Changes In Solar Wind Research Articles

Extreme value analysis of the time derivative of the horizontal magnetic field and computed electric field

Abstract. High-frequency ( ≈ minutes) variability of ground magnetic fields is caused by ionospheric and magnetospheric processes driven by the changing solar wind. The varying magnetic fields induce electrical fields that cause currents to flow in man-made conductors like power grids and pipelines. Under extreme conditions the geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) may be harmful to the power grids. Increasing our understanding of the extreme events is thus important for solar-terrestrial science and space weather. In this work 1-min resolution of the time derivative of measured local magnetic fields (|dBh∕dt|) and computed electrical fields (Eh), for locations in Europe, have been analysed with extreme value analysis (EVA). The EVA results in an estimate of the generalized extreme value probability distribution that is described by three parameters: location, width, and shape. The shape parameter controls the extreme behaviour. The stations cover geomagnetic latitudes from 40 to 70° N. All stations included in the study have contiguous coverage of 18 years or more with 1-min resolution data. As expected, the EVA shows that the higher latitude stations have higher probability of large |dBh∕dt| and |Eh| compared to stations further south. However, the EVA also shows that the shape of the distribution changes with magnetic latitude. The high latitudes have distributions that fall off faster to zero than the low latitudes, and upward bounded distributions can not be ruled out. The transition occurs around 59–61° N magnetic latitudes. Thus, the EVA shows that the observed series north of ≈ 60° N have already measured values that are close to the expected maxima values, while stations south of ≈ ° N will measure larger values in the future.

One year in the Earth's magnetosphere: A global MHD simulation and spacecraft measurements

The response of the Earth's magnetosphere to changing solar wind conditions are studied with a 3D Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. One full year (155 Cluster orbits) of the Earth's magnetosphere is simulated using Grand Unified Magnetosphere Ionosphere Coupling simulation (GUMICS-4) magnetohydrodynamic code. Real solar wind measurements are given to the code as input to create the longest lasting global magnetohydrodynamics simulation to date. The applicability of the results of the simulation depends critically on the input parameters used in the model. Therefore, the validity and the variance of the OMNIWeb data is first investigated thoroughly using Cluster measurement close to the bow shock. The OMNIWeb and the Cluster data were found to correlate very well before the bow shock. The solar wind magnetic field and plasma parameters are not changed significantly from the $L_1$ Lagrange point to the foreshock, therefore the OMNIWeb data is appropriate input to the GUMICS-4. The Cluster SC3 footprints are determined by magnetic field mapping from the simulation results and the Tsyganenko (T96) model in order to compare two methods. The determined footprints are in rather good agreement with the T96. However, it was found that the footprints agree better in the northern hemisphere than the southern one during quiet conditions. If the By is not zero, the agreement of the GUMICS-4 and T96 footprint is worse in longitude in the southern hemisphere. Overall, the study implies that a 3D MHD model can increase our insight of the response of the magnetosphere to solar wind conditions.

Equivalent currents associated with morning-sector geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations during auroral substorms

Abstract. Space and time variations of equivalent currents during morning-sector Pc5 pulsations (T ∼ 2–8 min) on 2 days (18 January and 19 February 2008) are studied in the context of substorm activity with THEMIS and MIRACLE ground-based instruments and THEMIS P3, P5, and P2 probes. These instruments covered the 22:00–07:00 magnetic local time during the analyzed events. In these cases abrupt changes in the Pc5 amplitudes, intensifications and/or weakenings, were recorded some minutes after auroral breakups in the midnight sector. We analyze three examples of Pc5 changes with the goal to resolve whether substorm activity can have an effect on Pc5 amplitude or not. In two cases (on 19 February) the most likely explanation for Pc5 amplitude changes comes from the solar wind (changes in the sign of interplanetary magnetic field Bz). In the third case (on 18 January) equivalent current patterns in the morning sector show an antisunward-propagating vortex which replaced the Pc5-related smaller vortices and consequently the pulsations weakened. We associate the large vortex with a field-aligned current system due to a sudden, although small, drop in solar wind pressure (from 1 to 0.2 nPa). However, the potential impact of midnight substorm activity cannot be totally excluded in this case, because enhanced fluxes of electrons with high enough energies (∼ 280 keV) to reach the region of Pc5 within the observed delay were observed by THEMIS P2 at longitudes between the midnight and morning-sector instrumentation.

