Day-To-Day Variability of the Neutral Wind Dynamo Observed by ICON: First Results From Conjugate Observations

Brian J. Harding; Thomas J. Immel; Stephen B. Mende; Yen Jung J. Wu; Astrid Maute; Scott L. England; Roderick A. Heelis; Jeffrey M. Forbes; Christoph R. Englert; Kenneth D. Marr; John M. Harlander; Jonathan J. Makela; Sabine Frey

doi:10.1029/2023GL107110

Day-To-Day Variability of the Neutral Wind Dynamo Observed by ICON: First Results From Conjugate Observations

Brian J. Harding, Thomas J. Immel, Stephen B. Mende, Yen Jung J. Wu, Astrid Maute, Scott L. England, Roderick A. Heelis, Jeffrey M. Forbes, Christoph R. Englert, Kenneth D. Marr, John M. Harlander, Jonathan J. Makela, Sabine Frey

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

First results are presented from the conjugate maneuvers performed by NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft. During each several-minute maneuver, ICON crosses the magnetic equator, measuring the plasma drift at the ∼600-km apex of a magnetic field line and the neutral wind profiles (∼90–300 km altitude) along both ends of that field line. The analysis utilizes 149 pairs of maneuvers separated by ∼24 hr but at nearly the same location and local time. Principal component regression reveals that 39 ± 7% and 24 ± 9% of the day-to-day variance in the daytime vertical and zonal drift, respectively, is attributable to conjugate neutral winds. The remaining variance is likely driven by external potentials from non-conjugate winds and geomagnetic activity (median Kp 2−). Zonal winds at 100–113 km and >120 km altitude are the primary drivers of conjugate vertical and zonal drift variance, respectively. These observations can test vertical-coupling mechanisms in whole-atmosphere models.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2023GL107110
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	51
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107110
State	Published - Mar 16 2024

Keywords

ICON
electric fields
ionosphere-thermosphere coupling
ionospheric variability
neutral wind dynamo
vertical coupling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Online availability

10.1029/2023GL107110

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Harding, B. J., Immel, T. J., Mende, S. B., Wu, Y. J. J., Maute, A., England, S. L., Heelis, R. A., Forbes, J. M., Englert, C. R., Marr, K. D., Harlander, J. M., Makela, J. J., & Frey, S. (2024). Day-To-Day Variability of the Neutral Wind Dynamo Observed by ICON: First Results From Conjugate Observations. Geophysical Research Letters, 51(5), Article e2023GL107110. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107110

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title = "Day-To-Day Variability of the Neutral Wind Dynamo Observed by ICON: First Results From Conjugate Observations",

abstract = "First results are presented from the conjugate maneuvers performed by NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft. During each several-minute maneuver, ICON crosses the magnetic equator, measuring the plasma drift at the ∼600-km apex of a magnetic field line and the neutral wind profiles (∼90–300 km altitude) along both ends of that field line. The analysis utilizes 149 pairs of maneuvers separated by ∼24 hr but at nearly the same location and local time. Principal component regression reveals that 39 ± 7% and 24 ± 9% of the day-to-day variance in the daytime vertical and zonal drift, respectively, is attributable to conjugate neutral winds. The remaining variance is likely driven by external potentials from non-conjugate winds and geomagnetic activity (median Kp 2−). Zonal winds at 100–113 km and >120 km altitude are the primary drivers of conjugate vertical and zonal drift variance, respectively. These observations can test vertical-coupling mechanisms in whole-atmosphere models.",

keywords = "ICON, electric fields, ionosphere-thermosphere coupling, ionospheric variability, neutral wind dynamo, vertical coupling",

author = "Harding, {Brian J.} and Immel, {Thomas J.} and Mende, {Stephen B.} and Wu, {Yen Jung J.} and Astrid Maute and England, {Scott L.} and Heelis, {Roderick A.} and Forbes, {Jeffrey M.} and Englert, {Christoph R.} and Marr, {Kenneth D.} and Harlander, {John M.} and Makela, {Jonathan J.} and Sabine Frey",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024. The Authors.",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1029/2023GL107110",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "51",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.",

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T1 - Day-To-Day Variability of the Neutral Wind Dynamo Observed by ICON

T2 - First Results From Conjugate Observations

AU - Harding, Brian J.

AU - Immel, Thomas J.

AU - Mende, Stephen B.

AU - Wu, Yen Jung J.

AU - Maute, Astrid

AU - England, Scott L.

AU - Heelis, Roderick A.

AU - Forbes, Jeffrey M.

AU - Englert, Christoph R.

AU - Marr, Kenneth D.

AU - Harlander, John M.

AU - Makela, Jonathan J.

AU - Frey, Sabine

PY - 2024/3/16

Y1 - 2024/3/16

N2 - First results are presented from the conjugate maneuvers performed by NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft. During each several-minute maneuver, ICON crosses the magnetic equator, measuring the plasma drift at the ∼600-km apex of a magnetic field line and the neutral wind profiles (∼90–300 km altitude) along both ends of that field line. The analysis utilizes 149 pairs of maneuvers separated by ∼24 hr but at nearly the same location and local time. Principal component regression reveals that 39 ± 7% and 24 ± 9% of the day-to-day variance in the daytime vertical and zonal drift, respectively, is attributable to conjugate neutral winds. The remaining variance is likely driven by external potentials from non-conjugate winds and geomagnetic activity (median Kp 2−). Zonal winds at 100–113 km and >120 km altitude are the primary drivers of conjugate vertical and zonal drift variance, respectively. These observations can test vertical-coupling mechanisms in whole-atmosphere models.

AB - First results are presented from the conjugate maneuvers performed by NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft. During each several-minute maneuver, ICON crosses the magnetic equator, measuring the plasma drift at the ∼600-km apex of a magnetic field line and the neutral wind profiles (∼90–300 km altitude) along both ends of that field line. The analysis utilizes 149 pairs of maneuvers separated by ∼24 hr but at nearly the same location and local time. Principal component regression reveals that 39 ± 7% and 24 ± 9% of the day-to-day variance in the daytime vertical and zonal drift, respectively, is attributable to conjugate neutral winds. The remaining variance is likely driven by external potentials from non-conjugate winds and geomagnetic activity (median Kp 2−). Zonal winds at 100–113 km and >120 km altitude are the primary drivers of conjugate vertical and zonal drift variance, respectively. These observations can test vertical-coupling mechanisms in whole-atmosphere models.

KW - ICON

KW - electric fields

KW - ionosphere-thermosphere coupling

KW - ionospheric variability

KW - neutral wind dynamo

KW - vertical coupling

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DO - 10.1029/2023GL107110

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JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 5

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ER -

Day-To-Day Variability of the Neutral Wind Dynamo Observed by ICON: First Results From Conjugate Observations

Abstract

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ASJC Scopus subject areas

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