ON THE ELECTRODYNAMIC STATE OF THE AURORAL IONOSPHERE DURING NORTHWARD INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC-FIELD - A TRANSPOLAR ARC CASE-STUDY

The ionospheric electrodynamical state has been reconstructed for a transpolar arc event during northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions. An extensive set of observations by Viking and other satellites and by ground-based radars has been used to provide realistic model input data or to verify the modeling results. The resulting convection pattern is found to be consistent with the Viking electric field and intimately linked to the prevalent auroral distribution. It is characterized by a large evening cell, well extended across noon and split up by two separated potential minima, and a minor crescent-shaped morning cell. The convection signatures are found to vary a lot along the transpolar arc depending on the relative role of the arc-associated convection and the ambient convection. The transpolar arc is generally embedded in antisunward convective flow except near the connection points with the auroral oval, where sunward flow exists in localized regions.