Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Identifying the Open-Closed Field Line Boundary

  • Chapter
Polar Cap Boundary Phenomena

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 509))

Abstract

Of all the various definitions of the polar cap boundary that have been used in the past, the most physically meaningful and significant is the boundary between open and closed field lines. Locating this boundary is very important as it defines which regions and phenomena are on open field lines and which are on closed. This usually has fundamental implications for the mechanisms invoked. Unfortunately, the open-closed boundary is usually very difficult to identify, particularly where it maps to an active reconnection site. This paper looks at the topological reconnection classes that can take place, both at the magnetopause and in the cross-tail current sheet and discusses the implications for identifying the open-closed boundary when reconnection is giving velocity filter dispersion of signatures. On the dayside, it is shown that the dayside boundary plasma sheet and low-latitude boundary layer precipitations are well explained as being on open field lines, energetic ions being present because of reflection of central plasma sheet ions off the two Alfvén waves launched by the reconnection site (the outer one of which is the magnetopause). This also explains otherwise anomalous features of the dayside convection pattern in the cusp region. On the nightside, similar considerations place the open-closed boundary somewhat poleward of the velocity-dispersed ion structures which are a signature of the plasma sheet boundary layer ion flows in the tail.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Dungey, J. W. (1961) Interplanetary magnetic field and the auroral zones, Phys. Rev. Lett., 6,47.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Newell, P.T., D. Xu, C.I. Meng, and M.G. Kivelson, Dynamical polar cap: a unifying approach (1997) J. Geophys. Res., 102,127–140.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lockwood, M., S.W.H. Cowley, and M.P. Freeman (1990) The excitation of plasma convection in the high latitude ionosphere, J. geophys Res., 95,7961–7971.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cowley, S.W.H., and M. Lockwood, Excitation and decay of solar-wind driven flows in the magnetosphere-ionosphere system (1992) Annales Geophys., 10,103–115.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cowley, S.W.H. (1997) Excitation of flow in the Earth’s magnetosphere-ionosphere system: observations by incoherent scatter radar, this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Lockwood, M. (1994) Ionospheric signatures of pulsed magnetopause reconnection, in “Physical signatures of magnetopause boundary layer Processes”, ed. J.A. Holtet and A. Egeland, NATO ASI Series C,Vol. 425,Kluwer, 229–243.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  7. Wygant, J. R., R. B. Torbert and F. S. Mozer (1983) Comparison of S3–2 polar cap potential drops with the interplanetary magnetic field and models of magnetopause reconnection, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 5727.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lockwood, M., and S.W.H. Cowley (1992) Ionospheric Convection and the substorm cycle, in “Substorms 1,Proceedings of the First International Conference on Substorms,ICS-1”,ed C. Mattock, ESA-SP-335,99–109, European Space Agency Publications, Nordvijk, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Fox, N.J., M. Lockwood, S.W.H. Cowley, M.P. Freeman, E. Friis-Christensen, D.K. Milling, M. Pinnock and G.D. Reeves (1994) EISCAT observations of unusual flows in the morning sector associated with weak substorm activity, Annales Geophys. 12, 541–553.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Russell, C.T. (1972) The configuration of the magnetosphere, in Critical Problems of Magnetospheric Physics,edited by E.R. Dyer, p.1, Nat. Acad. Sciences, Washington.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Crooker N.U. (1992) Reverse convection, J. Geophys. Res., 97, 19,363–19,372.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Maynard, N.C., W.J. Burke, D.R. Wiemer, F.S. Mozer, J.D. Scudder, W.K. Peterson, R.P. Lepping and C.T. Russell (1997) Polar observations of cusp electrodynamics: evolution from 2- to 4- cell convection patterns, this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Freeman, M.P., C.J. Farrugia, L.F. Burlaga, M.R. Hairston, M.E. Greenspan, J.M. Ruohoniemi, and R.P. Lepping (1993) The interaction of a magnetic cloud with the earth: ionospheric convection in the northern and southern hemispheres for a wide range of quasi-steady interplanetary magnetic field conditions, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 7633–7655.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Sandholt, P.E., C.J. Farrugia, J. Moen and B. Lybekk (1997) The dayside aurora and its regulation by the interplanetary magnetic field, this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fuselier, S., B.J. Anderson, and T, G, Onsager (1997) Electron and ion signatures of field line topology at the low shear magnetopause, J. Geophys. Res.,in press.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fuselier, S., B.J. Anderson, and T,G, Onsager (1995) Electron and ion signatures of field line topology at the low shear magnetopause, J. Geophys. Res.,100,11805–11814.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Anderson, B.J., T.D. Phan, and S.A. Fuselier (1997) Relationships between plasma depletion and subsolar reconnection, . J. Geophys. Res.,102., 9531–9542.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Crooker, N.U., and F.J. Rich (1993) Lobe-cell convection as a summer phenomenon, Geophys. Res.,98,13,403–13,407.