Variation of Plasmaspheric (90-4000 km) Field-aligned Electron Density and Ion Composition as a Function of Geomagnetic Storm Activity

Abstract:

Whistler mode (WM) radio sounding from IMAGE has led to the first measurements of plasmaspheric field-aligned electron density and ion composition as a function of geomagnetic storm activity during Aug-Sep 2005, a period that included several successive geomagnetic storms of varying strength. The plasmapause was located at L~2.4 during the onset and main phases of the storms. On the dayside, as a function of storm activity we found in general the following results: (1) The electron density, relative ion concentrations, and O+/H+ transition height had different temporal behavior. (2) Electron density in the first 1-2 days of the storm increased followed by a decrease in the recovery phase. (3) α_H+ decreased during the onset, main and early recovery phase, and then it increased; α_O+ increased in the early recovery phase, and then it decreased; α_He+ in general increased in the onset or main phase and decreased in the recovery phase. (4) O+/H+ transition height increased by ~200-300 km during the onset, main and early recovery phase. (5) When successive storms occurred in less than a day's span, the latter storms had little or no effect on the electron density and ion composition. On the nightside, WM sounding data was sparse. In the case of one moderate storm, we found that 3 days after the storm, electron density at F2 peak and relative ion concentrations (at all altitudes) were comparable to those before the storm, whereas electron density above O+/H+ transition height decreased. WM sounding results for the dayside and nightside were in agreement with measurements from CHAMP (350 km) and DMSP (850 km). WM sounding measurements coupled with physics-based models (e.g. SAMI2) will allow: (a) investigation of the role of thermospheric winds, dynamo and storm time electric fields in causing the variations in electron and ion densities, and (b) testing of current theories and validating physics-based models of the thermosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling.