NH11B-1902
Interplanetary Shocks and the Resulting Geomagnetically Induced Currents at the Equator
Monday, 14 December 2015
Poster Hall (Moscone South)
Brett A Carter, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Boston College/Inst Sci Res, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States, Endawoke Yizengaw, Boston College, Institute for Scientific Research, Boston, United States, Rezy Pradipta, Boston College, Institute for Scientific Research, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States, Alexa Jean Halford, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States, Robert Norman, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and Kefei Zhang, RMIT Univ, Melbourne, Australia
Abstract:
Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) caused by interplanetary shocks represent a serious space weather threat to modern technological infrastructure. The arrival of interplanetary shocks drives magnetosphere and ionosphere currents systems, which then induce electric currents at ground level. The impact of these currents at high latitudes has been extensively researched, but the magnetic equator has been largely overlooked. In this paper, we investigate the potential effects of interplanetary shocks on the equatorial region and demonstrate that their magnetic signature is ampli ed by the equatorial electrojet. This local ampli cation substantially increases the region's susceptibility to GICs. Importantly, this result applies to both geomagnetic storms and quiet periods, and thus represents a paradigm shift in our understanding of adverse space weather impacts on technological infrastructure.