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Knipp, D.J., et al. (1993) Ionospheric convection response to slow, strong variations in a northward interplanetary magnetic field: A case for study for January 14 1988, J. Geophys. Res.,98, 19,273–19,292.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Song, P., and C.T. Russell (1992) Model of the formation of the low-latitude boundary layer for strongly northward interplanetary magnetic field, J. Geophys. Res.,97, 1411–1420.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hall, A.M., M. Lockwood, C.H. Perry, M. Grande, B. Kellet, M. Lester, G. Reeves, H.E. Spence, J. Woch and J. Fennell (1997) Dayside Polar observations of dispersed, substorm-associated particle injection features in the vicinity of the cusp, Annales Geophys., in press.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lockwood, M., and M.F. Smith (1994) Low-and mid-altitude cusp particle signatures for general magnetopause reconnection rate variations: I - Theory, J. Geophys. Res.,99,8531–8555.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Onsager T.G., C.A. Kletzing, J.B. Austin, and H. MacKiernan (1993) Model of magnetosheath plasma in the magnetosphere: Cusp and mantle particles at low-altitudes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, 479–482.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lockwood, M. (1995) The location and characteristics of the reconnection X-line deduced from low-altitude satellite and ground-based observations: 1. Theory, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 21791–21802.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lockwood, M., and C.J. Davis (1996) On the longitudinal extent of magnetopause reconnection bursts, Annales Geophys.,41,865–878.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Lockwood, M. (1997) Energy and pitch angle dispersions of LLBL/cusp ions seen at middle altitudes: predictions by the open magnetosphere model, Annales Geophys., in press.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Lockwood, M., C.J. Davis, T.G. Onsager, and J.A. Scudder (1997) Modelling signatures of pulsed magnetopause reconnection in cusp ion dispersion signatures seen at middle altitudes, Geophys. Res. Lett., in press.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Lockwood, M., and M.A. Hapgood (1997) How the Magnetopause Transition Parameter Works, Geophys. Res. Leu., 24, 373–376.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Newell, P.T. and C.-I. Meng (1992) Mapping the dayside ionosphere to the magnetosphere according to particle precipitation characteristics, Geophys. Res. Leu., 19, 609–612.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Vasyliunas, V.M. (1979) Interaction between the magnetospheric boundary layers and the ionosphere, in Proceedings of the Magnetospheric Boundary Layers Conference,Alpbach, pp.387–394, ESA SP-148, ESA, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Baker, K., A.S. Rodger and G. Lu (1997) HF radar observations of dayside magnetic merging rate: A Geospace Environment Modelling boundary layer campaign study, J. Geophys. Res., 102,9601–9618.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Jørgensen, T.S., E. Friis-Christiansen, V.B. Wickwar, J.D. Kelly, C.R. Clauer, and P.M. Banks, P.M. (1984) On the reversal from “sunward” to “antisunward” plasma convection in the dayside high latitude ionosphere, J. Geophys. Res. Lett., 1,887–890.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Etemadi, A., S. W. H. Cowley, M. Lockwood, B. J. I. Bromage, D. M. Willis, and H. Lühr (1988) The dependence of high-latitude dayside ionospheric flows on the north-south component of the IMF, a high time resolution correlation analysis using EISCAT “POLAR” and AMPTE UKS and 1RM data, Planet. Space Sci., 36,471.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Hairston, M.R. and R.A. Heelis (1990) Model of the high-latitude ionospheric convection pattern during southward Interplanetary Magnetic Field using DE 2 data, J. Geophys. Res., 95,2333.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Heppner, J. P. and N. C. Maynard (1987) Empirical high-latitude electric field models, J. Geophys. Res., 92, 4467.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Reiff, P. H. and J. G. Luhmann (1986) Solar wind control of the polar cap voltage, in ’Solar Wind-Magnetosphere Coupling’, edited Y. Kamide and J.A. Slavin, p. 453, Terra Scientifica, Tokyo.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  37. Cowley, S.W.H. (1984) Solar wind control of magnetospheric convection, in Achievements of the international magnetospheric study, IMS, pp483–494, ESA SP-217, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Boyle, C.B., P.H. Reiff, and M.R. Hairston (1997) Empirical polar cap potentials, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 111–125.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Maynard, N.C., E.J. Weber, D.R. Wiemer, J. Moen, T. Onsager, R.A. Heelis and A. Egeland (1997) How wide in magnetic local time is the cusp? An event study, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 4765–4776.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Lockwood, M. (1997) The relationship of dayside auroral precipitations to the open-closed separatrix and the pattern of convective flow, J. Geophys. Res., 102,17475–17487.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  41. Lockwood, M., S.W.H. Cowley and T.G. Onsager (1996) Ion acceleration at both the interior and exterior Alfvén waves associated with the magnetopause reconnection site: signatures in cusp precipitation, J. Geophys. Res., 101,21501–21515.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Lockwood, M., and J. Moen (1996) Ion populations on open field lines within the low-latitude boundary layer: theory and observations during a dayside transient event, Geophys. Res. Lett 23, 2895–2898.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Crooker, N.U., F. Toffoletto, and M.S. Gusenhoven (1991) Opening the cusp, J. Geophys. Res 96, 3497–3503.