3-D Global Induction in the Oceans and Solid Earth: Recent Progress in Modeling Magnetic and Electric Fields from Sources of Magnetospheric, Ionospheric and Oceanic Origin

Abstract

Electromagnetic induction in the Earth's interior is an important contributor to the near-Earth magnetic and electric fields. The oceans play a special role in this induction due to their relatively high conductivity which leads to large lateral variability in surface conductance. Electric currents that generate secondary fields are induced in the oceans by two different processes: (a) by time varying external magnetic fields, and (b) by the motion of the conducting ocean water through the Earth's main magnetic field. Significant progress in accurate and detailed predictions of the electric and magnetic fields induced by these sources has been achieved during the last few years, via realistic three-dimensional (3-D) conductivity models of the oceans, crust and mantle along with realistic source models. In this review a summary is given of the results of recent 3-D modeling studies in which estimates are obtained for the magnetic and electric signals at both the ground and satellite altitudes induced by a variety of natural current sources. 3-D induction effects due to magnetospheric currents (magnetic storms), ionospheric currents (Sq, polar and equatorial electrojets), ocean tides, global ocean circulation and tsunami are considered. These modeling studies demonstrate that the 3-D induction (ocean) effect and motionally-induced signals from the oceans contribute significantly (in the range from a few to tens nanotesla) to the near-Earth magnetic field. A 3-D numerical solution based on an integral equation approach is shown to predict these induction effects with the accuracy and spatial detail required to explain observations both on the ground and at satellite altitudes.

Towards quantitative assessment of the hazard from space weather. Global 3-D modellings of the electric field induced by a realistic geomagnetic storm

“…The literature contains many publications (Parkinson and Jones, 1979;Cox, 1980;Fainberg, 1980;Rikitake and Honkura, 1985;Kuvshinov, 2008; among others) dealing with the study of the coastal (ocean) effect. However, these studies mainly concentrate on either the investigation of Earth's mantle structure in the presence of oceans or the influence of the ocean effect on the geomagnetic field.…”

Do ocean tidal signals influence recovery of solar quiet variations?

“…Within the S3D method, we numerically solve the system of Eq. (1) for each j m,unit n (Koch and Kuvshinov 2013) by using a volume integral equation solver given by Kuvshinov (2008), hereinafter called X3DG. This solver computes an EM field induced by (arbitrary) sources for a specified 3-D conductivity model of the Earth.…”

“…Since the tidal magnetic signals at the period of 12 h are dominated by the semidiurnal M2 tide, which is known to generate the largest magnetic fields among all tidal constituents (Kuvshinov 2008), it is no surprise that the tidal signals at a period of 12 h, both at the sea level and sea floor (cf. bottom plots of Figs.…”

Electromagnetic characteristics of ENSO

“…The EMOTS in our study are modeled with the induction model x3dg of Kuvshinov (2008). The model solutions are based on a volume integral approach combining the modified iterative dissipative method of Singer and Fainberg (1995) with a conjugate gradients iteration.…”