TY - JOUR A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Matzka, Jürgen A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Kervalishvili, Guram N. A1 - Rauberg, Jan A1 - Bronkalla, Oliver A1 - Morschhauser, Achim A1 - Bruinsma, Sean L. A1 - Shprits, Yuri Y. A1 - Jackson, David R. T1 - Geomagnetic activity index Hpo JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - The geomagnetic activity index Kp is widely used but is restricted by low time resolution (3-hourly) and an upper limit. To address this, new geomagnetic activity indices, Hpo, are introduced. Similar to Kp, Hpo expresses the level of planetary geomagnetic activity in units of thirds (0o, 0+, 1-, 1o, 1+, 2-, horizontal ellipsis ) based on the magnitude of geomagnetic disturbances observed at subauroral observatories. Hpo has a higher time resolution than Kp. 30-min (Hp30) and 60-min (Hp60) indices are produced. The frequency distribution of Hpo is designed to be similar to that of Kp so that Hpo may be used as a higher time-resolution alternative to Kp. Unlike Kp, which is capped at 9o, Hpo is an open-ended index and thus can characterize severe geomagnetic storms more accurately. Hp30, Hp60 and corresponding linearly scaled ap30 and ap60 are available, in near real time, at the GFZ website (https://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/hpo-index). KW - Hpo KW - Hp30 KW - Hp60 KW - apo KW - ap30 KW - ap60 Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098860 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 49 IS - 10 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Matzka, Jürgen A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Bronkalla, Oliver A1 - Morschhauser, Achim T1 - The geomagnetic Kp index and derived indices of geomagnetic activity JF - Space weather : the international journal of research and applications N2 - The geomagnetic Kp index is one of the most extensively used indices of geomagnetic activity, both for scientific and operational purposes. This article reviews the properties of the Kp index and provides a reference for users of the Kp index and associated data products as derived and distributed by the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. The near real-time production of the nowcast Kp index is of particular interest for space weather services and here we describe and evaluate its current setup. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2020SW002641 SN - 1542-7390 VL - 19 IS - 5 PB - Wiley CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rodríguez Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Xiong, Chao A1 - England, Scott L. T1 - A synoptic-scale wavelike structure in the nighttime equatorial ionization anomaly JF - Earth and Space Science : ESS N2 - Both ground- and satellite-based airglow imaging have significantly contributed to understanding the low-latitude ionosphere, especially the morphology and dynamics of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). The NASA Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission focuses on far-ultraviolet airglow images from a geostationary orbit at 47.5 degrees W. This region is of particular interest at low magnetic latitudes because of the high magnetic declination (i.e., about -20 degrees) and proximity of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly. In this study, we characterize an exciting feature of the nighttime EIA using GOLD observations from October 5, 2018 to June 30, 2020. It consists of a wavelike structure of a few thousand kilometers seen as poleward and equatorward displacements of the EIA-crests. Initial analyses show that the synoptic-scale structure is symmetric about the dip equator and appears nearly stationary with time over the night. In quasi-dipole coordinates, maxima poleward displacements of the EIA-crests are seen at about +/- 12 degrees latitude and around 20 and 60 degrees longitude (i.e., in geographic longitude at the dip equator, about 53 degrees W and 14 degrees W). The wavelike structure presents typical zonal wavelengths of about 6.7 x 10(3) km and 3.3 x 10(3) km. The structure's occurrence and wavelength are highly variable on a day-to-day basis with no apparent dependence on geomagnetic activity. In addition, a cluster or quasi-periodic wave train of equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs) is often detected within the synoptic-scale structure. We further outline the difference in observing these EPDs from FUV images and in situ measurements during a GOLD and Swarm mission conjunction. KW - equatorial ionization anomaly KW - equatorial ionosphere KW - equatorial plasma bubbles KW - wave structure KW - forcing from below Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EA001529 SN - 2333-5084 VL - 8 IS - 2 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Malden, Mass. ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Park, Jaeheung A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Rauberg, Jan A1 - Michaelis, Ingo A1 - Olsen, Nils T1 - Diagnosing low-/mid-latitude ionospheric currents using platform magnetometers BT - CryoSat-2 and GRACE-FO JF - Earth, planets and space N2 - Electric currents flowing in the terrestrial ionosphere have conventionally been diagnosed by low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites equipped with science-grade magnetometers and long booms on magnetically clean satellites. In recent years, there are a variety of endeavors to incorporate platform magnetometers, which are initially designed for navigation purposes, to study ionospheric currents. Because of the suboptimal resolution and significant noise of the platform magnetometers, however, most of the studies were confined to high-latitude auroral regions, where magnetic field deflections from ionospheric currents easily exceed 100 nT. This study aims to demonstrate the possibility of diagnosing weak low-/mid-latitude ionospheric currents based on platform magnetometers. We use navigation magnetometer data from two satellites, CryoSat-2 and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO), both of which have been intensively calibrated based on housekeeping data and a high-precision geomagnetic field model. Analyses based on 8 years of CryoSat-2 data as well as similar to 1.5 years of GRACE-FO data reproduce well-known climatology of inter-hemispheric field-aligned currents (IHFACs), as reported by previous satellite missions dedicated to precise magnetic observations. Also, our results show that C-shaped structures appearing in noontime IHFAC distributions conform to the shape of the South Atlantic Anomaly. The F-region dynamo currents are only partially identified in the platform magnetometer data, possibly because the currents are weaker than IHFACs in general and depend significantly on altitude and solar activity. Still, this study evidences noontime F-region dynamo currents at the highest altitude (717 km) ever reported. We expect that further data accumulation from continuously operating missions may reveal the dynamo currents more clearly during the next solar maximum. KW - Platform magnetometers KW - CryoSat-2 KW - GRACE-FO KW - Inter-hemispheric KW - field-aligned currents KW - F-region dynamo currents Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-020-01274-3 SN - 1343-8832 SN - 1880-5981 VL - 72 IS - 1 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Soares, Gabriel Brando A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Cnossen, Ingrid A1 - Matzka, Jürgen A1 - Pinheiro, Katia J. A1 - Morschhauser, Achim A1 - Alken, Patrick A1 - Stolle, Claudia T1 - Evolution of the geomagnetic daily variation at Tatuoca, Brazil, From 1957 to 2019 BT - a transition from Sq to EEJ JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - The magnetic equator in the Brazilian region has moved over 1,100 km northward since 1957, passing the geomagnetic observatory Tatuoca (TTB), in northern Brazil, around 2013. We recovered and processed TTB hourly mean values of the geomagnetic field horizontal (H) component from 1957 until 2019, allowing the investigation of long-term changes in the daily variation due to the influence of secular variation, solar activity, season, and lunar phase. The H day-to-day variability and the occurrence of the counter electrojet at TTB were also investigated. Until the 1990s, ionospheric solar quiet currents dominated the quiet-time daily variation at TTB. After 2000, the magnitude of the daily variation became appreciably greater due to the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) contribution. The H seasonal and day-to-day variability increased as the magnetic equator approached, but their amplitudes normalized to the average daily variation remained at similar levels. Meanwhile, the amplitude of the lunar variation, normalized in the same way, increased from 5% to 12%. Within the EEJ region, the occurrence rate of the morning counter electrojet (MCEJ) increased with proximity to the magnetic equator, while the afternoon counter electrojet (ACEJ) did not. EEJ currents derived from CHAMP and Swarm satellite data revealed that the MCEJ rate varies with magnetic latitude within the EEJ region while the ACEJ rate is largely constant. Simulations with the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model based on different geomagnetic main field configurations suggest that long-term changes in the geomagnetic daily variation at TTB can be attributed to the main field secular variation. Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028109 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 125 IS - 9 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Xiong, Chao A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Alken, Patrick A1 - Rauberg, Jan T1 - Relationship between large-scale ionospheric field-aligned currents and electron/ion precipitations BT - DMSP observations JF - Earth, planets and space N2 - In this study, we have derived field-aligned currents (FACs) from magnetometers onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Project (DMSP) satellites. The magnetic latitude versus local time distribution of FACs from DMSP shows comparable dependences with previous findings on the intensity and orientation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF)B(y)andB(z)components, which confirms the reliability of DMSP FAC data set. With simultaneous measurements of precipitating particles from DMSP, we further investigate the relation between large-scale FACs and precipitating particles. Our result shows that precipitation electron and ion fluxes both