Ionospheric convection signatures associated with magnetotail flux ropes

Grocott, A., Lester, M., Milan, S.E., Yeoman, T.K. (1)
Parkinson, M.L., Down, C., Dyson, P.L. (2)

(1) University of Leicester, UK; (2) La Trobe University, Australia
email: a.grocott@ion.le.ac.uk

Bursty bulk flows are understood to be the predominant flux transport mechanism in the magnetotail. They have been observed to occur under a variety of prevailing interplanetary and geophysical conditions and are consequently associated with different modes of large-scale magnetospheric convection. The ionospheric flow signatures associated with different types of bursty bulk flow activity have revealed much about the nature of the larger-scale convection to which they contribute.  Here we consider BBFs associated with magnetotail flux ropes, observed in Cluster magnetic field and particle data, and discuss TIGER radar observations of their associated convection signatures.