Convection Models

Several statistical models of high-latitude plasma convection have been derived using data from one or more of the SuperDARN radars. The various models are briefly described below. More details can be found in the journal articles listed under the appropriate model. Click on the model heading or on the navigation bar to the left to view convection patterns.

Interactive Dynamical Model

A dynamical model based on the CS10 coefficients. Convection patterns are obtained for any combination of IMF clock angle, solar wind electric field, and dipole tilt angle that is within the bounds of the parameters. No extrapolation is performed. Both web and IDL widget interfaces are available.

Features:

same as CS10 Model
coefficient interpolation
web and IDL widget interfaces

References:

Cousins, E. D. P. and S. G. Shepherd (2010), A dynamical model of high-latitude convection derived from SuperDARN plasma drift measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 115, A12329, doi:10.1029/2010JA016017

CS10 Model

A statistical model based on PSR10 that expands the period of data to cover 1998-2006, adds a solar wind dependence, and adjusts binning parameters to improve data coverage across bins.

Features:

1998 -- 2006
9 northern hemisphere and 6 southern hemisphere SuperDARN radars

transverse IMF clock-angle bins:

IMF clock-angle	Model
0° ± 25.0°	Bz+
47.5° ± 22.5°	Bz+/By+
90° ± 20.0°	By+
132.5° ± 22.5°	Bz-/By+
180° ± 25.0°	Bz-
-47.5° ± 22.5°	Bz+/By-
-90° ± 20.0°	By-
-132.5° ± 22.5°	Bz-/By-

solar wind electric field magnitude bins:

Esw (mV/m)

  0 - 1.2

  1.2 - 1.7

  1.7 - 2.2

  2.2 - 2.9

  2.9 - 4.1

  4.1 - 8.0
Dipole tilt angle:

Dipole Tilt

  negative

  neutral

  positive

References:

Cousins, E. D. P. and S. G. Shepherd (2010), A dynamical model of high-latitude convection derived from SuperDARN plasma drift measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 115, A12329, doi:10.1029/2010JA016017

PSR10 Model

A statistical model that incorporates multiple radars from both northern and southern hemispheres. Binning by IMF clock angle, magnitude, and dipole tilt angle.

Features:

1998 -- 2002
9 northern hemisphere and 6 southern hemisphere SuperDARN radars

transverse IMF clock-angle bins:

IMF clock-angle	Model
0° ± 22.5°	Bz+
45° ± 22.5°	Bz+/By+
90° ± 22.5°	By+
135° ± 22.5°	Bz-/By+
180° ± 22.5°	Bz-
-45° ± 22.5°	Bz+/By-
-90° ± 22.5°	By-
-135° ± 22.5°	Bz-/By-

IMF magnitude bins:

IMF Bt (nT)

  0 - 3

  3 - 5

  5 - 10
Dipole tilt angle:

Dipole Tilt

  negative

  neutral

  positive

References:

Pettigrew, E. D., S. G. Shepherd, and J. M. Ruohoniemi (2010), Climatological patterns of high-latitude convection in the Northern and Southern hemispheres: Dipole tilt dependencies and interhemispheric comparisons, J. Geophys. Res., 115, A07305, doi:10.1029/2009JA014956
Ruohoniemi, J. M. and R. A. Greenwald (2005), Dependencies of high-latitude plasma convection: Consideration of interplanetary magnetic field, seasonal, and universal time factors in statistical patterns, J. Geophys. Res., 110, A09204, doi:10.1029/2004JA010815

RG96 Model

The first statistical model derived from Goose Bay SuperDARN radar data over the period of 1987-1993.

Features:

1987 -- 1993
Goose Bay data only

transverse IMF clock-angle bins:

IMF clock-angle	Model
0° ± 22.5°	Bz+
45° ± 22.5°	Bz+/By+
90° ± 22.5°	By+
135° ± 22.5°	Bz-/By+
180° ± 22.5°	Bz-
-45° ± 22.5°	Bz+/By-
-90° ± 22.5°	By-
-135° ± 22.5°	Bz-/By-

IMF magnitude bins:

IMF Bt (nT)

  0 - 4

  4 - 6

  6 - 12
2- ≤ Kp ≤ 3+

References:

Ruohoniemi, J. M. and R. A. Greenwald (1996), Statistical Patterns of High-Latitude Convection Obtained from Goose Bay HF Radar Observations, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 21,743