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International audienceThe eleventh generation of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) was adopted in December 2009 by the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy Working Group V-MOD. It updates the previous IGRF generation with a definitive main field model for epoch 2005.0, a main field model for epoch 2010.0, and a linear predictive secular variation model for 2010.0–2015.0. In this note the equations defining the IGRF model are provided along with the spherical harmonic coefficients for the eleventh generation. Maps of the magnetic declination, inclination and total intensity for epoch 2010.0 and their predicted rates of change for 2010.0–2015.0 are presented. The recent evolution of the South Atlantic Anomaly and magnetic pole positions are also examined

[1] The Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) is a significant feature of the low-latitude ionosphere. During daytime, the eastward electric field drives a vertical plasma fountain at the magnetic equator creating the EIA. Since the eastward electric field is also the driving force for the Equatorial Electrojet (EEJ), the latter is positively correlated with the EIA strength. We investigate the correlation between the zonal electric field and the EIA in the Peruvian sector and compare the results with correlations of the EEJ versus EIA strength. Analyzing 5 years of Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) electron density measurements, plasma drift readings from the Jicamarca Unattended Long-term Investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere (JULIA) radar, and magnetic field observations at Huancayo and Piura, we find the EEJ strength and the zonal electric field to be suitable proxies for the EIA intensity. Both analyses reveal high correlation coefficients of cc > 0.8. A typical response time of the EIA to variations in the zonal electric field is $1-2 h, and it is $2-4 h after EEJ strength variations. Quantitative expressions are provided, which directly relate the EIA parameters to both proxies. From these relations, we infer that an EIA develops also during weak Counter Electrojets (CEJs), but no EIA forms when the vertical plasma drift is zero. For positive EEJ magnetic signatures to form, a minimum eastward electric field of 0.2 mV/m is required on average. The above-mentioned delay between EIA and EEJ variations of $3 h is further confirmed by the investigation of the EIA response to transitions from CEJ to EEJ, e.g., during late morning hours.

[1] The CHAMP satellite continues to provide highly accurate magnetic field measurements from decreasing orbital altitudes (<350 km) at solar minimum conditions. Using the latest 4 years (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007) of readings from the CHAMP fluxgate magnetometer, including an improved scalar data product, we have estimated the lithospheric magnetic field to spherical harmonic degree 120, corresponding to 333 km wavelength resolution. The data were found to be sensitive to crustal field variations up to degree 150 (down to 266 km wavelength), but a clean separation of the lithospheric signal from ionospheric and magnetospheric noise sources was achieved only to degree 120. This new MF6 model is the first satellitebased magnetic model to resolve the direction of oceanic magnetic lineations, revealing the age structure of oceanic crust.

[1] Using 8 years of ionospheric drift measurements from the low-latitude JULIA (Jicamarca Unattended Long-term Investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere) radar and the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field data from the ACE (Advance Composition Explorer) satellite, we study the characteristics of the prompt penetration of electric fields to the equatorial ionosphere. A large database allowed us to bring out statistically significant characteristics of electric field penetration as a function of frequency. The coherence between the interplanetary electric field (IEF) and the equatorial electric field (EEF) peaks around a 2-hour period with a maximum magnitude squared coherence of 0.6. The coherence is slightly higher (0.7) on magnetically active (Ap > 20) days. The cross-phase spectra between the ACE and JULIA variations, after elimination of the propagation delay, have negligible values. Correspondingly, the time shift between IEF and EEF is less than 5 minutes at all periods. We also find that the penetration efficiency is highest during local noon, as compared with that of morning and evening hours. The coherence is lower for days with high solar flux values. We find that the penetration of electric fields into the equatorial ionosphere has no significant dependence on season and on the polarity of IMF B z . We propose a transfer function between IEF and EEF, which was validated on synthetic as well as observed IEF data. The use of this transfer function decreases the misfit of a climatological model with the measured equatorial electric field by 27%.Citation: Manoj, C., S. Maus, H. Lühr, and P. Alken (2008), Penetration characteristics of the interplanetary electric field to the daytime equatorial ionosphere,