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. Newell, P.T. W.J. Burke, E.R. Sanchez, C-I. Meng, M.E. Greenspan, and C.R. Clauer (1991) The low-latitude boundary and the boundary plasma sheet at low altitude: prenoon precipitation regions and convection reversal boundaries, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 21,013–21,023.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Nishida, A., T. Mukai, H. Hayakawa, A. Matsuoka, and K. Tsuruda (1993) Unexpected features of the ion precipitation in the so-called cleft/low-latitude boundary layer region: association with sunward convection and occurrence on open field lines, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 11,161–11,176.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Newell, P.T. and C.-I. Meng (1993) Reply, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, 1739–1740.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. Lockwood, M., and M.F. Smith (1993) Comment on “Mapping the dayside ionosphere to the magnetosphere according to particle precipitation characteristics” by Newell and Meng, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20,1739–1740.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Smith, M.F. (1994) Transient reconnection and its effects on the ionosphere, “Physical signatures of magnetopause boundary layer Processes”,ed. J.A. Holtet and A. Egeland, NATO ASI Series C, Vol. 425, Kluwer, 275–289.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  49. Newell, P.T., and C.-I. Meng (1997) Open and closed low-latitude boundary layer this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Watermann, J., O. de la Beujardiére and H.E. Spence (1993) Space-time structure of the morning aurora inferred from coincident DMSP-F6,-F8, and Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar observations, J. atmos. terr. phys., 55, 1728–1739.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Newell, P.T. W.J. Burke, E.R. Sanchez, Ching-I. Meng, M.E. Greenspan, and C.R. Clauer (1991) The low-latitude boundary and the boundary plasma sheet at low altitude: prenoon precipitation regions and convection reversal boundaries, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 21,013–21,023.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  52. de la Beaujardiere O., P. Newell, and R. Rich (1993) Relationship between Birkeland current regions, particle participation, and electric fields, J. Geophys. Res.,98, 7711­-7720.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. Ohtani, S.-I., T.A. Potemra, P.T. Newell, L.J. Zanetti, T. Iijima, M. Wantanabe, M. Yamauchi, R.D. Elphinstone, O de la Beaujardiére and L.G. Blomberg (1995) Simultaneous prenoon and postnoon observations of three field-aligned current systems from Viking and DMSP-F7, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 119–136.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  54. Gosling, J.T., M.F. Thomsen, S.J. Bame, T.G. Onsager and C.T. Russell (1990) The electron edge of the low-latitude boundary layer during accelerated flow events, Geophys. Res. Lett., 17,1833–1836.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  55. Burch, J. L. (1855) Quasi-neutrality in the polar cusp, Geophys. Res.Lett.,12, 469–472.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. Cowley, S.W.H. and Z.V. Lewis (1990) Magnetic trapping of energetic particles on open dayside boundary layer flux tubes, Planet. Space Sci., 38, 1343.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  57. Scholer, M., P.W. Daly, G. Paschmann, and T.A. Fritz (1982) Field line topology determined by energetic particles during a possible magnetopause reconnection event, J. Geophys. Res., 87,6073.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  58. Daly, P.W. and T.A. Fritz (1982) Trapped electron distributions on open field lines, J. Geophys. Res., 87, 6081.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  59. Lockwood, M. (1997) Testing Substorm Theories: The Need For Multipoint Observations, Adv. in Space Res., 883–894.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Lockwood, M., S.W.H. Cowley, H. Todd, D.M. Willis and C.R. Clauer (1998) Ion flows and heating at a contracting polar cap boundary, Planet. Space Sci., 36, 1229–1253.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  61. Onsager, T.G. and T. Mukai (1995) Low altitude signature of the plasma sheet boundary layer: Observations and model, Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 855–858.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  62. Onsager, T.G., and T. Mukai (1996) The structure of the plasma sheet and its boundary layers, J. Geomag. Geoelect., 48, 687–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Bosqued J.M., et al. (1993) Dispersed ion structures at the poleward edge of the auroral oval: low-altitude observations and numerical modelling, J. Geophys. Res., 98,19,181­19,204.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  64. Senior C., D. Delcourt, J.-C. Cerisier, C. Hanuise, J.-P. Villian, R.G. Greenwald, P.T. Newell and F.J. Rich (1994) Correlated observations of the boundary between polar cap and nightside auroral zone by HF radars and the DMSP satellite, Geophys. Res. Lett.,21, 221–224.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  65. Fukunishi, H., Y. Takahashi, T. Nagatsuma, T. Mukai and S. Machida (1993) Latitudinal structures of nightside field-aligned currents and their relationships to the plasma sheet regions, J. Geophys. Res., 98,11,235–11,255.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  66. Persson, M.A.L., A.T. Aikio and H.J. Opgenoorth (1994) Satellite-groundbased coordination: Late growth and early expansion phase of a substorm, in “Substorms 2”, Proc. 2nd. Int. Conf. on substorms, 421–428, Geophysical Institute, Fairbanks, Alaska.

