Storm-Time Energy Transfer Over a Solar Cycle Based on Storm Driver

E.J. Mitchell, N.E. Turner, D.J. Knipp, B.A. Emery, and N. Alzate


We examine energy transfer during geomagnetic storms driven by ejecta-related
events or corotating interaction regions (CIRs) over the course of a solar
cycle.  Because solar wind drivers change over the solar cycle, we concentrate
on ejecta-related events and CIRs. We consider storms with minimum Dst* of -50
nT or less, which occur from 1995 to 2004 and recover 80%. For each storm, input
energy is calculated using the epsilon parameter and output energy is estimated
as the sum of integrated Joule heating, integrated auroral precipitation, and
integrated ring current injection. Energy transfer is examined by comparing the
input and output energies for the main and recovery phases. Results show greater
energy transfer during recovery phases overall with solar minimum-CIR driven
storms having the greatest geoeffectiveness.

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Global Aspects of Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling, 2006 Yosemite Workshop, 
Yosemite National Park, CA, USA, 7-10 February 2006