Conducting ocean water, as it flows through the Earth's magnetic field, generates secondary electric and magnetic fields. An assessment of the ocean-generated magnetic fields and their detectability may be of importance for geomagnetism and oceanography. Motivated by the clear identification of ocean tidal signatures in the CHAMP magnetic field data we estimate the ocean magnetic signals of steady flow using a global 3-D EM numerical solution. The required velocity data are from the ECCO ocean circulation experiment and alternatively from the OCCAM model for higher resolution. We assume an Earth's conductivity model with a surface thin shell of variable conductance with a realistic 1D mantle underneath. Simulations using both models predict an amplitude range of ±2 nT at Swarm altitude (430 km). However at sea level, the higher resolution simulation predicts a higher strength of the magnetic field, as compared to the ECCO simulation. Besides the expected signatures of the global circulation patterns, we find significant seasonal variability of ocean magnetic signals in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Compared to seasonal variation, interannual variations produce weaker signals.

Abstract. Based on 10 yr of magnetic field measurements by the CHAMP satellite we draw a detailed picture of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) tidal variations. For the first time the complete EEJ spectrum related to average solar tides has been compiled. A large fraction of the resulting spectrum is related to the switch on/off of the EEJ between day and night. This effect has carefully been considered when interpreting the results. As expected, largest amplitudes are caused by the migrating tides representing the mean diurnal variation. Higher harmonics of the daily variations show a 1/f fall-off in amplitude. Such a spectrum is required to represent the vanishing of the EEJ current at night. The migrating tidal signal exhibits a distinct annual variation with large amplitudes during December solstice and equinox seasons but a depression by a factor of 1.7 around June–July. A rich spectrum of non-migrating tidal effects is deduced. Most prominent is the four-peaked longitudinal pattern around August. Almost 90% of the structure can be attributed to the diurnal eastward-propagating tide DE3. In addition the westward-propagating DW5 is contributing to wave-4. The second-largest non-migrating tide is the semi-diurnal SW4 around December solstice. It causes a wave-2 feature in satellite observations. The three-peaked longitudinal pattern, often quoted as typical for the December season, is significantly weaker. During the months around May–June a prominent wave-1 feature appears. To first order it represents a stationary planetary wave SPW1 which causes an intensification of the EEJ at western longitudes beyond 60° W and a weakening over Africa/India. In addition, a prominent ter-diurnal non-migrating tide TW4 causes the EEJ to peak later, at hours past 14:00 local time in the western sector. A particularly interesting non-migrating tide is the semi-diurnal SW3. It causes largest EEJ amplitudes from October through December. This tidal component shows a strong dependence on solar flux level with increasing amplitudes towards solar maximum. We are not aware of any previous studies mentioning this behaviour of SW3. The main focus of this study is to present the observed EEJ spectrum and its relation to tidal driving. For several of the identified spectral components we cannot offer convincing explanations for the generation mechanisms.

The International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) is updated every five years based on candidate model submissions by research institutions worldwide. In the call for the 11th generation of IGRF, candidates were requested for the definitive main field in 2005, the predicted main field in 2010, and the predicted secular variation from 2010 to 2015. The NOAA/NGDC candidate models for IGRF-11 were produced from parent models parameterized in the same way as the 6th generation of our Pomme magnetic model. All models were based on CHAMP satellite measurements, while Ørsted satellite measurements were used for model validation. The internal field in Pomme-6 is described by a 2nd degree Taylor time series of spherical harmonic expansion coefficients of a scalar magnetic potential. Magnetic fields of ionospheric origin are avoided by careful data selection. Instead of co-estimating magnetospheric fields, we subtract a magnetospheric field model estimated previously from a more extensive data set covering all local times. From comparison with Ørsted measurements and general considerations of magnetic field predictability, we attribute a root mean square (RMS) uncertainty of 1.3 nT to our candidate model for the main field in 2005, 2.5 nT to the predicted main field in 2010 and 26 nT/a to the predicted secular variation from 2010 to 2015.