During intervals of a steady state condition of the interplanetary magnetic field the geomagnetic variations at the polar cap have been examined as a function of the direction of the interplanetary field in the Y-Z plane of the geocentric solar magnetospheric coordinate system. A prominent feature of the equivalent current patterns during a positive Bz steady state is the total vanishing of the well-known two-cell current system, which is generally considered to be related to the convection across the polar cap. Another significant effect for a northward interplanetary magnetic field is a poleward shift of the By associated currents at the day side of the polar cap, with no decrease of the current strength. The existence of these currents even during the absence of the two-cell current system indicates that the explanation proposed by Heppner (1972) of the current's being due to a shift toward the dawn or the dusk of the polar cap convection is not exhaustive. Rather, the magnetic perturbations for a positive Bz may correspond to merging of the northward interplanetary magnetic field with the open geomagnetic field lines at the poleward boundary of the cusp as suggested by Burch (1973). A pronounced decrease of the By related magnetic perturbations from summer to winter compared to the seasonal variation of the Bz related disturbances at the polar cap indicates a different origin of the associated currents.