Study of Motion of the Auroral Oval During September 30 - October 4, 2012 Geomagnetic Storm. A Project of National Secondary School Competition in Scientific Research on Antarctica "Feria Antarctica Escolar 2014", organized by Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH).

Abstract:

Changes in the position of the auroral oval during the development of the September 30 - October 4, 2012 geomagnetic storm in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres were studied using the data of the Dynamics Explorer Satellite Mission (DMSP). In particular, the location of b1e, b1i, b2e, and b2i boundaries defined by Newell at al. [1996], was obtained from the electron and ion precipitating fluxes, measured by the SSJ/4 particle detectors onboard the F16, F17, and F18 satellites.
According to Newell at al. [1996], these boundaries represent the zero-energy convection boundary (b1e,b1i), and the precipitating energy flux maximum (b2e,b2i). It was found that during the main phase of the strom, on average, all boundaries move towards the equator, and return to its previous location during recovery phase. Deviations from the common trend could be related to the changes in the solar wind conditions. This study was done by the Secondary school students Javiera Cabezas-Escares and Tamara Letelier Ulloa from Lyceum N°1 Javiera Carrera in frame of the National Secondary School Competition in the Scientific Research on Antarctica "Feria Antarctica Escolar" organized by Chilean Antarctic Institute. It was supervised by their Physics teacher Pablo Ortega Letelier and by Marina Stepanova, researcher from Universidad de Santiago de Chile.