Space Weather Monitoring By Ground-based Means: Pc Index (springer Praxis Books)

This book demonstrates that the method, based on the ground polar cap magnetic observations is a reliable diagnosis of the solar wind energy coming into the magnetosphere Method for the uninterruptive monitoring of the magnetosphere state (i.e. space weather). It shows that the solar wind energy pumping power, can be described by the PC growth rate, thus, the magnetospheric substorms features are predetermined by the PC dynamics. Furthermore, it goes on to show that the beginning and ending of magnetic storms is predictable. The magnetic storm start only if the solar energy input into the magnetosphere exceeds a certain level and stops when the energy input turns out to be below this level. Front Matter....Pages i-xxiii Introduction....Pages 1-2 Physical background (historical outline)....Pages 3-22 A method for the PC index determination....Pages 23-40 Special features of procedure for on-line PC index derivation....Pages 41-76 Solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling and the PC index....Pages 77-101 PC index response to solar wind geoeffective variations....Pages 103-128 PC index as an indicator of substorm development....Pages 129-167 PC index as an indicator of magnetic storm development....Pages 169-185 Specific features of magnetic disturbances occurring under conditions of a steadily high energy input into the magnetosphere....Pages 187-217 Magnetic disturbances developing under conditions of northward IMF....Pages 219-230 Causative discrepancies between summer and winter PC indices: physical implications....Pages 231-245 Monitoring of the auroral ionosphere....Pages 247-256 PC index as indicator of anomalous atmospheric processes in the winter Antarctica....Pages 257-278 Conclusions....Pages 279-281 Back Matter....Pages 283-287