Data‐driven modeling of the solar wind from 1 Rs to 1 AU

AbstractWe present here a time‐dependent three‐dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solar wind simulation from the solar surface to the Earth's orbit driven by time‐varying line‐of‐sight solar magnetic field data. The simulation is based on the three‐dimensional (3‐D) solar‐interplanetary (SIP) adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) space‐time conservation element and solution element (CESE) MHD (SIP‐AMR‐CESE MHD) model. In this simulation, we first achieve the initial solar wind background with the time‐relaxation method by inputting a potential field obtained from the synoptic photospheric magnetic field and then generate the time‐evolving solar wind by advancing the initial 3‐D solar wind background with continuously varying photospheric magnetic field. The model updates the inner boundary conditions by using the projected normal characteristic method, inputting the high‐cadence photospheric magnetic field data corrected by solar differential rotation, and limiting the mass flux escaping from the solar photosphere. We investigate the solar wind evolution from 1 July to 11 August 2008 with the model driven by the consecutive synoptic maps from the Global Oscillation Network Group. We compare the numerical results with the previous studies on the solar wind, the solar coronal observations from the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope board on Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, and the measurements from OMNI at 1 astronomical unit (AU). Comparisons show that the present data‐driven MHD model's results have overall good agreement with the large‐scale dynamical coronal and interplanetary structures, including the sizes and distributions of the coronal holes, the positions and shapes of the streamer belts, the heliocentric distances of the Alfvénic surface, and the transitions of the solar wind speeds. However, the model fails to capture the small‐sized equatorial holes, and the modeled solar wind near 1 AU has a somewhat higher density and weaker magnetic field strength than observed. Perhaps better preprocessing of high‐cadence observed photospheric magnetic field (particularly 3‐D global measurements), combined with plasma measurements and higher resolution grids, will enable the data‐driven model to more accurately capture the time‐dependent changes of the ambient solar wind for further improvements. In addition, other measures may also be needed when the model is employed in the period of high solar activity.

The effect of changing solar wind conditions on the inner magnetosphere and ring current: A model data comparison

AbstractWe investigate the rate at which the open drift paths in the near‐Earth magnetosphere convert to closed paths during events with a sudden northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bz) after the peak of a geomagnetic storm. The geomagnetic storm on 17 August 2001 with an abrupt turning of the IMF Bz after the peak in SYM‐H index is chosen in this study. The Block‐Adaptive‐Tree Solar‐Wind Roe‐Type Upwind Scheme model along with the Fok Ring Current (FRC) model available at Community Coordinated Modeling Center is used to model this event. The unique movie maps of the worldwide magnetometer stations are used to compare with the numerical results. The results indicate that ground magnetic disturbance remains asymmetric for some time after the start of the recovery phase even for a storm with abrupt northward turning of the IMF Bz. FRC simulation results suggest that the flow‐out losses decrease under weakened magnetospheric convection but at a rate slower than the change in IMF Bz. These results indicate that the flow‐out losses rapidly become smaller as the IMF Bz turns northward during the early recovery phase of a storm and the contribution of the tail current to the SYM‐H index is important.

Latitudinal dependence of short timescale fluctuations during intense geomagnetic storms: A permutation entropy approach

AbstractThe present study is focused on the analysis of the latitudinal dependence of complexity degree of the short timescale geomagnetic field fluctuations during four intense geomagnetic storms occurring between 2000 and 2003. The aim is that of investigating the qualitative and quantitative changes in the dynamical properties of the magnetospheric system during magnetically disturbed periods. We analyze the short timescale fluctuations (<120 min) of the horizontal component of the Earth's magnetic field at nine different geomagnetic observatories from 49°N magnetic latitude (MLat) to 87°N MLat, by filtering the signal via empirical mode decomposition and successively by applying the permutation entropy analysis to the filtered time series. We show that some properties of the geomagnetic fluctuations during the selected periods are the result of dynamical changes in the magnetospheric system response to the solar wind changes and that these geomagnetic fluctuations display a complex character during the geomagnetic storm development. This evidence supports the idea that the geomagnetic storm nature may be the result of a cooperative and collective dynamics. We also find that the permutation entropy values change with latitude suggesting a latitudinal dependence of the complexity degree of the signals.

