Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Planetary Plasma Environments

Dawn–dusk asymmetries are ubiquitous features of the plasma environment of many of the planets in our solar system. They occur when a particular process or feature is more pronounced at one side of a planet than the other. For example, recent observations indicate that Earth′s magnetopause is thicker at dawn than at dusk. Likewise, auroral breakups at Earth are more likely to occur in the pre–midnight than post–midnight sectors.

Increasing availability of remotely sensed and in situ measurements of planetary ionospheres, magnetospheres, and their interfaces to the solar wind have revealed significant and persistent dawn–dusk asymmetries. As yet, there is no consensus regarding the source of many of these asymmetries, nor the physical mechanisms by which they are produced and maintained.

Volume highlights include:

A comprehensive overview of mechanisms and current knowledge about dawn–dusk asymmetries in the plasma environments of planets in our solar system Valuable contributions from internationally recognized experts, covering observations, simulations and theories on all important aspects of dawn–dusk asymmetries Discussions of space weather effects caused by dawn–dusk asymmetries

Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Planetary Plasma Environments is a valuable resource for academic researchers in space physics, planetary science, astrophysics, physics, geophysics, and earth science.

Contributors vii

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Acronyms xv

Part I: External Contributions to Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries

1 The Magnetosphere of the Earth under Sub –Alfvenic Solar Wind Conditions as Observed on 24 and 25 May 2002
Emmanuel Chane, Joachim Saur, Joachim Raeder, Fritz M  Neubauer, Kristofor M  Maynard, and Stefaan Poedts  3

2 Dayside Magnetosphere Response to Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Changes: Propagation Geometry and Speed
Brian J  Jackel and Konstantin Kabin    15

3 Magnetopause Plasma Parameters and Asymmetries in Solar Wind Magnetosphere Coupling
Brian M  Walsh  29

4 Large –Scale Simulations of Solar Wind Ion Entry and Dayside Precipitation: Dawn –Dusk Asymmetry
Jean Berchem, Robert L  Richard, C  Philippe Escoubet, Simon Wing, and Frederic Pitout    41

5 Dawn –Dusk Asymmetries of the Earth s Dayside Magnetosheath in the Magnetosheath Interplanetary Medium Reference Frame
A  P  Dimmock, K  Nykyri, A  Osmane, H  Karimabadi, and T  I  Pulkkinen  49

6 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries at the Terrestrial Magnetopause: Observations
Stein Haaland, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Johan De Keyser, and Lukas Maes 73

7 Magnetopause Thickness at the Dawn and Dusk Flanks
Johan De Keyser, Lukas Maes, Romain Maggiolo, and Stein Haaland  85

8 On IMF By–Induced Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Earthward Convective Fast Flows
Timo Pitkanen, Maria Hamrin, Tomas Karlsson, Hans Nilsson, and Anita Kullen  95

9 Time–Dependence of Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in the Terrestrial Ionospheric Convection Pattern
Adrian Grocott  107

10 The Role of the Upper Atmosphere for Dawn–Dusk Differences in the Coupled Magnetosphere–Ionosphere–Thermosphere System
Matthias Forster, Eelco Doornbos, and Stein Haaland 125

11 Surveys of 557    7/630    0 nm Dayside Auroral Emissions in
Ny–Ålesund, Svalbard, and South Pole Station Ze–Jun Hu, Hui–Gen Yang, Yusuke Ebihara, Hong–Qiao Hu, and Bei–Chen Zhang 143

Part II: Internal Contributions to Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries

12 Aspects of the Morning/Afternoon Asymmetry of Geomagnetic Fluctuations at Middle and Low Frequencies
Umberto Villante 157

13 Premidnight Preponderance of Dispersionless Ion and Electron Injections
Christine Gabrielse, Andrei Runov, Vassilis Angelopoulos, Emma Spanswick, and Drew L  Turner 171

14 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Ultra–Low–Frequency Waves
I  Jonathan Rae  187

15 Spatial Structure and Asymmetries of Magnetospheric Currents Inferred from High–Resolution Empirical Geomagnetic Field Models
Mikhail I  Sitnov, Grant K  Stephens, Nikolai A  Tsyganenko, Aleksandr Y  Ukhorskiy, Simon Wing, Haje Korth, and Brian J  Anderson  199

16 A Review of Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries Observed Using the TWINS Mission of Opportunity
Amy M  Keesee  213

17 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries of Solar–Wind Magnetosphere Coupling in the Earth s Midtail
Chih–Ping Wang, Xiaoyan Xing, T  K  M  Nakamura, Larry R  Lyons, and Vassilis Angelopoulos 223

18 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Magnetotail Transients
Andrei Runov, S  Kiehas, and S  S  Li 233

19 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in the Near–Earth Plasma Sheet: Ion Observations
Elena A  Kronberg, Kun Li, Elena E  Grigorenko, Romain Maggiolo, Stein Haaland, Patrick W  Daly, and Hao Luo 243

20 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in the Auroral Particle Precipitation and Their Modulations by Substorms
Simon Wing, Jay R  Johnson, and Enrico Camporeale  255

21 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries of Ionospheric Outflow
Kun Li, Elena A  Kronberg, Mats Andre, Patrick W  Daly, Yong Wei, and Stein Haaland  273

22 Conjugate Aurora Location During a Strong IMF By Storm
William Longley, Patricia Reiff, Antoun G  Daou, and Marc Hairston 285

23 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Auroral Morphology and Processes
Tomas Karlsson, Anita Kullen, and Goran Marklund  295

Part III: Dawn Dusk Asymmetries in Other Planets

24 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Jupiter s Magnetosphere
Benjamin Palmaerts, Marissa F  Vogt, Norbert Krupp, Denis Grodent, and Bertrand Bonfond 309

25 Local Time Asymmetries in Saturn s Magnetosphere
James F  Carbary, Donald G  Mitchell, Abigail M  Rymer, Norbert Krupp, Doug Hamilton, Stamatios M  Krimigis, and Sarah V  Badman 323

26 Dawn–Dusk Asymmetries in Mercury s Magnetosphere
Torbjorn Sundberg 337

Index 349

Stein Haaland, University of Bergen, Norway
Andrei Runov, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Colin Forsyth, University College London, UK