Upper-atmospheric effects of magnetic storms: A brief tutorial

A. D. Richmond, G. Lu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

186 Scopus citations

Abstract

The physical processes underlying several phenomena of upper-atmospheric storms are described: magnetospherically driven ion convection and Joule heating and their impact on the high-latitude thermosphere and ionosphere; global changes in thermospheric circulation and composition; traveling atmospheric disturbances; and effects of electric-field penetration to middle and low latitudes. Examples from the 1997 January 10-11 storm are used to illustrate some of these features. It is pointed out that not only the magnitude, but also the sign of many storm-time changes at any given location depend sensitively on the temporal and spatial variations of auroral particle precipitation and high-latitude electric fields. In order for simulation models to be able to predict upper-atmospheric storm effects accurately, improved determination of the high-latitude inputs will be required. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1115-1127
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Volume62
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000

Keywords

  • Magnetic storms
  • Magnetospheric disturbances
  • Upper-atmospheric effects

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