Multiresolution Modeling of High-latitude Ionospheric Electric Field Variability and Impact on Joule Heating Using SuperDARN Data Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The most dynamic electromagnetic coupling between the magnetosphere and; ionosphere occurs in the polar upper atmosphere. It is critical to; quantify the electromagnetic energy and momentum input associated with; this coupling as its impacts on the ionosphere and thermosphere system; are global and major, often leading to considerable disturbances in; near-Earth space environments. The current general circulation models of; the upper atmosphere exhibit systematic biases that can be attributed to; an inadequate representation of the Joule heating rate resulting from; unaccounted stochastic fluctuations of electric fields associated with; the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. These biases exist regardless of; geomagnetic activity levels. To overcome this limitation, a new; multiresolution random field modeling approach is developed, and the; efficacy of the approach is demonstrated using SuperDARN data carefully; curated for the study during a largely quiet 4 hours period on February; 29, 2012. Regional small-scale electrostatic fields sampled at different; resolutions from a probabilistic distribution of electric field; variability conditioned on actual SuperDARN LOS observations exhibit; considerably more localized fine-scale features in comparison to global; large-scale fields modeled using the SuperDARN Assimilative Mapping; procedure. The overall hemispherically integrated Joule heating rate is; increased by a factor of about 1.5 due to the effect of random regional; small-scale electric fields, which is close to the lower end of; arbitrarily adjusted Joule heating multiplicative factor of 1.5 and 2.5; typically used in upper atmosphere general circulation models. The study; represents an important step towards a data-driven ensemble modeling of; magnetosphere-ionosphere-atmosphere coupling processes.

publication date

  • February 13, 2021

has restriction

  • hybrid

Date in CU Experts

  • February 18, 2021 3:42 AM

Full Author List

  • Matsuo T; Fan M; Shi X; Miller C; Ruohoniemi JM; Paul D; Lee TCM

author count

  • 7

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