Audrey Schillings (University of Leicester, DTU Space, Umeå University) - Strong variations in the Earth’s magnetic field (dB/dt spikes) possibly associated with sub-auroral polarizations streams (SAPS)

Abstract:
Geomagnetic storms and substorms create strong perturbations in the Earth’s magnetosphere, the ionosphere and all the way down to the Earth’s surface. During these disturbed times, the magnetic fluctuations and its short-lived variations in turn provoke geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) at ground level. These induced currents cause perturbations at various levels such as disruptions of navigation and telecommunication systems as well as blackouts in pipelines and power lines. However, localized, short-lived and strong magnetic variations also have been observed during relatively "quiet" solar wind conditions.

Using ground magnetometer network, such as SuperMAG, Mag-Swe-Dan and IMAGE, I will first introduce our previous results on statistical studies on the dB/dt spikes, their occurrences locations and behaviours, then I will discuss one famous geomagnetic storm in 2015 possibly associated with small-scale substorm current wedge structures called wedgelets. Finally, I will discuss my preliminary results from my current project introducing the sub-auroral polarizations streams (SAPS) observed with SuperDARN radars that might be associated with dB/dt spikes under different solar wind conditions.

MIST Online Seminar Series: https://www.mist.ac.uk/meetings/mist-...