Effects of viscosity on the behavior of entropy change in the shock wave that occurred after the December 13, 2006 coronal mass ejection

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the solar wind are the two main demonstrations of solar activity. These events can drive a shock wave. The shock wave occurs where the solar wind changes from being supersonic (with respect to the surrounding interplanetary medium) to subsonic. The main purpose of this study is to apply the algorithm and the results given in our recent papers to the shock wave that happened after the December 13, 2006 CME, and evaluate the behavior of entropy during this solar activity.

Probabilistic forecasting analysis of geomagnetic indices for southward IMF events

Geomagnetic disturbances that drive space weather impacts such as ground-induced currents and radiation belt enhancements are usually driven by strong southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) intervals. However, current heliospheric models either do not predict or provide low-accuracy forecasts of IMF Bz. Here we examine the probability distribution function of geomagnetic activity indices for southward IMF intervals. We analyze the in situ plasma and magnetic field measurements long-duration large-amplitude southward IMF intervals (called Bs events). The statistical profiles of other solar wind and IMF parameters show significant differences during the periods 1 day before the Bs events for different solar wind transients (such as interplanetary coronal mass ejections and stream interaction regions). As is well known, we find that the solar wind speed is positively correlated with geomagnetic indices and that strong southward IMF is the key in storm triggering but not necessarily for substorms. We find that the solar wind density weakly affects geomagnetic field activity, but the response depends on the type of solar wind transient that includes the strong Bs events. We also find that magnetospheric ultralow-frequency waves are induced by both strong southward IMF and solar wind dynamic pressure disturbances. We suggest that strong Bs events could be predicted from the preceding characteristics of solar wind and IMF changes and that probabilistic forecasting of geomagnetic activity occurrence is potentially useful in space weather forecasting. We present preliminary analysis to demonstrate the out-of-sample ability to predict IMF Bs events with in situ solar wind data.

On the viscosity effects in the shock wave observed in the solar wind after the December 13, 2006 coronal mass ejection

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar wind are the main results of solar activity. These events can drive interplanetary shock waves and produce geomagnetic storms. The study of these events is very important for space weather purposes. The shock waves occur where the solar wind changes its characteristics from being supersonic (with respect to the surrounding interplanetary medium) to being subsonic. In the supersonic regime of compressible gas flow, the interaction of shock waves with viscosity is one of the central problems. The main purpose of this study is to search for the effects of viscosity in the shock wave observed after the December 13, 2006 coronal mass ejection.

An analysis of Alfvén radius based on sunspot number from 1749 to today

The Solar Probe Plus mission now under construction will provide the first in situ measurements from inside the orbit of Mercury. The most critical part of that mission will be measurements from inside the Alfvén radius where the Alfvén speed exceeds the wind speed and the physics of the solar wind changes fundamentally due, in part, to the multidirectionality of wave propagation. In this region waves from both sunward and antisunward of the observation point can effect the local dynamics including the turbulent evolution, heating, and acceleration of the plasma. While the location of this point can change with solar wind conditions, we ask the question of whether there is a systematic dependence on the solar cycle that moves the average Alfvén radius to different locations depending upon solar activity. We show that the average Alfvén radius is correlated with the sunspot number and moves systematically from ∼ 15 at solar minimum to 30 RS at solar maximum. The analysis shown here does not predict movement of the Alfvén radius during the recent protracted solar minimum. We project the average Alfvén radius backward and forward in time using the monthly sunspot record to attempt a better understanding of the historical record and predict the behavior of this point during the coming solar cycle.

Effects on winter circulation of short and long term solar wind changes

Indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation show correlations on the day-to-day timescale with the solar wind speed (SWS). Minima in the indices were found on days of SWS minima during years of high stratospheric aerosol loading. The spatial distribution of surface pressure changes during 1963–2011 with day-to-day changes in SWS shows a pattern resembling the NAO. Such a pattern was noted for year-to-year variations by Boberg and Lundstedt (2002), who compared NAO variations with the geo-effective solar wind electric field (the monthly average SWS multiplied by the average southward component, i.e., negative Bz component, of the interplanetary magnetic field). The spatial distribution of the correlations of geopotential height changes in the troposphere and stratosphere with the SWS; the geo-effective electric field (SWS∗Bz); and the solar 10.7cm flux suggests that solar wind inputs connected to the troposphere via the global electric circuit, together with solar ultraviolet irradiance acting on the stratosphere, affect regional atmospheric dynamics.