increase in magnitude and extend to lower latitude for enhanced southward IMFBz, which is similar to the behavior of FACs. Under weak northward and southwardB(z)conditions, the locations of the R2 current maxima, at both dusk and dawn sides and in both hemispheres, are found to be close to the maxima of the particle energy fluxes; while for the same IMF conditions, R1 currents are displaced further to the respective particle flux peaks. Largest displacement (about 3.5 degrees) is found between the downward R1 current and ion flux peak at the dawn side. Our results suggest that there exists systematic differences in locations of electron/ion precipitation and large-scale upward/downward FACs. As outlined by the statistical mean of these two parameters, the FAC peaks enclose the particle energy flux peaks in an auroral band at both dusk and dawn sides. Our comparisons also found that particle precipitation at dawn and dusk and in both hemispheres maximizes near the mean R2 current peaks. The particle precipitation flux maxima closer to the R1 current peaks are lower in magnitude. This is opposite to the known feature that R1 currents are on average stronger than R2 currents. KW - field-aligned currents KW - aurora KW - particle precipitation KW - DMSP Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-020-01286-z SN - 1880-5981 VL - 72 IS - 1 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - GEN A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Wendt, Vivien A1 - Miyoshi, Y. A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Siddiqui, Tarique Adnan A1 - Kervalishvili, Guram N. A1 - Laštovička, J. A1 - Kozubek, M. A1 - Ward, W. A1 - Themens, D. R. A1 - Kristoffersen, S. A1 - Alken, Patrick T1 - September 2019 Antarctic sudden stratospheric warming BT - Quasi-6-Day wave burst and ionospheric effects T2 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - An exceptionally strong stationary planetary wave with Zonal Wavenumber 1 led to a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the Southern Hemisphere in September 2019. Ionospheric data from European Space Agency's Swarm satellite constellation mission show prominent 6-day variations in the dayside low-latitude region at this time, which can be attributed to forcing from the middle atmosphere by the Rossby normal mode "quasi-6-day wave" (Q6DW). Geopotential height measurements by the Microwave Limb Sounder aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aura satellite reveal a burst of global Q6DW activity in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere during the SSW, which is one of the strongest in the record. The Q6DW is apparently generated in the polar stratosphere at 30-40 km, where the atmosphere is unstable due to strong vertical wind shear connected with planetary wave breaking. These results suggest that an Antarctic SSW can lead to ionospheric variability through wave forcing from the middle atmosphere. Plain Language Summary: A sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) is an extreme wintertime polar meteorological phenomenon occurring mostly over the Arctic region. Studies have shown that Arctic SSW can influence the entire atmosphere. In September 2019, a rare SSW event occurred in the Antarctic region, providing an opportunity to investigate its broader impact on the whole atmosphere. We present observations from the middle atmosphere and ionosphere during this event, noting unusually strong wave activity throughout this region. Our results suggest that an Antarctic SSW can have a significant impact on the whole atmosphere system similar to those due to Arctic events. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 1394 KW - Rossby-normal modes KW - nonumiform background configuration KW - total electron-content KW - large-scale KW - planetary-waves KW - 5-day waves KW - equatorial electrojet KW - lower thermosphere KW - symmetric modes KW - 6.5-Day wave Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-515814 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Wendt, Vivien A1 - Miyoshi, Y. A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Siddiqui, Tarique Adnan A1 - Kervalishvili, Guram N. A1 - Laštovička, J. A1 - Kozubek, M. A1 - Ward, W. A1 - Themens, D. R. A1 - Kristoffersen, S. A1 - Alken, Patrick T1 - September 2019 Antarctic sudden stratospheric warming BT - Quasi-6-Day wave burst and ionospheric effects JF - Geophysical Research Letters N2 - An exceptionally strong stationary planetary wave with Zonal Wavenumber 1 led to a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the Southern Hemisphere in September 2019. Ionospheric data from European Space Agency's Swarm satellite constellation mission show prominent 6-day variations in the dayside low-latitude region at this time, which can be attributed to forcing from the middle atmosphere by the Rossby normal mode "quasi-6-day wave" (Q6DW). Geopotential height measurements by the Microwave Limb Sounder aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aura satellite reveal a burst of global Q6DW activity in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere during the SSW, which is one of the strongest in the record. The Q6DW is apparently generated in the polar stratosphere at 30-40 km, where the atmosphere is unstable