Statistical study of phase reversal locations on the SC-associated preliminary impulse

In this study, we investigate the magnetic latitude of phase reversal on the sudden commencement (SC)-associated preliminary impulse with 267 SC events using the ground magnetometer data of the IMAGE from 1997 to 2005. During SC event, geomagnetic fields are affected by various currents flowing in the magnetosphere and/or ionosphere. In particular, high-latitude geomagnetic field variations are significantly dominated by the change of SC-associated field aligned current (FAC). Until now, however, there are few studies to examine where the location of the FAC in the ionosphere is and what determines the location of the FAC. The location of the SC-associated FAC can be examined by using magnetometer data obtained from high-latitude stations distributed along the same magnetic meridian. The phase reversal locations are concentrated two regions, ~62 deg (L~4.5) and ~70 deg (L~8.5) in magnetic latitude. If FAC is a result of a mode conversion from fast mode to Alfven mode, then the FAC location could be determine by the duration time of the input energy. When we use the rise time, dT, as the input energy, there is no relationship between dT and the location where the first pulse of SC is reversed. We consider other factors such as local time and solar wind condition.