Features of formation of small-scale wave disturbances during a sudden magnetospheric compression

Abstract

Quasi-periodic changes of the geomagnetic field and plasma parameters in the range of Pc 5 pulsations, which occurred immediately after the interaction of interplanetary shock (IPS) with Earth’s magnetosphere in the event of April 24, 2009 at 00:53 UT are examined using ground and satellite observations. The pulsations were localized at latitudes 66–74° in the noon (11 MLT) and evening (20 MLT) sectors. The analysis of hodographs of the geomagnetic field changes both from satellite and ground observations has shown the presence of vortical disturbances. In this event, both the IPS front in the interplanetary medium and the compression wave front in the magnetosphere had a slope in the ZGSM=0 plane; the inclination angle was 14° in the interplanetary medium and 34° in the magnetosphere.

Keywords

• interplanetary shock
• sudden geomagnetic impulse
• geomagnetic pulsations
• shear flow