Impacts of Subauroral Polarization Streams on Storm-Enhanced Density and
Tongue of Ionization
Abstract
The influences of subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) on
storm-enhanced density (SED) and tongue of ionization (TOI), an
important topic in the field of magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere
coupling, however, remain undetermined. The
Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model
(TIEGCM) with/without an empirical SAPS model has been used to
investigate the impacts of SAPS on SED and TOI. The modeled TEC and ion
drift velocities agree reasonably well with the observations of GNSS and
DMSP satellites on 17 March 2013. The TIEGCM simulations show that SAPS
can significantly affect the electron density of SED and TOI depending
on the relative location of SAPS and SED. SAPS reduces the electron
density at the eastward edge of SED where they are overlapped, and
enhances SED at its westward edge. A term-by-term analysis of the O+ ion
continuity equation in the F-region shows that the electron density
depletions at the eastward edge of SED are mainly due to increased local
plasma loss rates because of SAPS elevated plasma-neutral temperatures
and O/N2 reduction because of thermosphere upwelling. The electron
density enhancements in the westward edge of SED are mainly due to
SAPS-induced westward plasma E×B transports and O/N2 increment because
of thermospheric downwelling. Moreover, SAPS-induced electron depletions
in the throat region weaken TOI as plasmas undergo anti-sunward
convection into the polar cap.