Response Time of the Ionosphere to Sign Changes in the Interplanetary Magnetic Field Y-Component

POSTER

Abstract

The solar wind is the continuous flow of plasma outward from the sun. The interplanetary magnetic field is the sun's magnetic field that is frozen into and is carried outward by the solar wind. We are interested in events where the interplanetary magnetic field y-component changes from the westward to the eastward or eastward to the westward in less than 5 minutes and is relative steady before and after the change. After an event has been identified, we examine the event using data from AMPERE and calculate the time it takes for the ionospheric field-aligned current system to change accordingly. AMPERE data is derived from magnetic perturbations collected by the Iridium satellite constellation and used to create a map of the ionospheric field-aligned current density. We will present a comparison of the time it takes to switch from west to east and east to west as well as if the time depends on other factors such as solar wind velocity or density. We suspect both transitions will have a similar response given that they have the same ionospheric configuration but in different directions.

Authors

  • Christopher Sherrill

    University of Texas at Arlington

  • Mikayla Streetman

    University of Texas at Arlington

  • Harry A. Atwater

    Institute for Advanced Physics and Mathematics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Baylor University, baylor university, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou University, Trinity University, University of New Hampshire, Los Alamos National Lab, Southwest Research Institute, University of Texas San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX78666, None, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100094, P.R. China, The State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, China, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, Lamar University, NIST, NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory,Thermodynamic Metrology Laboratory, Rice University, University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Russian Quantum Center, Physics Department, International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Florida State University, Univ of Texas, Dallas, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Houston, Physics and Astronomy, Material Science and Eng,Texas A\&M University. WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Material Science and Eng., Texas A\&M University, Texas Christian University, Utaca College, University of Texas at Arlington, Angelo State University Physics & Geosciences Department, Texas State University, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Department of Physics, Lamar University, Texas Lutheran University, University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Texas A\&M University, Florida A&M University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Texas A&M University and Baylor University, Abilene Christian University, Michigan State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Southern Methodist University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University 4242 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4242, The Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, Southern Nazarene University, Texas A&M University, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, Texas 75080, USA, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{2}$WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University, Japan, Department of Physics, Austin College, AMRIS/NHMFL, University of Florida, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Mississippi State University, The Methodist Hospital System, Biophotonic Solutions, Inc., University of Texas, Austin, California Insititute of Technology

  • Harry A. Atwater

    Institute for Advanced Physics and Mathematics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Baylor University, baylor university, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou University, Trinity University, University of New Hampshire, Los Alamos National Lab, Southwest Research Institute, University of Texas San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX78666, None, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100094, P.R. China, The State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, China, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, Lamar University, NIST, NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory,Thermodynamic Metrology Laboratory, Rice University, University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Russian Quantum Center, Physics Department, International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Florida State University, Univ of Texas, Dallas, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Houston, Physics and Astronomy, Material Science and Eng,Texas A\&M University. WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Material Science and Eng., Texas A\&M University, Texas Christian University, Utaca College, University of Texas at Arlington, Angelo State University Physics & Geosciences Department, Texas State University, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Department of Physics, Lamar University, Texas Lutheran University, University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Texas A\&M University, Florida A&M University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Texas A&M University and Baylor University, Abilene Christian University, Michigan State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Southern Methodist University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University 4242 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4242, The Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, Southern Nazarene University, Texas A&M University, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, Texas 75080, USA, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{2}$WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University, Japan, Department of Physics, Austin College, AMRIS/NHMFL, University of Florida, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Mississippi State University, The Methodist Hospital System, Biophotonic Solutions, Inc., University of Texas, Austin, California Insititute of Technology