[P-EM10] Multi-scale Coupling in the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere System

[PEM10-P05] Statistical study of the relationship between ion upflow and field-aligned current in the topside ionosphere for both hemispheres during disturbed and quiet times

Shan-Yu Zhou¹, *Qing-He Zhang¹, P. T. Jayachandran², Kjellmar Oksavik³, Larry Lyons⁴, Zan-Yang Xing¹, Yu-Zhang Ma¹, Marc Hairston⁵, Yong Wang¹ (1.Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China, 2.Physics Department, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, 3.Birkeland Centre for Space Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, 4.Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA, 5.William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA)

Keywords:Ion upflows, Field-aligned current, Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling

A statistical study of ion upflow and field-aligned currents (FACs) has been performed in the topside ionosphere of both hemispheres for magnetic quiet and disturbed times by using DMSP satellite observations from 2010-2013. Distributions in MLT/MLAT reveal that ion upflow shows a dawn-dusk asymmetry distribution that corresponds well with the region 1 field-aligned currents. In addition, there are highest occurrence regions near noon and within the near midnight auroral disturbance area. These correspond to cusp and nightside dynamical processes, respectively. Both the ion upflow occurrence and FAC regions expand equatorward to a wider area during disturbed times.