Intermittency and multifractional Brownian character of geomagnetic time series

Abstract. The Earth's magnetosphere exhibits a complex behavior in response to the solar wind conditions. This behavior, which is described in terms of mutifractional Brownian motions, could be the consequence of the occurrence of dynamical phase transitions. On the other hand, it has been shown that the dynamics of the geomagnetic signals is also characterized by intermittency at the smallest temporal scales. Here, we focus on the existence of a possible relationship in the geomagnetic time series between the multifractional Brownian motion character and the occurrence of intermittency. In detail, we investigate the multifractional nature of two long time series of the horizontal intensity of the Earth's magnetic field as measured at L'Aquila Geomagnetic Observatory during two years (2001 and 2008), which correspond to different conditions of solar activity. We propose a possible double origin of the intermittent character of the small-scale magnetic field fluctuations, which is related to both the multifractional nature of the geomagnetic field and the intermittent character of the disturbance level. Our results suggest a more complex nature of the geomagnetic response to solar wind changes than previously thought.

Central Venous Catheter Insertion by Registered Professional Nurses in the United States: Scope of Practice, Education, Training, and Credentialing Considerations

The USU time-dependent ionospheric model (TDIM) simulated the northern (winter) and southern (summer) ionospheres as they responded to the changing solar wind and geomagnetic activity on 14 January 1988. This period began with moderately disturbed conditions, but as the IMF turned northward, the geomagnetic activity decreased. By 1400 UT, the IMF By component became strongly negative with Bz near zero; and eventually Bz turned southward. This began a period of intense activity as a magnetic storm developed. The magnetospheric electric field and auroral electron precipitation drivers for these simulations were obtained from the Naval Research Laboratories (NRL) Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) magnetospheric simulation for this event.The F-region ionospheric simulations contrast the summer–winter hemispheres. Then, the difference in how the two hemispheres respond to the geomagnetic storm is related to the differences in magnetospheric energy deposition in the two hemispheres. This also emphasizes the role played by the E-region in the magnetosphere–ionosphere (M–I) coupling and subsequent lack of conjugacy in the two hemispheres. The F-region’s response to the changing geomagnetic conditions also demonstrates a striking lack of conjugacy. This manifests itself in a well-defined ionospheric morphology in the summer hemisphere and a highly irregular morphology in the winter hemisphere. These differences are found to be associated with the differences in the magnetospheric electric field input.

Some Astronomical Aspects of the Study of Lunar Regolith

This article provides some astronomical background for a systematic study of the lunar regolith. The Moon, like other atmosphere-less bodies, is the subject to all kinds of cosmic radiation, which are imprinted in the lunar surface. Therefore, the study of the lunar regolith for signs of cosmic radiation can assist to trace the history of changes in these emissions over time. Mostly changes in the solar wind and galactic cosmic rays are very interesting at time intervals from a few tens of millions of years to several billion years. The paper develops the idea of paleoregolith, the possible location of which can be seen on the slopes of some craters (Euler, Bessel) in images obtained by camera of LRO spacecraft (LROC). Because of the complexities of placing a spacecraft on the slopes of craters, some other possible locations of paleoregolith are offered to consideration. To study the recent history of the evolution of the Moon and the inner planets (up to 200 million years) the stored information in impact and volcanic melts, which are widely represented in the LROC images, should be considered.

The effects of seasonal and diurnal variations in the Earth's magnetic dipole orientation on solar wind–magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling

The angle μ between the geomagnetic dipole axis and the geocentric solar magnetospheric (GSM) zaxis, sometimes called the “dipole tilt,” varies as a function of UT and season. Observations have shown that the cross‐polar cap potential tends to maximize near the equinoxes, when on averageμ= 0, with smaller values observed near the solstices. This is similar to the well‐known semiannual variation in geomagnetic activity. We use numerical model simulations to investigate the role of two possible mechanisms that may be responsible for the influence ofμon the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system: variations in the coupling efficiency between the solar wind and the magnetosphere and variations in the ionospheric conductance over the polar caps. Under southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, variations in ionospheric conductance at high magnetic latitudes are responsible for 10–30% of the variations in the cross‐polar cap potential associated withμ, but variations in solar wind–magnetosphere coupling are more important and responsible for 70–90%. Variations in viscous processes contribute slightly to this, but variations in the reconnection rate with μare the dominant cause. The variation in the reconnection rate is primarily the result of a variation in the length of the section of the separator line along which relatively strong reconnection occurs. Changes in solar wind–magnetosphere coupling also affect the field‐aligned currents, but these are influenced as well by variations in the conductance associated with variations inμ, more so than the cross‐polar cap potential. This may be the case for geomagnetic activity too.

