edu.ucar.opensky::articles:21264 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-25T16:06:16.655722 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7c53pgz On the Role of Neutral Flow in Field-Aligned Currents 2018-01-18T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7c53pgz https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-53-2018 Mannucci, A. J. author Verkhoglyadova, O. P. author Meng, X. author McGranaghan, Ryan author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher In this brief note we explore the role of the neutral atmosphere in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. We analyze momentum balance in the ion rest frame to form hypotheses regarding the role of neutral momentum in the lower ionosphere during geomagnetic storms. Neutral momentum that appears in the ion rest frame is likely the result of momentum imparted to ionospheric ions by solar wind flow and the resultant magnetospheric dynamics. The resulting ion-neutral collisions lead to the existence of an electric field. Horizontal electron flow balances the momentum supplied by this electric field. We suggest a possible role played by the neutral atmosphere in generating field-aligned currents due to local auroral heating. Our physical interpretation suggests that thermospheric neutral dynamics plays a complementary role to the high-latitude field-aligned currents and electric fields resulting from magnetospheric dynamics. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License None eng geoscientificInformation