    Google Scholar 

  67. Persson, M.A.L., et al. (1994) Near-earth substorm onset: A co-ordinated study, Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 1875–1878.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  68. Gazey, N.G.J., M. Lockwood, M. Grande, C.H. Perry, P.N. Smith, S. Coles, A.D. Aylward R.J. Bunting, H. Opgenoorth and B. Wilken (1996) EISCAT/CRRES observations: nightside ionospheric ion outflow and oxygen-rich substorm injections, Annales Geophys 14., ,1032–1043

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  69. de la Beaujardière, O., L.R. Lyons, J.M. Ruohoniemi, E. Friis-Christensen, C. Danielsen, F.J. Rich and P.T. Newell (1994) Quiet-time intensifications along the poleward auroral boundary near midnight, J. Geophys Res., 99 , 287–298.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  70. Shirai, H., K. Maezawa, M. Fujimoto, T. Mukai, T. Yamamoto, Y. Saito, S. Kokubun and N. Kaya (1997) Drop-off in the polar rain near the plasma sheet boundary, J. Geophys. Res., 102,2271–2278.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  71. Lester, M., Lockwood. M, T.K. Yeoman, S.W.H. Cowley, H. Lühr, R. Bunting and C.J. Farrugia (1995) The response of ionospheric convection in the polar cap to substorm activity, Ann. Geophys.,13, 147–158.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK

    M. Lockwood

Authors
  1. M. Lockwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Courses on Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway

    J. Moen

  2. Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    A. Egeland

  3. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxfordshire, UK

    M. Lockwood

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lockwood, M. (1998). Identifying the Open-Closed Field Line Boundary. In: Moen, J., Egeland, A., Lockwood, M. (eds) Polar Cap Boundary Phenomena. NATO ASI Series, vol 509. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5214-3_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5214-3_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6195-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-5214-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation