Implementation of Ionospheric Generators in the Numerical Model of the Global Electric Circuit
- PDF / 997,494 Bytes
- 13 Pages / 612 x 792 pts (letter) Page_size
- 69 Downloads / 172 Views
ementation of Ionospheric Generators in the Numerical Model of the Global Electric Circuit F. A. Kuterina, * and N. N. Slyunyaeva, ** a
Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russia *e-mail: [email protected] **e-mail: [email protected] Received December 18, 2019; revised April 10, 2020; accepted May 21, 2020
Abstract—The consistent inclusion of global electric circuit sources of ionospheric and magnetospheric origin in distributed numerical models of the circuit is discussed. It is shown that the most natural approach to this inclusion is to introduce into the boundary conditions at the outer boundary of the model atmosphere the corresponding perturbation of the potential specified up to an unknown constant. As an example of the implementation of this approach, the solution of a model problem on a high-latitude magnetospheric convective generator with the use of a three-dimensional numerical model of the global electric circuit is demonstrated. It is shown that the specified potential perturbation in polar regions is projected into the lower layers of the atmosphere with preservation of their structure, which is a consequence of the quasi-one-dimensionality of the problem under the conditions of slow variation in all parameters with latitude and longitude at an approximately constant profile of conductivity. DOI: 10.1134/S0016793220060080
1. INTRODUCTION The fundamental approach in studies of atmospheric electricity in recent years is the inclusion of different processes occurring in the atmosphere in a joint concept of the global electric circuit (GEC)—the distributed current loop formed by the atmosphere, Earth’s surface, and lower ionosphere (Anisimov and Mareev, 2008; Mareev, 2010; Rycroft et al., 2008; Williams, 2009; Williams and Mareev, 2014). The basis of the GEC is formed by the distribution of quasi-stationary fields and currents in the atmosphere (the socalled direct current GEC) which, according to the currently accepted Wilson hypothesis (Wilson, 1921, 1924), is maintained by processes of charge separation in thunderstorm clouds and other clouds with a developed electric structure. In thunderstorm regions, the quasi-stationary current moves upwards; in fine weather regions, it moves downwards. The highly conducting upper layer of the Earth’s surface and lower ionosphere close the electric circuit. Despite the large amount of accumulated observation data on atmospheric electricity phenomena, including the results of both ground-based measurements and measurements with the use of probes, aircrafts, and satellites, these data not always allow an analysis of the full picture of electric processes in the global scale of the entire atmosphere. In connection with this, GEC modeling based on the numerical solution of equations for the potential of the electric
field in the atmosphere is of special importance. The classical Hays–Roble model can be considered the first rigorous GEC model (Hays and Roble, 1979). Parameterizing the atmosphere conductivity and spati
Data Loading...
