Articles | Volume 22, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-22-2989-2004
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-22-2989-2004
07 Sep 2004
 | 07 Sep 2004

Azimuthally asymmetric ring current as a function of Dst and solar wind conditions

Y. P. Maltsev and A. A. Ostapenko

Abstract. Based on magnetic data, spatial distribution of the westward ring current flowing at |z|<3 RE has been found under five levels of Dst, five levels of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) z component, and five levels of the solar wind dynamic pressure Psw. The maximum of the current is located near midnight at distances 5 to 7 RE. The magnitude of the nightside and dayside parts of the westward current at distances from 4 to 9 RE can be approximated as Inight=1.75-0.041 Dst, Inoon=0.22-0.013 Dst, where the current is in MA. The relation of the nightside current to the solar wind parameters can be expressed as Inight=1.45-0.20 Bs IMF + 0.32 Psw, where BsIMF is the IMF southward component. The dayside ring current poorly correlates with the solar wind parameters.

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