%0 Journal article
%A Weygand, J. M.
%A Zhelavskaya, I.
%A Shprits, Y.
%T A Comparison of the Location of the Mid‐Latitude Trough and Plasmapause Boundary
%R 10.1029/2020JA028213
%R 10.23689/fidgeo-5205
%J Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
%V 126
%N 4

%X Abstract: We have compared the location of the mid‐latitude trough observed in two dimensional vertical total electron content (vTEC) maps with four plasmapause boundary models, Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) observations, and IMAGE extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations all mapped to the ionosphere pierce point using the Tsyganenko (1996) magnetic field line model. For this study, we examine four events over North America: one just after the October 13, 2012 storm, one during the April 20, 2002 double storm, another during a large substorm on January 26, 2013, and one quiet event on May 19, 2001. We have found that in general, the equatorward edge of the mid‐latitude trough is within several degrees in geographic latitude of the mapped model plasmapause boundary location, the plasmapause boundary identified with IMAGE EUV, and the location identified by the RBSP spacecraft. When the mid‐latitude trough is mapped to the inner magnetosphere, the observed boundary agrees with the plasmapause boundary models within two Earth Radii at nearly all local times in the nightside and the observed mid‐latitude boundary is within the uncertainty of the observations at most local times in the nightside. Furthermore, during dynamic solar wind conditions of April 20, 2002, the mid‐latitude trough observed in the vTEC maps propagates equatorward as the plasmapause boundary identified with IMAGE EUV moves earthward. Our results indicate that the mid‐latitude trough observed within the vTEC maps represents an additional means of identifying the plasmapause boundary location, which could result in improved plasmapause boundary models.
%U http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gldocs-11858/9551
%~  FID GEO-LEO e-docs