Articles | Volume 38, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-749-2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-38-749-2020
Regular paper
 | 
24 Jun 2020
Regular paper |  | 24 Jun 2020

Relation between the asymmetric ring current effect and the anti-sunward auroral currents, as deduced from CHAMP observations

Hermann Lühr and Yun-Liang Zhou

Data sets

CH-ME-3-MAG - CHAMP 1 Hz Combined Magnetic Field Time Series (Level 3) M. Rother and I. Michaelis https://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.2.3.2019.004

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Short summary
During magnetic storms the magnetic disturbance at low latitudes becomes asymmetric, enhanced in the evening sector and reduced around morning. This has been attributed to the asymmetric ring current. Here a new 3D current system is proposed for explaining the asymmetric signal. Anti-sunward net currents at high latitude are connected at their noon and night ends to field-aligned currents that lead the currents to the magnetopause on the dawn and dusk flanks where the current closure occurs.