Nonlinear Behavior of the Geomagnetic Fluctuations Recorded in Different Geomagnetic Latitudes

Abstract:

The paper concerns with the nonlinear properties of geomagnetic variations recorded in different geomagnetic latitudes, in the years of solar maximum and minimum. For the study, we use the geomagnetic time-series recorded by some of the stations of the EMMA quasi-meridional magnetometer network, established for pulsation study, in September 2001. The stations are located approx. along the magnetic meridian of 100 degree, and the sampling frequency of the series is 1 Hz. It is argued that the geomagnetic field exhibits nonlinear intermittent fluctuations in certain temporal scale range. For quantitatively investigating the scaling ranges and the variation of intermittent properties with latitude and time, we analyse the higher order moments of the time records (probability density function or structure function analyses). The multifractal or self-similar scaling of the fluctuations is investigated via the fitting of the P model to structure function scaling exponents. We also study the power-law behaviour of the power-spectral density functions of the series in order to evaluate the possible inertial frequency (and temporal) range of the geomagnetic field and compare them with the scaling ranges of structure functions. The range where intermittent geomagnetic variation is found falls typically between 100 and 20.000 s, i.e. covers the temporal range of the main phases of geomagnetic storms. It is shown that the intensity of intermittent fluctuations increases from solar minimum to solar maximum. The expected increase in the level of intermittency with the geomagnetic latitude can be evidenced only in the years of solar minimum.

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme ([FP7/2007-2013]) under grant agreement n° 313038/STORM.