Chandra ACIS-S imaging spectroscopy of anomalously faint X-ray emission from Comet 103P/Hartley 2 during the EPOXI encounter

We present results from the Chandra X-ray Observatory’s characterization of the X-ray emission from Comet 103P/Hartley 2, in support of NASA’s Deep Impact Extended close flyby of the comet on 04 November 2010. The comet was observed 4 times for a total on target time of ∼60ks between the 17th of October and 16th of November 2010, with two of the visits occurring during the EPOXI close approach on 04 November and 05 November 2010. X-ray emission from 103P was qualitatively similar to that observed for collisionally thin Comets 2P/Encke (Lisse, C.M. et al. [2005]. Astrophys. J. 635, 1329–1347) and 9P/Tempel 1 (Lisse, C.M. et al. [2007]. Icarus 190, 391–405). Emission morphology offset sunward but asymmetrical from the nucleus and emission lines produced by charge exchange between highly stripped C, N, and O solar wind minor ions and coma neutral gas species were found. The comet was very under-luminous in the X-ray at all times, representing the 3rd faintest comet ever detected (LX=1.1±0.3×1014ergs−1). The coma was collisionally thin to the solar wind at all times, allowing solar wind ions to flow into the inner coma and interact with the densest neutral coma gas. Localization of the X-ray emission in the regions of the major rotating gas jets was observed, consistent with the major source of cometary neutral gas species being icy coma dust particles. Variable spectral features due to changing solar wind flux densities and charge states were also seen. Modeling of the Chandra observations from the first three visits using observed gas production rates and ACE solar wind ion fluxes with a charge exchange mechanism for the emission is consistent with the temporal and spectral behavior expected for a slow, hot wind typical of low latitude emission from the solar corona interacting with the comet’s neutral coma. The X-ray emission during the 4th visit on 16 November 2010 is similar to the unusual behavior seen for Comet 17P/Holmes in 2007 (Christian, D.J. et al. [2010]. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 187, 447–459) as the solar wind became dominated by a less ionized and faster plasma, more typical of outflow from polar coronal hole regions. We postulate that the overall faintness of the comet seen during all visits is due to the unusually well mixed dust and gas content of this hyperactive comet’s coma producing Auger electrons rather than X-rays via charge exchange with the solar wind. An alternative possible explanation for the faintness of the comet’s X-ray emission, and its unusual high CV and unusually low CVI emission, is that the impinging solar wind was drastically slowed in the inner coma, below 150kms−1, before charge exchanging with cometary neutrals.

Changes in solar wind–magnetosphere coupling with solar cycle, season, and time relative to stream interfaces

Geomagnetic activity depends on a variety of factors including solar zenith angle, solar UV, strength of the interplanetary magnetic field, speed and density of the solar wind, orientation of the Earth’s dipole, distance of the Earth from Sun, occurrence of CMEs and CIRs, and possibly other parameters. We have investigated some of these using state-dependant linear prediction filters. For a given state a prediction filter transforms a coupling function such as rectified solar wind electric field (VBs) to an output like the auroral electrojet index (AL). The area of this filter calculated from the sum of the filter coefficients measures the strength of the coupling. When the input and output are steady for a time longer than the duration of the filter the ratio of output to input is equal to this area. We find coupling strength defined in this way for Es=VBs to AL (and AU) is weakest at solar maximum and strongest at solar minimum. AL coupling displays a semiannual variation being weakest at the solstices and strongest at the equinoxes. AU coupling has only an annual variation being strongest at summer solstice. AL and AU coupling also vary with time relative to a stream interface. Es coupling is weaker after the interface, but ULF coupling is stronger. Total prediction efficiency remains about constant at the interface. The change in coupling strength with the solar cycle can be explained as an effect of more frequent saturation of the polar cap potential causing a smaller ratio of AL to Es. Stronger AL coupling at the equinoxes possibly indicates some process that makes magnetic reconnection less efficient when the dipole axis is tilted along the Earth–Sun line. Strong AU coupling at summer solstice is likely due to high conductivity in northern summer. Coupling changes at a stream interface are correlated with the presence of strong wave activity in ground and satellite measurements and may be an artifact of the method by which solar wind data are propagated.

Monthly Diurnal Global Atmospheric Circuit Estimates Derived from Vostok Electric Field Measurements Adjusted for Local Meteorological and Solar Wind Influences

Abstract Local temperature, wind speed, pressure, and solar wind–imposed influences on the vertical electric field observed at Vostok, Antarctica, are evaluated by multivariate analysis. Local meteorology can influence electric field measurements via local conductivity. The results are used to improve monthly diurnal averages of the electric field attributable to changes in the global convective storm contribution to the ionosphere-to-earth potential difference. Statistically significant average influences are found for temperature (−0.47 ± 0.13% V m−1 °C−1) and wind speed [2.1 ± 0.5% V m−1 (m s−1)−1]. Both associations are seasonally variable. After adjusting the electric field values to uniform meteorological conditions typical of the Antarctic plateau winter (−70°C, 4.4 m s−1, and 623 hPa), the sensitivity of the electric field to the solar wind external generator influence is found to be 0.80 ± 0.07 V m−1 kV−1. This compares with the sensitivity of 0.82 V m−1 kV−1 to the convective meteorology generator that is inferred assuming an average ionosphere-to-ground potential difference of 240 kV taken with the annual mean electric field value of 198 V m−1. Monthly means of the Vostok electric field corrected for the influence of both local meteorology and the solar wind show equinoctial (March and September) and July local maxima. The July mean electric field is greater than the December value by approximately 8%, consistent with a Northern Hemisphere summer maximum. The solar wind–imposed potential variations in the overhead ionosphere are evaluated for three models that fit satellite measurements of ionospheric potential changes to solar wind data. Correlations with Vostok electric field variations peak with a 23-min interpolated delay relative to solar wind changes at the magnetopause.

Ionospheric Pc5 plasma oscillations observed by the King Salmon HF radar and their comparison with geomagnetic pulsations on the ground and in geostationary orbit

We analyzed Pc5 (1.7–6.7 mHz) oscillations of ionospheric Doppler plasma velocity observed on a westward pointing beam 3 of the SuperDARN King Salmon HF radar in Alaska during the solar maximum in 2002 and the minimum in 2007. Local time distributions of the ionospheric Pc5 oscillations showed peculiar asymmetric characteristics in both years; that is, the occurrence probability had a maximum around the magnetic midnight, whereas backscatter echoes exhibited almost no oscillation on the dayside. We compared these ionospheric Pc5 events with magnetic field variations on the ground under the radar beam at Pebek and King Salmon and the geostationary ETS‐8 satellite at almost conjugate longitude. We found only a few nightside events where both the radar and magnetometers detected similar sinusoidal oscillations. On the other hand, from statistical spectral analyses we found that there were positive correlations between the integrated Pc5 range spectral power of velocity oscillations and the geomagnetic pulsations both on the ground and in geostationary orbit although the pulsation powers were quite low. For these ionospheric Pc5 events, we found that both solar wind bulk flow speed and dynamic pressure showed no correlation with the spectral power and more than half of the Pc5 events were observed when the geomagnetic activities were low as inferred from the AE and Dst indices. These results indicate that the azimuthal Pc5 oscillation in the ionospheric plasma flow does not represent well‐known characteristics of Pc5 pulsations driven by solar wind changes. We consider that the nightside occurrence peak of the ionospheric Pc5 oscillation might be related to diurnal changes in the ionospheric conductivity, which controls the amplitude of wave electric fields in the ionosphere. Therefore, the Pc5 wave power distributions obtained by radar observations provide features different from those obtained from magnetic field observations.

Io's volcanism influences Jupiter's magnetosphere

Volcanic emissions from Jupiter's moon Io supply plasma to the planet's magnetosphere and lead to its main auroral emissions. New observations show that the main auroral oval expanded and outer emissions brightened in spring 2007. Some studies have suggested that magnetospheric changes such as these could be caused by changes in the incoming solar wind. Bonfond et al. present several lines of evidence—including images from the Hubble Space Telescope and observations of a volcanic plume on Io from the New Horizons probe along with measurements of increased emissions from Jupiter's sodium cloud—that indicate that Io's volcanism controls changes in Jupiter's magnetosphere. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL050253, 2012)