Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling and Field-Aligned Currents

TL;DR

This paper reviews the interactions between the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere via field-aligned currents, explaining their characteristics, physical implications, and their role as an electric circuit transferring energy and momentum.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling through field-aligned currents, highlighting their physical properties and the electric circuit analogy.

Findings

Field-aligned currents flow perpendicular to the magnetic field at high latitudes.

Energy and momentum transfer occurs via Poynting flux from magnetosphere to ionosphere.

The system behaves as an electric circuit facilitating this transfer.

Abstract

It is presented in this paper a review of one of several interactions between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere through the field-aligned currents (FACs). Some characteristics and physical implications of the currents flowing in a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field at high latitudes are discussed. The behavior of this system as an electric circuit is explained, where momentum and energy are transferred via Poynting flux from the magnetosphere into the ionosphere.