Abstract. In this work we present a statistical analysis of the diurnal variation as observed at three Antarctic observatories located at different positions within the polar cap during the year 2006. Data used for the analysis are from the Italian geomagnetic observatory at Mario Zucchelli Station (formerly Terra Nova Bay, geographic latitude 74.7 • S, corrected geomagnetic latitude 80.0 • S), from the French-Italian observatory at Concordia Station (75.1 • S, 88.9 • S) and from the French observatory at Dumont D'Urville (66.7 • S, 80.4 • S), which are located in pairs at the same geographic and corrected geomagnetic latitude; such a position allows to distinguish whether the geographic or the geomagnetic reference system is better suitable to describe the observed phenomena at so high latitudes. The peculiarities of the daily variation as observed during this year and its relation with the observatory location and magnetospheric and interplanetary conditions were analysed. Data were also studied taking into account different Lloyd seasons. The results indicate that the 24-h variation is quite persistent, but its amplitude strongly depends on season and global geomagnetic activity: indeed, it almost vanishes during local winter for quiet geomagnetic conditions; this reduction is more evident at the stations closer to the geographic pole, where the solar radiation reduction during winter is more dramatic. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field orientation has been found to be important in that the north-south and the east-west components control the amplitude and the diurnal pattern of the variation, respectively.

Abstract.After some short test surveys, during the 2004-2005 summer expedition in Antarctica, a geomagnetic French-Italian observatory was installed on the plateau (geographic coordinates: 75.1 • S, 123.4 • E; corrected geomagnetic coordinates: 88.9 • S, 54.3 • E; UT=LT−8) very close to the geomagnetic pole. In this paper we present some peculiarities of the daily variation as observed at this polar cap observatory during the years 2005 and 2006, taking into account the different Loyd seasons and different interplanetary magnetic field conditions. Some interesting results emerge from the analysis, confirming the dependence of the daily variation (and of the associated polar current systems) on the IMF B z and B y components. In particular the analysis showed that different B z conditions correspond to different contribution to daily variation of ionospheric and field aligned currents, while particular B y conditions lead to a time shift of the diurnal variation, indicating an asymmetry with respect to the noon meridian.

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Abstract. The availability of measurements of the geomagnetic field variations in Antarctica at three sites along the 80 • S geomagnetic parallel, separated by approximately 1 h in magnetic local time, allows us to study the longitudinal dependence of the observed variations. In particular, using 1 min data from Mario Zucchelli Station, Scott Base and Talos Dome, a temporary installation during [2007][2008] Antarctic campaign, we investigated the diurnal variation and the low-frequency fluctuations (approximately in the Pc5 range, ∼ 1-7 mHz). We found that the daily variation is clearly ordered by local time, suggesting a predominant effect of the polar extension of midlatitude ionospheric currents. On the other hand, the pulsation power is dependent on magnetic local time maximizing around magnetic local noon, when the stations are closer to the polar cusp, while the highest coherence between pairs of stations is observed in the magnetic local nighttime sector. The wave propagation direction observed during selected events, one around local magnetic noon and the other around local magnetic midnight, is consistent with a solar-wind-driven source in the daytime and with substorm-associated processes in the nighttime.