Scaling and singularity characteristics of solar wind and magnetospheric fluctuations

Abstract

Preliminary results are presented which suggest that scaling and singularity characteristics of solar wind and ground-based magnetic fluctuations appear to be a significant component in the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction processes. Of key importance is the intermittence of the "magnetic turbulence" as seen in ground-based and solar wind magnetic data. The methods used in this paper (estimation of flatness and multifractal spectra) are commonly used in the studies of fluid or MHD turbulence. The results show that single observatory characteristics of magnetic fluctuations are different from those of the multi-observatory AE-index. In both data sets, however, the influence of the solar wind fluctuations is recognizable. The correlation between the scaling/singularity features of solar wind magnetic fluctuations and the corresponding geomagnetic response is demonstrated in a number of cases. The results are also discussed in terms of patchy reconnection processes in the magnetopause and forced and/or self-organized criticality (F/SOC) of internal magnetosphere dynamics.