• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.123-132
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• 2011

It is generally believed that the occurrence of a magnetic storm depends upon the solar wind conditions, particularly the southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) component. To understand the relationship between solar wind parameters and magnetic storms, variations in magnetic field polarity and solar wind parameters during magnetic storms are examined. A total of 156 storms during the period of 1997~2003 are used. According to the interplanetary driver, magnetic storms are divided into three types, which are coronal mass ejection (CME)-driven storms, co-rotating interaction region (CIR)-driven storms, and complicated type storms. Complicated types were not included in this study. For this purpose, the manner in which the direction change of IMF $B_y$ and $B_z$ components (in geocentric solar magnetospheric coordinate system coordinate) during the main phase is related with the development of the storm is examined. The time-integrated solar wind parameters are compared with the time-integrated disturbance storm time (Dst) index during the main phase of each magnetic storm. The time lag with the storm size is also investigated. Some results are worth noting: CME-driven storms, under steady conditions of $B_z$ < 0, represent more than half of the storms in number. That is, it is found that the average number of storms for negative sign of IMF $B_z$ (T1~T4) is high, at 56.4%, 53.0%, and 63.7% in each storm category, respectively. However, for the CIR-driven storms, the percentage of moderate storms is only 29.2%, while the number of intense storms is more than half (60.0%) under the $B_z$ < 0 condition. It is found that the correlation is highest between the time-integrated IMF $B_z$ and the time-integrated Dst index for the CME-driven storms. On the other hand, for the CIR-driven storms, a high correlation is found, with the correlation coefficient being 0.93, between time-integrated Dst index and time-integrated solar wind speed, while a low correlation, 0.51, is found between timeintegrated $B_z$ and time-integrated Dst index. The relationship between storm size and time lag in terms of hours from $B_z$ minimum to Dst minimum values is investigated. For the CME-driven storms, time lag of 26% of moderate storms is one hour, whereas time lag of 33% of moderate storms is two hours for the CIR-driven storms. The average values of solar wind parameters for the CME and CIR-driven storms are also examined. The average values of ${\mid}Dst_{min}{\mid}$ and ${\mid}B_{zmin}{\mid}$ for the CME-driven storms are higher than those of CIR-driven storms, while the average value of temperature is lower.

• 천문학회지
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• 제36권spc1호
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• pp.93-99
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• 2003

Various attempts have been made to explain the: pronounced seasonal and universal time (UT) variations of geomagnetic indices. As one of such attempts, we analyze the hourly-averaged auroral electroject indices obtained during the past 20 years. The AU and AL indices maximize during summer and equinoctial months, respectively. By normalizing the contribution of the solar conductivity enhancement to the AU index, or to the eastward electrojet, it is found that the AU also follows the same semiannual variation pattern of the AL index, suggesting that the electric field is the main modulator of the semiannual magnetic variation. The fact that the variation pattern of the yearly-mean AU index follows the mirror image of the AL index provides another indication that the electric field is the main modulator of magnetic disturbance. The pronounced UT variations of the auroral electrojet indices are also noted. To determine the magnetic activity dependence, the probability of recording a given activity level of AU and AL during each UT is examined. The UT variation of the AL index, thus obtained, shows a maximum at around 1200-1800 UT and a minimum around 0000-0800 UT particularly during winter. It is closely associated with the rotation of the geomagnetic pole around the rotational axis, which results in the change of the solar-originated ionospheric conductivity distribution over the polar region. On the other hand the UT variation is prominent during disturbed periods, indicating that the latitudinal mismatch between the AE stations and the auroral electrojet belt is responsible for it. Although not as prominent as the AL index, the probability distribution of the AU also shows two UT peaks. We confirm that the Dst index shows more prominent seasonal variation than the AE indices. However, the UT variation of the Dst index is only noticeable during the main phase of a magnetic storm. It is a combined result of the uneven distribution of the Dst stations and frequent developments of the partial ring current and substorm wedge current preferentially during the main phase.