On the Magnetic Field Spatial Fluctuation Features at Swarm’s Orbit

Abstract:

The Swarm constellation mission provides a qualitatively new level of observational data, which allow us for the first time, to analyse the scaling features of the magnetic field spatial fluctuations to establish a correlation with the dynamics of those systems, which are responsible of such fluctuations. In this work we present a study of the changes in the scaling properties of the geomagnetic field spatial fluctuations evaluating the local Hurst (H) exponent and reconstructing maps of this index. We attempt an interpretation of the emerging H-exponent structures in terms of the different current systems and convection patterns of the ionosphere. This study is an example of the capability of the Swarm data to produce new insights on the ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling and develop new applications where the changes in statistics can be used as a local indicator of the overall magnetospheric-ionospheric conditions.