Effect of strong geomagnetic storms and their association with solar wind plasma temperature and IMF during solar cycles 23 and 24.

Abstract

Abstract Strong interaction of CMEs with Earth’s environment causes serious space weather effect through the coupled magnetosphere system. A geomagnetic storm is a global disruption of the earth’s magnetic field, and usually occurs in response to abnormal conditions in the IMF and solar wind. In this paper we present the consequences on interplanetary causes of strong geomagnetic storms (Dst ≤ -200nT), that occurred during solar cycle 23 and 24. It was found that the positive correlation with correlation coefficient (0.46) between the magnitude of strong geomagnetic storm and magnitude of solar wind plasma temperature, (0.54) between the magnitude of strong geomagnetic storm and magnitude of solar wind plasma velocity, (.58) between the magnitude of strong geomagnetic storm and magnitude of southward component of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bz) and (0.54) between strong geomagnetic storm and magnitude of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Btotal).The correlation between magnitude of strong geomagnetic storm and magnitude of interplanetary magnetic field (with positive correlation coefficient 0.58) is higher, as compared with magnitude of strong geomagnetic storm and magnitude of solar wind plasma temperature (0.46). It has been verified that strong geomagnetic storm intensity is correlated well with the interplanetary magnetic field IMF (Btotal and Bz) better than with its solar parameters.