Investigating Changes in Field Aligned Current Maps for Changing Solar Radiative Indices

English Abstract:

Further developments have been made in the understanding of the interaction between solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic fields in the polar regions of the Earth’s magnetic field. Previously, measurements using the Oersted satellite were used to develop field-aligned current (FAC) distribution mappings, and measurements from the ACE satellite was used to provide IMF data to study the changes of the FAC mappings during different solar wind conditions.

Magnetometer measurements from the CHAMP satellite have been used to develop maps for field aligned currents (FAC) based on previously developed techniques. This additional data from the CHAMP satellite has been used to provide further detail to this procedure and to study the effects of solar radiation on the auroral regions of the Earth’s magnetosphere and ionosphere. These maps are then compared with four solar indices, F_10.7, S_10, M_10, and Y_10, to study the effects of solar radiation on the FACs. Initial investigation suggest that during equinox conditions the FAC tends to increase with solar radiation as expected, however winter and summer conditions do not completely agree with expected results.