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Penetrating electric field during the Nov 3-4 2021 Geomagnetic Storm
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  • Qian Wu,
  • Wenbing Wang,
  • Dong Lin,
  • Chaosong Huang,
  • Yongliang Zhang
Qian Wu
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Wenbing Wang
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
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Dong Lin
National Center for Atmospheric Research
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Chaosong Huang
Air Force Research Laboratory
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Yongliang Zhang
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
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Abstract

We simulated the Nov 4, 2021 geomagnetic storm event penetrating electric field using the Multiscale Atmosphere-Geospace Environment (MAGE) and compared with the NASA ICON observation. The ICON observation showed enhancement of the vertical ion drift when the penetrating electric field arrived at the equatorial region. The simulated vertical ion drifts are consistent with ICON observation. Hence, we are able to verify the MAGE simulation with ICON observation. On the dusk side, the MAGE simulation showed strong pre-reversal enhancement (PRE), whereas the ICON observation did not display any sign of the PRE. The MAGE simulation did show that PRE amplitude decreases as altitude increase. Because the ICON orbital height is above the model upper boundary, it could be a factor for the discrepancy. Instrumental issue cannot be ruled out at this moment. GOLD UV image at the same time exhibits multiple plasma bubbles, which seem to suggest the existence of the PRE.