Statistical identification of solar wind origins of magnetic impulse events

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Abstract

We have compiled a complete list of magnetic impulse events (MIEs) during the 8-year period of 1995-2002 covering solar minimum to solar maximum using fluxgate magnetometer data obtained at the South Pole. Wavelet analysis enables us to detect 825 distinct MIEs automatically with high confidence. Interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) discontinuities are also detected automatically for the same period from Wind and ACE satellite data. From an examination and comparison of the two lists, we find that monthly and seasonal variations in IMF discontinuity occurrences have a significant correlation (0.4-0.5) with those of MIEs. We also find that MIEs tend to occur during intervals of low density, high-speed solar wind streams, and/or radial IMF. No preferences for MIE occurrences are found for solar wind pressure jumps or IMF Bz southward turnings. From detailed minimum variance analysis of 36 IMF discontinuities with one-toone correspondence to MIEs, ∼70% of the IMF discontinuities are found to be tangential discontinuities. The hot flow anomaly (HFA) mechanism can explain at most ∼50% of the MIEs; bursty reconnection and pressure pulses can explain the production of at most ∼30% and ∼20% of the MIEs, respectively. All of the observations and associations are consistent with HFAs or foreshock cavities being the main cause of MIEs. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.

Identifier

30744460564 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JA010202

e-ISSN

21699402

Issue

A12

Volume

108

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