Dawn-dusk asymmetries in the coupled solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system: a review

Abstract

Dawn-dusk asymmetries are ubiquitous features of the coupled solar-wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system. During the last decades, increasing availability of satellite and ground-based measurements has made it possible to study these phenomena in more detail. Numerous publications have documented the existence of persistent asymmetries in processes, properties and topology of plasma structures in various regions of geospace. In this paper, we present a review of our present knowledge of some of the most pronounced dawn-dusk asymmetries. We focus on four key aspects: (1) the role of external influences such as the solar wind and its interaction with the Earth's magnetosphere; (2) properties of the magnetosphere itself; (3) the role of the ionosphere and (4) feedback and coupling between regions. We have also identified potential inconsistencies and gaps in our understanding of dawn-dusk asymmetries in the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere.

References in corpus (1)

• Structure and dynamics of the magnetopause and its boundary layers

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Review of Mercury's Dynamic Magnetosphere: Post-MESSENGER Era and Comparative Magnetospheres
• 3D Magnetic Reconnection with a spatially confined X-line extent -- Implications for Dipolarizing Flux Bundles and the Dawn-Dusk Asymmetry
• Characterizing the ionospheric current pattern response to southward and northward IMF turnings with dynamical SuperMAG correlation networks