The use of the empirical mode decomposition for the identification of mean field aligned reference frames

Abstract

The magnetic field satellite data are usually referred to geocentric coordinate reference frame. Conversely, the magnetohydrodynamic waves modes in magnetized plasma depend on the ambient magnetic field, and is then useful to rotate the magnetic field measurements into the mean field aligned (MFA) coordinate system. This reference frame is useful to study the ultra low frequency magnetic field variations along the direction of the mean field and perpendicularly to it. In order to identify the mean magnetic field the classical moving average (MAVG) approach is usually adopted but, under particular conditions, this procedure induces undesired features, such as spectral alteration in the rotated components. We discuss these aspects promoting an alternative and more efficient method for mean field aligned projection, based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD).