Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
conductivity to be constant as a function of y .) The current parallel to B now is
nonzero and must be supplied by the dynamo and completed in the E layer. The
full divergence equation must be used. First, as discussed in Chapter 2, we note
that for large-scale dynamo sources, the magnetic field lines are nearly equipo-
tentials due to the high ratio of
10 5
. The electric field is thus mapped
down to the E-region altitudes, where we have assumed that the neutral wind
vanishes in order to study just the F-region dynamo. The
σ 0 to
σ P (
)
∇·
J
=
0 condition in
the F region now yields
=
dJ y
dy
d [
σ P (
E z +
uB
)
]
dz
y 1 ,
which corresponds to integrating from the equatorial plane to the base of the F
layer in the Northern Hemisphere. By symmetry the contribution to the integral
from the Southern Hemisphere is identical. Symmetry also requires that the field-
aligned current vanish directly at the equator
We now integrate this equation along the y direction from y
=
0to y
=
[
J y (
0
) =
0
]
, and the integral yields
y 1
d
dz [
σ P (
E z
+
uB
)
] dy
=−
J y
(
y 1 )
(3.8)
0
Due to the low perpendicular conductivity in the “valley” between the E and
F regions, the current we have just calculated, which leaves the F-region dynamo
at y
=
y 1 , must be equal to the field-aligned current that enters the E region at
y
y 2 . In the E layer we have only the (mapped) electric field, E z , to contend
with because we have set the wind speed as u
=
=
0 for now. Applying
∇·
J
=
0
yields
d
P E z )/
dz
=−
dJ y /
dy
Integrating from y 2 to y 3 and requiring J y (
y 3 ) =
0—that is, an insulating atmo-
sphere below y 3 —we have
y 3
d
dz P E z )
dy
=
J y (
y 2 ) =
J y (
y 1 )
(3.9)
y 2
and, finally, using (3.8) and (3.9),
y 1
y 3
dz
dy
dz
PN E z dy
d
d
F
E
σ
P (
E z +
uB
)
=−
σ
(3.10)
y 2
0
 
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