• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.489-499
• /
• 2004

The climatological characteristics of the polar ionospheric currents obtained from the simultaneous observations of the ionospheric electric field and conductivity are examined. For this purpose, 43 and 109 days of measurements from the Chatanika and Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radars are utilized respectively. The ionospheric current density is compared with the corresponding ground magnetic disturbance. Several interesting characteristics about the polar ionosphere are apparent from this study: (1) The sun determines largely the conductance over the Sondrestrom radar, while the nighttime conductance distribution over the Chatanika radar is significantly affected by auroral precipitation. (2) The regions of the maximum N-S electric field over the Chatanika radar are located approximately at the dawn and dusk sectors, while they tend to shift towards dayside over the Sondrestrom radar. The N-S component over Son-drestrom is slightly stronger than Chatanika. However, the E-W component over Chatanika is negligible compared to that of Sondrestrom. (3) The E-W ionospheric current flows dominantly in the night hemisphere over Chatanika, while it flows in the sunlit hemisphere over Sondrestrom. The N-S current over Chatanika flows prominently in the dawn and dusk sectors, while a strong southward current flows in the prenoon sector over Sondrestrom. (4) The assumption of infinite sheet current approximation is far from realistic, underestimating the current density by a factor of 2 or more. It is particularly serious for the higher latitude region. (5) The correlation between ${\Delta}H\;and\;J_E$ is higher than the one between ${\Delta}D\;and\;J_N$, indicating that field-aligned current affects ${\Delta}D$significantly.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.75-88
• /
• 2002

The climatological characteristics of the polar ionosphere is examined in terms of the ionospheric conductance and electric field. For this purpose, 109 days of measurements from the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar are utilized. By combining these two quantities, it is possible to deduce the overhead ionospheric current distributions. The ionospheric current density thus obtained is compared with the corresponding ground magnetic disturbance. Also examined is the effect of the field-aligned current on the ground magnetic disturbance, particularly on the D component Several interesting climatological characteristics about the ionosphere over the Sonderstrom are apparent from this study. (1) The conductance distribution is mainly due to solar EUV radiation during day-time On the other hand, the conductance distribution during the night-time is very low. (2) The conductance distribution one. the polar cap region during the day-time is controlled mostly by the solar EUV radiation, while it is extremely low during night-time wish the Hall and Pedersen conductances being 1.6 and 1.2 siemen, respectively (3) The region of the maximum N-S electric field tend to locate in the dayside sector. The E-W component of the electric field is stronger than that over Chatanika (4) The E-W auroal inospheric current (J/sub E/) is more important in the sunlit hemisphere than the night hemisphere. And a strong southward current is noted in the prenoon sector (5) There is a significant correlation between the overhead ionospheric current and the simultaneously observed ground magnetic disturbance. However, the assumption for the infinite sheet current approximation is far from realistic, underestimating the current density. And the correlation between ${\Delta}H$ and J/sub E/ is higher than the one between ${\Delta}D$ and J/sub N/ , indicating that field-aligned current affects significantly ${\Delta}D$.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.141-150
• /
• 2002

The ionosphere plays an important role in the electrodynamics of space environment. In particular, the information on the ionospheric conductivity distribution is indispensable in understanding the electrodynamics of the magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling study. To meet such a requirement, several attempts have been made to estimate the conductivity distribution over the polar ionosphere. As one of such attempts we compare the ionospheric plasma convection patterns obtained from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), from which the electric field distribution is estimated, and the simultaneously measured ground magnetic disturbance. Specifically, the electric field measured from the Goose Bay and Stokkseyri radars and magnetic disturbance data obtained from the west coast chain of Greenland are compared. In order to estimate ionospheric conductivity distribution with these information, the overhead infinite sheet current approximation is employed. As expected, the Hall conductance, height-integrated conductivity, shows a wide enhancement along the center of the auroral electrojet. However, Pedersen conductance shows negative values over a wide portion of the auroral oval region, a physically unacceptable situation. To alleviate this problem, the effect of the field-aligned current is taken into account. As a result, the region with negative Pedersen conductance disappears significantly, suggesting that the effect of the field-aligned current should be taken into account, when one wants to estimate ionospheric conductance based on ground magnetic disturbance and electric field measurements by radars.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
• /
• 1995.10a
• /
• pp.18-18
• /
• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.62-62
• /
• 1999

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
• /
• 1994.09a
• /
• pp.26-26
• /
• 1994

No Abstract. See Full-text

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
• /
• 2001.04a
• /
• pp.62-62
• /
• 2001

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
• /
• 1999.09a
• /
• pp.53-53
• /
• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.87-98
• /
• 2000

We examine the relative contributions of the electric field and ionospheric conductance to the auroral electrojets. For this purpose we used magnetometer data obtained from the International Magnetospheric Study (IMS) meridian chains of observatories for March 17, 18, and 19, 1978. Based on the study by Allen & Kroehl (1975), we redefine the AU and AL indices by utilizing the magnetic disturbance data obtained from the AE stations located within limited magnetic local time (MLT) sectors; i.e., $1500\leq MLT\leq1800$ and$0000\leq MLT\leq0300$, respectively. The current densities of the eastward and westward electrojets are calculated based on the AU and AL indices thus defined. Under the assumption that the Hall conductance at the dusk sector is mainly caused by the solar EUV radiation, we estimate the electric field contributin to the AU index. Assuming further that electric field distributins at dawn and dusk sectors are comparable, it is also possible to estimate the contribution of the Hall conductance associated at the dusk sector is mainly caused by the solar EUV radiation, we estimate the electric field contribution to the AU index. Assuming further that electric field distributions at dawn and dusk sectors are comparable, it is also possible to estimate the contribution of the Hall conductance associated with auroral particle precipitation to the AL index. From this study it is noted that the electric fields and Hall conductances thus estimated show significant correlations with the AU and AL indices, respectively, suggesting that the AU and AL indices are closely associated with the directly driven and loading-unloading processes of substorms.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.243-254
• /
• 2002

Various uncertainties involved in ionospheric conductivity estimation utilizing the electron density profile obtained from the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar are examined. First, we compare the conductivity which is based on raw electron density and the one based on corrected electron density that takes into account the effects of the difference between the electron and ion temperatures and the Debye length. The corrected electron density yields higher Pedersen and Hall conductivities than the raw electron density does. Second, the dependence of collision frequency model on the conductivity estimation is examined. Below 110 km conductivity does not depend significantly on collision frequency models. Above 110 km, however, the collision models affect the conductivity estimation. Third, the influence of the electron and ion temperatures on the conductivity estimation is examined. Electron and ion temperatures carrying an error of about 10% do not seem to affect significantly the conductivity estimation. Fourth, also examined is the effect of the choice of the altitude range of integration in calculating the height-integrated conductivity, conductance. It has been demonstrated that the lower and upper boundaries of the integration are quite sensitive to the estimation of the Hall and Pedersen conductances, respectively.