Contributions from oceanic and ionospheric dynamos to the lunar daily variation at Alibag

Abstract

The contributions from the oceanic and ionospheric dynamos, L_o and L_I respectively, to the geomagnetic lunar daily variation, L, at Alibag, a coastal station in the Indian equatorial region, are calculated from the L harmonics derived from a 41-yr long series of observations. The analysis in the calendar months shows a steady and significant ocean dynamo contribution in the vertical component, Z, in all the months except April. Examination, by an analysis of the data year by year, of the association of L_o and L_I with varying solar and magnetic activities reveals, surprisingly, a stable correlation between the magnetic activity index A_P and the oceanic part in the horizontal and vertical components but not in declination, which probably indicates the influence of induced currents, along the latitudes, on L_o.