Improved ionospheric electrodynamic models and application to calculating Joule heating rates

Improved techniques have been developed for empirical modeling of the high‐latitude electric potentials and magnetic field‐aligned currents (FAC) as a function of the solar wind parameters. The FAC model is constructed using scalar magnetic Euler potentials and functions as a twin to the electric potential model. The improved models have more accurate field values plus more accurate boundary locations. Nonlinear saturation effects in the solar wind–magnetosphere coupling are also better reproduced. The models are constructed using a hybrid technique, which has spherical harmonic functions only within a small area at the pole. At lower latitudes the potentials are constructed from multiple Fourier series…

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  National Aeronautics and Space Administration