Effects of the Stormtime Ring Current Driven Potential on Inner Magnetospheric
Ion Drifts

Liemohn, M. W., A. J. Ridley, J. U. Kozyra, P. C:son Brandt, R. Demajistre,
and E. C. Roelof

Numerical calculations of the nightside subauroral potential well created by
the closure of the stormtime partial ring current are shown and examined. This
extra convection significantly alters the plasma flow through the inner
magnetosphere. It is found that intense electric fields of a few millivolts
per meter last for only a few hours during typical storms and are confined to
the inner (Earthward) side of the potential well. These strong fields are
capable of changing the drift paths of the hot ions that cause the partial
ring current. The feedback of this drift path change on the field-aligned
closure currents and the resulting potential well is examined. It is hoped
that a self-consistent solution will be obtained by the time of this
presentation. Effects of this stormtime potential well can be seen in the
IMAGE data, and HENA images will be compared against numerical results to
quantify its impact.

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To be presented at the Magnetospheric Imaging Workshop, 
Yosemite National Park, California, U.S.A., Feb. 5-8, 2002.