Intercomparison of Model Determinations of Auroral Electrodynamic Parameters

Abstract Contributing to the objectives of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) International Space Weather Action Teams (ISWAT) Auroral Precipitation and High Latitude Electrodynamics (AuroraPHILE) group, various methods and models are compared for determining the auroral electrodynamic parameters during geomagnetically active conditions. Parameters used for comparisons include Cross Polar Cap Potential (CPCP), Hemispherically Integrated Joule Heating (HIJH), and Hemispheric Power Input (HPI). Models tested include Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) Derived Electrodynamics of the High Latitude Ionosphere (ADELPHI), Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry (LFM) ‐ Magnetosphere Ionosphere Coupler/Solver (MIX), Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF), Open Geospace General Circulation Model (OpenGGCM), and Ovation Prime. Modeled CPCP values are compared with the observations from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The performance of OpenGGCM is further scrutinized by varying model resolutions. The effects of coupling with the Rice Convection Model (RCM) are also observed. The results showed large and inconsistent differences in the auroral parameters across models. In particular, LFM‐MIX and higher‐resolution OpenGGCM without RCM generally showed higher CPCP and HIJH than the other models. Low‐resolution OpenGGCM with RCM, ADELPHI, and SWMF provided more accurate CPCP. The inclusion of RCM generally improves OpenGGCM model performance. HPI values from ADELPHI were usually higher than those from Ovation Prime and DMSP data. The modeled auroral parameters were moderately correlated with the observations. Modeled HIJH values were also moderately correlated with Auroral Electrojet (AE). Solstitial interhemispheric asymmetries in CPCP and HIJH were observed and explained by varying ionospheric conductances.