Convection in the magnetosphere-ionosphere system: a multimission survey of its response to IMF by reversals

Abstract

Past studies have demonstrated that the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B_y component introduces asymmetries in the magnetosphere-ionosphere (M-I) system, though the exact timings involved are still unclear with two distinct mechanisms proposed. In this study, we statistically analyze convective flows from three regions of the M-I system: the magnetospheric lobes, the plasma sheet, and the ionosphere. We perform superposed epoch analyses on the convective flows in response to reversals in the IMF B_y orientation, to determine the flow response timescales of these regions. We find that the lobes respond quickly and reconfigure to the new IMF B_y state within 30–40 min. The plasma sheet flows, however, do not show a clear response to the IMF B_y reversal, at least within 4 hr postreversal. The ionospheric data, measured by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), match their counterpart magnetospheric flows, with clear and prompt responses at ≥75° magnetic latitude (MLAT) but a less pronounced response at 60–70 MLAT. We discuss the potential implication of these results on the mechanisms for introducing the IMF B_y component into the M-I system.

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