Mapping of steady-state electric fields and convective drifts in geomagnetic fields – Part 2: The IGRF

Abstract

A method of mapping electric fields along geomagnetic field lines is applied to the IGRF (International Geomagnetic Reference Field) model. The method involves integrating additional sets of first order differential equations simultaneously with those for tracing a magnetic field line. These provide a measure of the rate of change of the separation of two magnetic field lines separated by an infinitesimal amount. From the results of the integration Faraday's law is used to compute the electric field as a function of position along the field line. Examples of computations from a software package developed to implement the method are presented. This is expected to be of use in conjugate studies of magnetospheric phenomena such as SuperDARN (Super Dual Auroral Radar) observations of convection in conjugate hemispheres, or comparison of satellite electric field observations with fields measured in the ionosphere.