location during southward IMF. Our simulations also show that the effects of upstream solar wind dynamic pressure (Dp) changes on both the subsolar magnetopause and bow shock locations are much more significant than those due to the IMF changes, which is consistent with previous studies. However, in our simulations the earthward displacement of the subsolar magnetopause during high solar wind Dp is greater than that predicted by the empirical models.

Interplanetary drivers of daytime penetration electric field into equatorial ionosphere during CIR-induced geomagnetic storms

Observations based on the magnetometer data of the response of the daytime equatorial electric field to the geomagnetic storms induced by corotating interaction regions (CIRs) during 2007–2010 reveal many events of striking long duration of multiple short-lived prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs). The PPEFs essentially occurred in the main phase of the storms, which are associated with the ring current and magnetic reconnection of the southward z-component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bz) in relation to the Alfvén waves. The behaviors of the electric field penetration during the storms are consistent with the shielding theory. Particularly, the PPEF is found to be complex due to transient variations in the solar wind dynamic pressure (SWDP) and the IMF Bz in the CIRs. The PPEF is temporary suppressed for about an hour under a shock in association with a drop in the SWDP. The interplanetary electric field Ey is the main driver of the PPEFs, when the solar wind speed, SWDP, and the symmetric ring current are nearly constant, even in the recovery phase. The PPEF is allowed under the condition of high and variable SWDP. The shocks with a northward IMF Bz shield the PPEFs when the SWDP is nearly constant. The partial ring current is strongest in the large and northward IMF Bz, where the shielding effect is greater than the undershielding caused by the large SWDP. The results may provide an important step to study equatorial and low latitude ionospheric electrodynamics in the solar minimum conditions.

Conjugate hemisphere ionospheric response to the St. Patrick's Day storms of 2013 and 2015 in the 100°E longitude sector

AbstractThe effects of the St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storms of 2013 and 2015 in the equatorial and low‐latitude regions of both hemispheres in the 100°E longitude sector is investigated and compared with the response in the Indian sector at 77°E. The data from a chain of ionosondes and GPS/Global Navigation Satellite Systems receivers at magnetic conjugate locations in the 100°E sector have been used. The perturbation in the equatorial zonal electric field due to the prompt penetration of the magnetospheric convective under shielded electric field and the over shielding electric field gives rise to rapid fluctuations in the F2 layer parameters. The direction of IMF Bz and disturbance electric field perturbations in the sunset/sunrise period is found to play a crucial role in deciding the extent of prereversal enhancement which in turn affect the irregularity formation (equatorial spread F) in the equatorial region. The northward (southward) IMF Bz in the sunset period inhibited (supported) the irregularity formation in 2015 (2013) in the 100°E sector. Large height increase (hmF2) during sunrise produced short‐duration irregularities during both the storms. The westward disturbance electric field on 18 March inhibited the equatorial ionization anomaly causing negative (positive) storm effect in low latitude (equatorial) region. The negative effect was amplified in low midlatitude by disturbed thermospheric composition which produced severe density/total electron content depletion. The longitudinal and hemispheric asymmetry of storm response is observed and attributed to electrodynamic and thermospheric differences.

Polar cap arcs: Sun-aligned or cusp-aligned?

Polar cap arcs are often called sun-aligned arcs. Satellite observations reveal that polar cap arcs join together at the cusp and are actually cusp aligned. Strong ionospheric plasma velocity shears, thus field aligned currents, were associated with polar arcs and they were likely caused by Kelvin–Helmholtz waves around the low-latitude magnetopause under a northward IMF Bz. The magnetic field lines around the magnetopause join together in the cusp region so are the field aligned currents and particle precipitation. This explains why polar arcs are cusp aligned.

A critical note on the IAGA-endorsed Polar Cap index procedure: effects of solar wind sector structure and reverse polar convection

Abstract. The International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) has recently endorsed a new Polar Cap (PC) index version to supersede the previous seven different versions of the PCN (North) index and the five different PCS (South) index versions. However, the new PC index has some adverse features which should be known and taken into account by users of the index. It uses in its derivation procedure an "effective" quiet day level (QDC) composed of a "basic" QDC and an added solar wind sector term related to the azimuthal component (By) of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The added IMF By-related terms may introduce unjustified contributions to the PC index of more than 2 index units (mV m−1). Furthermore, cases of reverse convection during strong northward IMF Bz (NBZ) conditions included in the database for calculation of index coefficients can cause unjustified index enhancements of 0.5–1 mV m−1 during calm conditions, reduction of index values by more than 20 % during disturbed conditions, and inconsistencies between index coefficients and index values for the northern and southern polar caps. The aim here is to specify these adverse features and quantify their effects, and to suggest alternative steps for future modifications of the index procedure.

Dependence of IMF By penetration into the neutral sheet on IMF Bz and geomagnetic activity

AbstractThe penetration of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By into the magnetosphere plays an important role in determining magnetospheric configuration and its dynamics. In this paper, using 9 years of Cluster data at the center of neutral sheet, we statistically study the relations of the penetration of IMF By in the neutral sheet (NS) with IMF Bz and the Kp index. The correlation coefficient between NS By and IMF By is enhanced during the periods of southward IMF Bz and large Kp indexes. The penetration efficiency of IMF By, which is defined as the slope of the linear fit of the points in the By‐IMF By space, is larger during southward IMF Bz than during northward IMF Bz. The penetration efficiency of IMF By also increases with increasing Kp index. Since the Kp index can be considered as an index of magnetospheric convection, this means that the penetration of IMF By into the magnetosphere is enhanced during the periods of strong magnetospheric convection. These results indicate that the IMF Bz and magnetospheric convection can influence the neutral sheet By and even magnetotail dynamics by changing the penetration of IMF By.

Relations of the energetic proton fluxes in the central plasma sheet with solar wind and geomagnetic activities

AbstractIn this paper, using 9 years of Cluster data, we statistically investigate the relations of central plasma sheet energetic proton fluxes, ~30 keV to 380 keV, with the solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indexes. The energetic proton fluxes increase with increasing solar wind dynamical pressure and solar wind speed. The energetic proton fluxes are more correlated with solar wind dynamical pressure than with solar wind speed. During northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz, energetic proton fluxes are independent of northward IMF Bz, while during southward IMF Bz, energetic proton fluxes are highly correlated with southward IMF Bz and increase with increasing |IMF Bz|. The response time of energetic proton flux to southward IMF Bz is between 40 and 100 min. The energetic proton fluxes are correlated with plasma sheet ion temperature. The energetic proton fluxes increase with increasing indexes of Kp, AE, and |Dst|. Among the three geomagnetic indexes, the central plasma sheet energetic proton fluxes are most correlated with Kp index with the largest correlation coefficient being 0.82. The energetic proton fluxes are large during positive Dst index, suggesting that the sharp increase of solar wind dynamical pressure can enhance the plasma sheet energetic proton fluxes. The enhanced plasma sheet energetic proton fluxes may be important for geomagnetic storms and substorms since they can possibly directly become the source of ring current and substorm‐injected energetic particles without the need of additional acceleration process in the inner magnetosphere.

The response of the dayside equatorial electrojet to step‐like changes of IMF BZ

The equatorial electrojet (EEJ) is driven by zonal electric fields, which are known to be well correlated with the interplanetary electric field and therefore with the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) BZ component. In the present study, we investigate how the equatorial H magnetic component, and therefore the EEJ, responds to step‐like changes of IMF BZ. The reduction of southward IMF BZ (northward turning) and that of northward IMF BZ (southward turning) are examined separately. The result shows that for the northward turnings, the EEJ immediately starts to weaken with the accuracy of the estimates of the travel times of the IMF changes. The time constant of the response is much longer, and the equatorial H component decreases continuously by 40 nT for 30 min after the northward turnings. In contrast, the response of the EEJ to the southward turnings is far less clear in both magnitude and timing, and it does not depend on whether or not IMF BZ actually becomes southward. The difference in the EEJ response to the northward and southward turnings reflects at least partially the fact that the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system is more sensitive to IMF BZ when IMF is southward than northward. It is suggested that the electric field penetrates from the polar region to the dip equator through a global current system that connects the auroral electrojets and the EEJ, and the ionospheric conductance in the polar region may play an important role in the formation of such a current system.

Comparison between the ring current energy injection and decay under southward and northward IMF Bz conditions during geomagnetic storms

The geomagnetic storm is one of the most important geomagnetic disturbance phenomena in the geospace. Many studies assume that input of solar wind energy into the Earth’s ring current only occurs when IMF Bz in GSM coordinates is southward; the ring current energy injection and decay under northward IMF Bz are not well understood and still need further investigation. In this paper, by using the large amount of data from the year 1964 to 2010, we use the empirical phase space analysis method to study the ring current energy injection and decay under northward IMF Bz and compare the results with those under southward IMF Bz condition. We have found that the largest injection Q under northward IMF Bz condition is only 7% of the largest injection under southward IMF Bz, implying that there is a very limit energy injected into the ring current region when IMF Bz is northward. The decay time τ decreases as VBz increases and shows a good linear trend for southward IMF Bz; while for the northward IMF Bz, there is not a clear relation between τ varies and VBz. Having taken τ as a function of injection Q instead of VBz, we have obtained the empirical relation of τ with Q for northward and southward IMF Bz conditions: the two categories are further combined together and the empirical relation τ=e(2.6+0.039-Q) is derived. Further, the pressure-corrected Dst formula \(Dst^* = Dst - b\sqrt P + c\) is derived for both southward and northward IMF Bz conditions, where the coefficients b and c are 6.9/10.4 and 10.0/15.2 when IMF Bz is southward and northward respectively. The statistical results on between the different geomagnetic indices (Dst, Kp, AE) and IMF Bz are also obtained.