Abstract
An explosive conversion of magnetic energy has long been suggested as the cause of various electrodynamic processes in astrophysical conditions, such as auroral magnetospheric substorms, solar flares, stellar flares and some galactic scale processes1–6. It is generally believed that the magnetic energy is stored in a certain region before the onset of those phenomena and that the conversion takes place spontaneously or by triggering. Here it is suggested that the magnetospheric substorm is a direct consequence of increasing power generated by the solar wind–magnetosphere dynamo, rather than of a hypothetical sudden conversion of the stored magnetic energy.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ŝvestka, Z. Solar Flares (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1976).
Sweet, P. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 7, 149 (1969).
Piddington, J. H. Cosmic Electrodynamics (Wiley, New York, 1970).
Dungey, J. W. Cosmic Electrodynamics (Cambridge University Press, London, 1958).
Parker, E. W. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 8, 177, 1963.
Akasofu, S.-I. Physics of Magnetospheric Substorms (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1977).
Perreault, P. & Akasofu, S.-I. Geophys. R. astr. Soc. 54, 547 (1978).
Kan, J. R., Lee, L. C. & Akasofu, S.-I. J. geophys. Res. (submitted).
Siscoe, G. L. & Cummings, W. D. Planet. Space Sci. 17, 1795 (1969).
Akasofu, S.-I. Planet. Space Sci. 27, 425, 1979.
Fairfield, D. H. & Ness, N. F. J. geophys. Res. 75, 7032, 1970.
Akasofu, S.-I., Kimball, D. S. & Meng, C.-I. Ann. IGY, Vol. XLV (Pergamon, Oxford, 1968).
Kan, J. R., Lee, L. C. & Akasofu, S.-I. J. geophys. Res. 84, 4305 (1979).
Sato, T. & Holzer, T. E. J. geophys. Res. 78, 7314 (1973).
Fälthammar, C.-G., Akasofu, S.-I. & Alfvén, H. Nature, 275, 285 (1978).
Akasofu, S.-I. Solar Phys. (in the press).
Rust, D. M. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A281, 427 (1976).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Akasofu, SI. Magnetic energy conversion, magnetospheric substorms and solar flares. Nature 284, 248–249 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284248a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284248a0
This article is cited by
-
Solar activity and El Niño: the auroral connection
Il Nuovo Cimento C (1989)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
