200 likes | 330 Views
Altitude Response of Thermosphere Mass Density to Geomagnetic Activity in the Recent Solar Minimum Jeffrey P. Thayer, Xianjing Lui , and Jiuhou Lei . MURI NADIR Meeting 25–26 October 2011. h. P. 2. B. P. 1. Altitude. C. A. Satellite altitude. Quiet. Active.
E N D
Altitude Response of Thermosphere Mass Density to Geomagnetic Activity in the Recent Solar MinimumJeffrey P. Thayer, XianjingLui, and Jiuhou Lei MURI NADIR Meeting 25–26 October 2011
h P 2 B P 1 Altitude C A Satellite altitude Quiet Active A Compressed Thermosphere Leads to a Greater % Change in Density Response Given the Same Energy Input – Preconditioning by EUV Flux Absolute Density at 400 km Relative Perturbations Relative changes in thermosphere density response to geomagnetic forcing is stronger under low EUV conditions
In 2008, the Solar EUV Flux was at an Extreme Minimum with Little Change over the Year While 38 CIRS were Catalogued!! Solar wind density IMF |B| Solar wind speed IMF Bz IMF Bx Geomagnetic Activity Index Density - 400km altitude
Superposed Epoch Analysis of 29 CIR/HSS in 2008 Classical CIR Tsurutani, B. T., et al. (2006), Corotating solar wind streams and recurrent geomagnetic activity: A review, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A07S01, doi:10.1029/2005JA011273. The interplanetary conditions for different types of geomagnetic activity are indicated by numbers: (1) geomagnetic quiet, (2) a storm initial phase, (3) a magnetic storm main phase, and (4) the storm extended ‘‘recovery’’ phase.
Calm Superposed-Epoch Analysis of CHAMP Thermosphere Density in 2008 Thermospheric response to CIRs globally Lei, J., J. P. Thayer, W. Wang, and R. L. McPherron (2011), Impact of CIR storms on thermosphere density variability during the solar minimum of 2008, Sol. Phys., doi:10.1007/s11207-010-9563-y.
Altitude Response of Mass Density using CHAMP and GRACE Measurements
Occasions of Common Local Time Passes of CHAMP and GRACE Satellites Bruinsma, S. L., and J. M. Forbes (2010), Anomalous behavior of the thermosphere during solar minimum observed by CHAMP and GRACE, J. Geophys. Res., 115, A11323, doi:10.1029/2010JA015605.
h Altitude A0 CHAMP altitude Quiet Active Altitude Response in Thermosphere Mass Density to Geomagnetic Activity B1 B0 GRACE altitude A1
Geomagnetic ActivityDec 2008During a CHAMPand GRACECommon Local Time Orbits Quiet Time: December 9-11, 2008 <F10.7> = 67 <Ap> = 15 Active Time: December 5 – 7, 2008 <F10.7> = 68 <Ap>= 2
Thermosphere Mass Density Ratio (Active/Quiet) for Dec 2008 HSS Event: Thermosphere Composition Effect GRACE Normalized to 476 km CHAMP Normalized to 332 km MSIS Density Ratio
MSIS VS. CHAMP and GRACE Observations December 2008 Active time density Quiet time density
Mg II Correction to F10.7 Index at Solar Minimum Solomon, S. C., L. Qian, L. V. Didkovsky, R. A. Viereck, and T. N. Woods (2011), Causes of low thermospheric density during the 2007–2009 solar minimum, J. Geophys. Res., 116, A00H07, doi:10.1029/2011JA016508.
CHAMP and GRACE Densities with Adjusted F10.7 based on Mg II During the Active Period of the Geomagnetic Storm Before After During the active time, a good MSIS representation is achieved by lowering f10.7 by 11.
GRACE Densities with MSIS adjusted for F10.7, Ap, and Helium Density Original Values Adjust F10.7 - 14 Adjust F10.7 – 14, Ap+2, 30% increase in Helium Adjust F10.7 – 14, Ap+2
CHAMP Densities with MSIS adjusted input values of F10.7, Ap, and Helium same as for GRACE Original Values Adjust F10.7 - 14 Adjust F10.7 – 14, Ap+2, 30% increase in Helium Adjust F10.7 – 14, Ap+2
Quiet Time Mass Density at GRACE Altitudes is Significantly Impacted by the Presence of Helium
Mass Density Response as a Function of Altitude in Winter High latitudes is significantly lessened at GRACE Altitudes by Helium
Latitude Dependence in Altitude Response to December 2008 Geomagnetic Activity
Thermosphere Mass Density During CIR/HSS Events Recurrent geomagnetic activity enabled isolation of CIR/HSS processes on the preconditioned solar minimum state of the thermosphere. Response at CHAMP Altitudes: • The recurrent geomagnetic activity and constant EUV flux in 2008 enabled a superposed epoch analysis that demonstrated the typical global thermosphere response at 400 km to CIR/HSS events was on average a 75% increase with recovery taking a week or more. Integrated effect rivals CMEsbut also demonstrated significant variability
Cont’d Response at GRACE Altitudes: • Significant concentrations of helium exist at GRACE altitudes (472 km) during quiet geomagnetic activity in the winter hemisphere at solstice in 2008, i.e., the wintertime helium bulge • The mass density response to geomagnetic activity in the contracted winter hemisphere is lessened by the presence of helium leading to strongly varying mass density response with altitude. • F10.7 input to MSIS during December 2008 required a downward adjustment (concomitant with Mg II index) to adequately represent mass density observations and subsequently the modeled drag coefficient requires reevaluation to account for the significant presence of helium. Need information of composition to adequately describe the thermosphere density response to geomagnetic activity