The solar wind interaction with Earth’s magnetic field deposits energy into the upper portion of the atmosphere at high latitudes. The coupling process that modulates the ionospheric convection and intensity of ionospheric currents leads to formation of densely ionized patches convecting across the polar cap. The ionospheric currents launch traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) propagating equatorward. The polar cap patches and TIDs are then observed by networks of radars and GPS receivers.

An abrupt increase in pressure associated with interplanetary shocks will compress the Earth's magnetic field. This leads to a sudden impulse also observed in low-latitude magnetometer records. These events are followed by heavily damped oscillations of approximately 5 min periods, depending on plasma conditions. The general features are explained by a simple model. Our results are supported by satellite and ground-based observations. The results are also important for space–weather predictions.

We observed two different wave propagations in the earth’s upper atmosphere: a gravity wave in the mesosphere and the ionospheric disturbances. We investigated the wave propagations by using airglow imaging techniques. It is found that there was a gravity wave generation from the tropospheric convection spot, and it propagated upward in the ionosphere. This reports observational evidence of gravity wave propagation from the troposphere to ionosphere.

From the statistical analysis of potential plasmaspheric plume, we find that there is almost no correlation between plume width and the level of geomagnetic storm intensity. However, for plumes in the recovery phase after improved sifting, there is a negative correlation between the plume width and absolute value of minimum Dst during the storm. We suggest that the plasmaspheric particles may escape quickly during intense storms, causing plume to be relatively narrow during the recovery phase.

Magnetic holes are curious localized dropouts of magnetic field strength in the solar wind (the flow of ionized gas continuously streaming out from the sun). In this paper we show that these magnetic holes can cross the bow shock (where the solar wind brake down to subsonic velocity) and enter the region close to Earth’s magnetosphere. These structures may therefore represent a new type of non-uniform solar wind–magnetosphere interaction.