The Voltage Across the Polar Cap

Investigators at Rice University and University of Texas at Dallas analyzed 4 years of satellite flow data from the DMSP spacecraft to refine our understanding of the statistical relationship between conditions in the solar wind upstream of the Earth and the electrical potential drop imposed across the Earth's polar cap. They found the following statistical relationship [Boyle et al., Journal of Geophysical Research, 102, 111, 1997] which was used to make predictions in near-real time of the voltage drop across the polar cap shown to the left:

• Take me to the Rice Connections Program's Current Space Weather Status
• Most recent solar wind data from the SOHO spacecraft. On 9 January 1998, SoHO began a 3 month period of continuous ground station contact. During this period the latest data at this link should generally be no more than 30 minutes from real-time.
• Summary of recent solar wind conditions, observed by the Wind Spacecraft, displayed by Rice University.