due to strong vertical wind shear connected with planetary wave breaking. These results suggest that an Antarctic SSW can lead to ionospheric variability through wave forcing from the middle atmosphere. Plain Language Summary: A sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) is an extreme wintertime polar meteorological phenomenon occurring mostly over the Arctic region. Studies have shown that Arctic SSW can influence the entire atmosphere. In September 2019, a rare SSW event occurred in the Antarctic region, providing an opportunity to investigate its broader impact on the whole atmosphere. We present observations from the middle atmosphere and ionosphere during this event, noting unusually strong wave activity throughout this region. Our results suggest that an Antarctic SSW can have a significant impact on the whole atmosphere system similar to those due to Arctic events. KW - Rossby-normal modes KW - nonumiform background configuration KW - total electron-content KW - large-scale KW - planetary-waves KW - 5-day waves KW - equatorial electrojet KW - lower thermosphere KW - symmetric modes KW - 6.5-Day wave Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086577 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 47 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Soares, Gabriel A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Matzka, Jürgen A1 - Pinheiro, Katia A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Alken, Patrick A1 - Yoshikawa, Akimasa A1 - Uozumi, Teiji A1 - Fujimoto, Akiko A1 - Kulkarni, Atul T1 - Longitudinal variability of the equatorial counter electrojet during the solar cycle 24 JF - Studia geophysica et geodaetica N2 - Ground and space-based geomagnetic data were used in the investigation of the longitudinal, seasonal and lunar phase dependence of the equatorial counter electrojet (CEJ) occurrence in the Peruvian, Brazilian, African, Indian and Philippine sectors during geomagnetically quiet days from the solar cycle 24 (2008 to 2018). We found that CEJ events occur more frequently during the morning (MCEJ) than in the afternoon (ACEJ). The highest MCEJ and ACEJ occurrence rates were observed for the Brazilian sector. Distinct seasonal dependence was found for each longitudinal sector under investigation. The lunar phase dependence was determined for the first time for the Philippine sector (longitude 125 degrees E), and it was shown to be less pronounced than in the Peruvian, Brazilian and African sectors. We demonstrate that differences in CEJ rates derived from ground-based and satellite data can arise from the longitudinal separation between low-latitude and equatorial stations that are used to determine the signal and its consequent time delay in their sunrise/sunset times at ionospheric heights. KW - geomagnetism KW - equatorial ionosphere KW - geomagnetic observatories KW - satellite data Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11200-018-0286-0 SN - 0039-3169 SN - 1573-1626 VL - 63 IS - 2 SP - 304 EP - 319 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rodriguez-Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Lühr, H. A1 - Park, J. A1 - Scherliess, L. A1 - Chau, J. L. T1 - On the balance between plasma and magnetic pressure across equatorial plasma depletions JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - In magnetized plasmas such as the ionosphere, electric currents develop in regions of strong density gradients to balance the resulting plasma pressure gradients. These currents, usually known as diamagnetic currents decrease the magnetic pressure where the plasma pressure increases, and vice versa. In the low‐latitude ionosphere, equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs) are well known for their steep plasma density gradients and adverse effect on radio wave propagation. In this paper, we use continuous measurements of the magnetic field and electron density from the European Space Agency's Swarm constellation mission to assess the balance between plasma and magnetic pressure across large‐scale EPDs. The analysis is based on the magnetic fluctuations related to diamagnetic currents flowing at the edges of EPDs. This study shows that most of the EPDs detected by Swarm present a decrease of the plasma pressure relative to the ambient plasma. However, EPDs with high plasma pressure are also identified mainly in the vicinity of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly. From the electron density measurements, we deduce that such an increase in plasma pressure within EPDs might be possible by temperatures inside the EPD as high as twice the temperature of the ambient plasma. Due to the distinct location of the high‐pressure EPDs, we suggest that a possible heating mechanism might be due to precipitation of particle from the radiation belts. This finding corresponds to the first observational evidence of plasma pressure enhancements in regions of depleted plasma density in the ionosphere. KW - equatorial plasma depletions KW - spread F KW - plasma pressure KW - magnetic pressure KW - diamagnetic currents Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026700 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 124 IS - 7 SP - 5936 EP - 5944 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER -