Physics Commons^™

Mid- And Low-Latitude Prompt-Penetration Ionospheric Zonalplasma Drifts, Bela G. Fejer, L. Scherliess

Bela G. Fejer

We have used ion drift observations from the DE-2 satellite to determine the latitudinal variation and the temporal evolution of mid- and low-latitude prompt penetration zonal plasma drifts driven by magnetospheric electric fields. Our results indicate that sudden increases in convection lead to predominantly westward perturbation drifts which decrease equartorwards and have largest amplitudes in the dusk-midnight sector. The diurnal perturbation drift patterns shift to later local times with increasing storm time and decay to new quasi-equilibrium values in about 2 hours, as the ring current readjusts to the new polar cap potential. The daily and latitudinal variations and temporal …