Articles | Volume 35, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1341-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-1341-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Relative outflow enhancements during major geomagnetic storms – Cluster observations
Audrey Schillings
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden
Division of Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Kiruna, Sweden
Hans Nilsson
Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden
Division of Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Kiruna, Sweden
Rikard Slapak
Division of Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Kiruna, Sweden
Masatoshi Yamauchi
Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden
Lars-Göran Westerberg
Division of Fluid and Experimental Mechanics, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
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Short summary
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The ion total transports in the near-Earth plasma sheet have been investigated and quantified. Specifically, the net O+ transport is about 1024 s−1 in the earthward direction, which is 1 order of magnitude smaller than the typical O+ ionospheric outflows, strongly indicating that most outflow will eventually escape, leading to significant atmospheric loss. The study also shows that low-velocity flows (< 100 km s−1) dominate the mass transport in the near-Earth plasma sheet.
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Short summary
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In this study, we have used Cluster satellite data to quantify the ionospheric oxygen ion (O+) escape into the solar wind and its dependence on geomagnetic activity. During times of high activity, the escape may be 2 orders of magnitude higher than under quiet conditions, strongly suggesting that the escape rate was much higher when the Sun was young. The results are important for future studies regarding atmospheric loss over geological timescales.
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R. Slapak, H. Nilsson, L. G. Westerberg, and R. Larsson
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T. Pitkänen, M. Hamrin, P. Norqvist, T. Karlsson, H. Nilsson, A. Kullen, S. M. Imber, and S. E. Milan
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I. A. Barghouthi, H. Nilsson, and S. H. Ghithan
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K. Axelsson, T. Sergienko, H. Nilsson, U. Brändström, K. Asamura, and T. Sakanoi
Ann. Geophys., 32, 499–506, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-499-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-499-2014, 2014
M. Yamauchi, Y. Ebihara, H. Nilsson, and I. Dandouras
Ann. Geophys., 32, 83–90, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-83-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-83-2014, 2014
M. Yamauchi, I. Dandouras, H. Rème, R. Lundin, and L. M. Kistler
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1569–1578, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1569-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1569-2013, 2013
R. Slapak, H. Nilsson, and L. G. Westerberg
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1005–1010, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1005-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1005-2013, 2013
S. Kirkwood, E. Belova, P. Dalin, M. Mihalikova, D. Mikhaylova, D. Murtagh, H. Nilsson, K. Satheesan, J. Urban, and I. Wolf
Ann. Geophys., 31, 333–347, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-333-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-333-2013, 2013
K. Axelsson, T. Sergienko, H. Nilsson, U. Brändström, Y. Ebihara, K. Asamura, and M. Hirahara
Ann. Geophys., 30, 1693–1701, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-1693-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-1693-2012, 2012
Short summary
The Earth's atmosphere is constantly losing ions and in particular oxygen ions. This phenomenon is important to understand the atmospheric evolution on a large timescale. In this study, the O+ outflow is estimated during six extreme geomagnetic storms using the European Cluster mission data. These estimations are compared with average magnetospheric conditions and show that during those six extreme storms, the O+ outflow is approximately 2 orders of magnitude higher.
The Earth's atmosphere is constantly losing ions and in particular oxygen ions. This phenomenon...