EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
McHarg et al. 2005
McHarg, M., Chun, F., Knipp, D., Lu, G., Emery, B. and Ridley, A. (2005). High-latitude Joule heating response to IMF inputs. Journal of Geophysical Research 110: doi: 10.1029/2004JA010949. issn: 0148-0227.

We evaluate the response of the high-latitude Joule heating to orientation and magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Approximately 9000 individual Joule heating patterns derived from data assimilation for the northern hemisphere were used to develop averaged and hemispherically integrated Joule power maps for the northern hemisphere north of 40¿ magnetic latitude. Hemispherically integrated Joule heating increases with IMF magnitude when the IMF is southward, but is relatively unchanged with increased IMF magnitude when the IMF is north. Only a small IMF By effect is evident in the Joule heating patterns. We quantify the IMF effects with linear fits of integrated Joule heating as a function of IMF magnitude for eight different IMF clock angle bins in the GSM Y-Z plane. During extreme northward IMF conditions, Joule heating is restricted to the high latitude dayside. During extreme southward IMF conditions, Joule heating is located predominantly in the auroral region, with increased heating in the morning sector compared to the evening sector. This additional heating may lead to the increased incidence of gravity waves reported in the morning sector. Our estimate of the increase of hemispherically integrated Joule heating with IMF magnitude during southward IMF periods is 13GW/nT.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Ionosphere, Ionospheric dynamics, Ionosphere, Auroral ionosphere, Ionosphere, Electric fields, Radio Science, Ionospheric physics (1240, 2400), IMF, ionosphere, Joule heating
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit