External Solar Wind Research Articles

Ultralow-frequency Waves in Jupiter’s Magnetopause Boundary Layer

Ultralow-frequency (ULF) waves (∼tens of minutes period) are widely identified in the Jovian system and are believed to be associated with energy dissipation in the magnetosphere and ionosphere. Due to the magnetodisk oscillation related to planetary rotation, it is challenging to identify the periodicities inside the magnetosphere, although remote sensing observations of the polar emissions provide clear evidence of the tens of minutes pulsations. In this study, we take advantage of Juno’s in situ measurements in the magnetopause boundary layer for a long duration, i.e., >4 hr, to directly assess the tens of minutes periodicities of the boundary dynamics caused by the interactions between the internal plasma and external solar wind. Through periodogram analysis on the magnetic field and particle data, we find ULF waves with periodicities of ∼18 minutes, ∼40 minutes, and ∼70–80 minutes, which is generally consistent with pulsations in multiple remote sensing observations. A multiple-harmonic ULF phenomenon was also identified in the observations. The periodicities from in situ measurements provide crucial clues in understanding the origin of pulsating wave/auroral emissions in the Jovian system. The results could also further our understanding of energy transfer and release between the internal plasma of Jupiter and external solar wind.

Response timescales of the magnetotail current sheet during a geomagnetic storm: Global MHD simulations

The response of the Earth’s magnetotail current sheet to the external solar wind driver is highly time-dependent and asymmetric. For example, the current sheet twists in response to variations in the By component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and is hinged by the dipole tilt. Understanding the timescales over which these asymmetries manifest is of particular importance during geomagnetic storms when the dynamics of the tail control substorm activity. To investigate this, we use the Gorgon MHD model to simulate a geomagnetic storm which commenced on 3 May 2014, and was host to multiple By and Bz reversals and a prolonged period of southward IMF driving. We find that the twisting of the current sheet is well-correlated to IMF By throughout the event, with the angle of rotation increasing linearly with downtail distance and being more pronounced when the tail contains less open flux. During periods of southward IMF the twisting of the central current sheet responds most strongly at a timelag of ∼ 100 min for distances beyond 20 RE, consistent with the 1–2 h convection timescale identified in the open flux content. Under predominantly northward IMF the response of the twisting is bimodal, with the strongest correlations between 15 and 40 RE downtail being at a shorter timescale of ∼ 30 min consistent with that estimated for induced By due to wave propagation, compared to a longer timescale of ∼ 3 h further downtail again attributed to convection. This indicates that asymmetries in the magnetotail communicated by IMF By are influenced mostly by global convection during strong solar wind driving, but that more prompt induced By effects can dominate in the near-Earth tail and during periods of weaker driving. These results provide new insight into the characteristic timescales of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

The Roles of the Magnetopause and Plasmapause in Storm‐Time ULF Wave Power Enhancements

AbstractUltra low frequency (ULF) waves play a crucial role in transporting and coupling energy within the magnetosphere. During geomagnetic storms, dayside magnetospheric ULF wave power is highly variable with strong enhancements that are dominated by elevated solar wind driving. However, the radial distribution of ULF wave power is complex ‐ controlled interdependently by external solar wind driving and the internal magnetospheric structuring. We conducted a statistical analysis of observed storm‐time ULF wave power from the Van Allen Probes spacecraft within 2012–2016. Focusing on the dayside (06 < magnetic local time ≤ 15), we observe large enhancements across 3 < L < 6 and a steep L dependence during the main phase. We consider how accounting for concurrent magnetopause and plasmapause locations may reduce statistical variability and improve parameterization of spatial trends over and above using the L value. Ordering storm time ULF wave power by L provides the weakest dependences from those considered, whereas ordering by distance from the magnetopause is more effective. We also explore dependences on local plasma density and find that spatially localized ULF wave power enhancements are confined within high density patches in the afternoon sector (likely plasmaspheric plumes). The results have critical implications for empirical models of ULF wave power and radial diffusion coefficients. We highlight the necessity of improved characterization of the highly distorted storm‐time cold plasma density distribution, in order to more accurately predict ULF wave power.

ULF Wave Driven Radial Diffusion During Geomagnetic Storms: A Statistical Analysis of Van Allen Probes Observations

AbstractThe impact of radial diffusion in storm time radiation belt dynamics is well‐debated. In this study we quantify the changes and variability in radial diffusion coefficients during geomagnetic storms. A statistical analysis of Van Allen Probes data (2012–2019) is conducted to obtain measurements of the magnetic and electric power spectral densities for Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) waves, and corresponding radial diffusion coefficients. The results show global wave power enhancements occur during the storm main phase, and continue into the recovery phase. Local time asymmetries show sources of wave power are both external solar wind driving and internal sources from coupling with ring current ions and substorms. Wave power enhancements are also observed at low L values (L < 4). The accessibility of wave power to low L is attributed to a depression of the Alfvén continuum. The increased wave power drives enhancements in both the magnetic and electric field diffusion coefficients by more than an order of magnitude. Significant variability in diffusion coefficients is observed, with values ranging over several orders of magnitude. A comparison to the Kp parameterized empirical model of Ozeke et al. (2014) is conducted and indicates important differences during storm times. Although the electric field diffusion coefficient is relatively well described by the empirical model, the magnetic field diffusion coefficient is approximately ∼10 times larger than predicted. We discuss how differences could be attributed to data set limitations and assumptions. Alternative storm‐time radial diffusion coefficients are provided as a function of L* and storm phase.

Estimating the solar wind pressure at comet 67P from Rosetta magnetic field measurements

Aims: The solar wind pressure is an important parameter of space weather, which plays a crucial role in the interaction of the solar wind with the planetary plasma environment. Here we investigate the possibility of determining a solar wind pressure proxy from Rosetta magnetic field data, measured deep inside the induced magnetosphere of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This pressure proxy would be useful not only for other Rosetta related studies but could also serve as a new, independent input database for space weather propagation to other locations in the Solar System. Method: For the induced magnetospheres of comets the magnetic pressure in the innermost part of the pile-up region is balanced by the solar wind dynamic pressure. Recent investigations of Rosetta data have revealed that the maximum magnetic field in the pile-up region can be approximated by magnetic field measurements performed in the inner regions of the cometary magnetosphere, close to the boundary of the diamagnetic cavity, from which the external solar wind pressure can be estimated. Results: We were able to determine a solar wind pressure proxy for the time interval when the Rosetta spacecraft was located near the diamagnetic cavity boundary, between late April 2015 and January 2016. We then compared our Rosetta pressure proxy to solar wind pressure extrapolated to comet 67P from near-Earth. After the exclusion of disturbances caused by transient events, we found a strong correlation between the two datasets.

Observations of Impulsive Electric Fields Induced by Interplanetary Shock

AbstractWe investigate the characteristics of impulsive electric fields in the Earth's magnetosphere, as measured by the Van Allen Probes, in association with interplanetary shocks, as measured by Advanced Composition Explorer and Wind spacecraft in the solar wind from January 2013 to July 2016. It is shown that electric field impulses are mainly induced by global compressions by the shocks, mostly in the azimuthal direction, and the amplitudes of the initial electric field impulses are positively correlated with the rate of increase of the dynamic pressure across the shock in the dayside. It is also shown that the temporal profile of the impulse is related to the temporal profile of the solar wind dynamic pressure, Pd. It is suggested that during the first period of the impulse, the evolution of the electric field is directly controlled by external solar wind forcing, and thus, finite rates of change of Pd should be considered in the study of the interactions between solar wind and magnetosphere. The implications of shock‐induced impulsive electric fields on the acceleration and transport of radiation belt electrons are also discussed.

ULF Wave Activity in the Magnetosphere: Resolving Solar Wind Interdependencies to Identify Driving Mechanisms

AbstractUltralow frequency (ULF) waves in the magnetosphere are involved in the energization and transport of radiation belt particles and are strongly driven by the external solar wind. However, the interdependency of solar wind parameters and the variety of solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling processes make it difficult to distinguish the effect of individual processes and to predict magnetospheric wave power using solar wind properties. We examine 15 years of dayside ground‐based measurements at a single representative frequency (2.5 mHz) and a single magnetic latitude (corresponding to L ∼ 6.6RE). We determine the relative contribution to ULF wave power from instantaneous nonderived solar wind parameters, accounting for their interdependencies. The most influential parameters for ground‐based ULF wave power are solar wind speed vsw, southward interplanetary magnetic field component Bz<0, and summed power in number density perturbations δNp. Together, the subordinate parameters Bz and δNp still account for significant amounts of power. We suggest that these three parameters correspond to driving by the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability, formation, and/or propagation of flux transfer events and density perturbations from solar wind structures sweeping past the Earth. We anticipate that this new parameter reduction will aid comparisons of ULF generation mechanisms between magnetospheric sectors and will enable more sophisticated empirical models predicting magnetospheric ULF power using external solar wind driving parameters.

Long‐Term Variability of Jupiter's Magnetodisk and Implications for the Aurora

AbstractObservations of Jupiter's UV auroral emissions collected over several years show that the ionospheric positions of the main emission and the Ganymede footprint can vary by as much as 3° in latitude. One explanation for this shift is a change of Jupiter's current sheet current density, which would alter the amount of field line stretching and displace the ionospheric mapping of field lines from a given radial distance in the magnetosphere. In this study we measure the long‐term variability of Jupiter's magnetodisk using Galileo magnetometer data collected from 1996 to 2003. Using the Connerney et al. (1981) current sheet model, we calculate the current sheet density parameter that gives the best fit to the data from each orbit and find that the current density parameter varies by about 15% of its average value during the Galileo era. We investigate possible relationships between the observed current sheet variability and quantities such as Io's plasma torus production rate inferred from volcanic activity and external solar wind conditions extrapolated from data at 1 AU but find only a weak correlation. Finally, we trace Khurana (1997) model field lines to show that the observed changes in Jupiter's current sheet are sufficient to shift the ionospheric footprint of Ganymede and main auroral emission by a few degrees of latitude, consistent with the magnitude of auroral variability observed by Hubble Space Telescope (HST). However, we find that the measured auroral shifts in HST images are not consistent with concurrent changes in the current density parameter measured by Galileo.

Space Observations to Determine the Location of Locally Vertical Geomagnetic Field

AbstractThe points where the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field vanishes are located in polar areas, far away from the geomagnetic (analytic) poles and the poles of rotation of the Earth and, differently from the geomagnetic poles, can be found experimentally with a magnetic survey to determine where the field is vertical. The experimental determination of the area where the total field is perfectly vertical, commonly known as dip pole, is not simple, due to the remoteness and harsh climatic conditions; another difficulty is related to the short term geomagnetic field variations, due to the interaction with the external solar wind, which causes the magnetospheric dynamics, particularly evident at high latitude, and as a consequence a displacement of the dip pole. Actually, the study of the dip pole displacements over short time scales can be an important tool for monitoring the magnetospheric dynamics at high latitude. In this study we present the updated location of the the dip poles, using data from the Swarm ESA’s constellation of satellites along their almost polar orbits. We also analyse the spatial shift of these areas during different seasons and interplanetary magnetic field orientations.

Two empirical models for short‐term forecast of Kp

AbstractIn this paper, two empirical models are developed for short‐term forecast of the Kp index, taking advantage of solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling functions proposed by the research community. Both models are based on the data for years 1995 to 2004. Model 1 mainly uses solar wind parameters as the inputs, while model 2 also utilizes the previous measured Kp value. Finally, model 1 predicts Kp with a linear correlation coefficient (r) of 0.91, a prediction efficiency (PE) of 0.81, and a root‐mean‐square (RMS) error of 0.59. Model 2 gives an r of 0.92, a PE of 0.84, and an RMS error of 0.57. The two models are validated through out‐of‐sample test for years 2005 to 2013, which also yields high forecast accuracy. Unlike in the other models reported in the literature, we are taking the response time of the magnetosphere to external solar wind at the Earth explicitly in the modeling. Statistically, the time delay in the models turns out to be about 30 min. By introducing this term, both the accuracy and lead time of the model forecast are improved. Through verification and validation, the models can be used in operational geomagnetic storm warnings with reliable performance.

The effects of solar activity: Electrons in the terrestrial lower ionosphere

Solar flare X-ray energy can cause strong enhancements of the electron density in the Earth’s atmosphere. This intense solar radiation and activity can cause sudden ionospheric disturbances (SIDs) and further create ground telecommunication interferences, blackouts as well as some natural disasters and caused considerable material damage. The focus of this contribution is on the study of these changes induced by solar X-ray flares using narrowband Very Low Frequency (VLF, 3–30 kHz) and Low Frequency (LF, 30–300 kHz) radio signal analysis. The model computation and simulation were applied to acquire the electron density enhancement induced by intense solar radiation. The obtained results confirmed the successful use of applied technique for detecting space weather phenomena such as solar explosive events as well for describing and modeling the ionospheric electron density which are important as the part of electric terrestrial-conductor environment through which external-solar wind (SW) electrons can pass and cause natural disasters on the ground like fires.

Penetration of external plasma into a rotation‐driven magnetosphere

AbstractThomsen et al. (2016) provide a new statistical analysis of nearly 8 years of Cassini Plasma Spectrometer data, revealing that hot electrons injected from Saturn's outer magnetosphere penetrate into the inner magnetosphere but only to a distinct inner edge whose location is independent of external solar wind properties. This result is fully consistent with the hypothesis that centrifugally driven interchange motion is responsible for plasma transport between inner and outer magnetosphere.

Multifractal features of magnetospheric dynamics and their dependence on solar activity

In the present study, novel wavelet leaders (WL) based multifractal analysis has been used to get a better knowledge of the self-organization phenomena inherent in complex magnetospheric dynamics during disturbance and quiescent periods, focusing mainly on the intermittent features of auroral electrojet (AE) index. The results derived from the analysis certainly exhibit the phase transition property of magnetosphere system with respect to variabilities in the driving conditions. By using the novel WL method, solar activity dependence/independence of intermittency of magnetospheric proxies such as AE, SYM-H and Dst indices have been compared. The results indicate that the multifractality of AE index does not follow the solar activity cycle while intermittent features of SYM-H and Dst indices show high degree of solar activity dependence. This shows that along with the external solar wind perturbations, certain complex phenomena of internal origin also significantly modulate the dynamics of geomagnetic fluctuations in the auroral region.

Transient internally driven aurora at Jupiter discovered by Hisaki and the Hubble Space Telescope

AbstractJupiter's auroral emissions reveal energy transport and dissipation through the planet's giant magnetosphere. While the main auroral emission is internally driven by planetary rotation in the steady state, transient brightenings are generally thought to be triggered by compression by the external solar wind. Here we present evidence provided by the new Hisaki spacecraft and the Hubble Space Telescope that shows that such brightening of Jupiter's aurora can in fact be internally driven. The brightening has an excess power up to ~550 GW. Intense emission appears from the polar cap region down to latitudes around Io's footprint aurora, suggesting a rapid energy input into the polar region by the internal plasma circulation process.

Bimodal size of Jupiter's magnetosphere

AbstractObservations of Jovian magnetopause crossing by a number of different spacecraft have established that Jupiter's magnetosphere has a generally bimodal size distribution, with typical standoff distances at the nose of ~63 and ~92 RJ. Here we examine both the external solar wind structure and time constants and the internal magnetospheric time constants for shedding and refilling material in the Jovian plasma disk. We show that these latter time constants are ~ hours to ~10 h, comparable to the compression time of the magnetopause, but shorter than the typically several day expansion time when the solar wind dynamic pressure decreases. Together, we show that it is the well‐developed compressions and rarefactions in the solar wind at ~5 AU that produced the generally bimodally structured solar wind dynamic pressure and hence Jovian magnetospheric size.

Near-lunar proton velocity distribution explained by electrostatic acceleration

[1] The observation of parallel ion velocity in the near-lunar wake approximately equal to external solar wind velocity can be explained within uncertainties by an analytic electrostatic expansion model. The one-dimensional model frequently used is inadequate because it does not account for the moon's spherical shape. However, application of a more recent generalization to three dimensions of the solution along characteristics predicts higher velocities and is probably sufficient to account for the SARA observations on the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

Ionospheric VTEC and thermospheric infrared emission dynamics during corotating interaction region and high-speed stream intervals at solar minimum: 25 March to 26 April 2008

[1] We analyze a portion of the Whole Heliospheric Interval from 25 March to 26 April 2008 to identify the ionospheric and thermospheric responses to high-speed solar wind streams. This period during solar sunspot minimum is of moderate geomagnetic activity (with the minimum Dst ∼ −50 nT) with enhanced auroral activity seen in High-Intensity Long-Duration Continuous Auroral Activity events. The solar wind data show several corotating interaction regions (CIRs) and recurrent high-speed streams (HSSs). Using the infrared emission data obtained with Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry on Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics, we identify a distinct relationship between the infrared emission irradiated from the thermosphere and CIR-HSS intervals. Specifically, zonal flux of NO infrared radiation correlates well with AE indices. The most pronounced effects are found at high latitudes. We used Jet Propulsion Laboratory Global Ionospheric Maps (GIMs) software and the GPS total electron content (TEC) database to calculate the vertical total electron content (VTEC) and construct GIMs. It is shown that VTEC intensifies during HSSs periods. To illustrate the point, dynamics of daytime VTEC averaged over different latitude bands are presented. These results are compared to quiet time observations to contrast variations associated with geomagnetic activity. Data analyses show fast, global, and continuous ionospheric responses to external solar wind forcing. The largest variations are found in low-latitude (between −30° and 30°) VTEC. In conclusion, we suggest that CIRs/HSSs are external drivers for both thermospheric and ionospheric phenomena during the solar sunspot minimum. We discuss both prompt penetration electric fields and disturbance dynamos as possible mechanisms responsible for the observed VTEC effects. It is clear that efficient heliospheric-magnetospheric-ionospheric-thermospheric coupling occurs during CIR-HSS intervals even during solar sunspot minimum in 2008.

Numerical simulation of magnetospheric ULF waves excited by positive and negative impulses of solar wind dynamic pressure

The sources of ultra low frequency (ULF) waves in the magnetosphere are generally believed to be either the external solar wind perturbations or the internal plasma instabilities. When a sudden impulse of the solar wind dynamic pressure impinges on the magnetopause, ULF waves might be excited and thus the solar wind energy is transported into the earth’s magnetosphere. In this paper, we study the ULF waves excited by different kinds of sudden solar wind pressure impulses through an MHD simulation. We primarily focus on the responses of the earth’s magnetosphere to positive/negative impulses of solar wind dynamic pressure, and positive-negative impulse pairs. The simulation results show that the ULF waves excited by positive and negative impulse have the same amplitude and frequency, with 180° difference in phase, if the amplitude and durations of the input impulses are the same. In addition, it is found that field line resonances (FLRs) occur at certain L-shell regions of the earth’s magnetosphere after the impact of different positive-negative impulse pairs, which appear to be related to the duration of the impulses and the time interval between the sequential impulses. Another result is that the energy from the solar wind could be transported deeper into the inner magnetosphere by an impulse pair than by a single pulse impact. The results presented in this paper could help us to better understand how energy is transported from solar wind to the earth’s magnetosphere via ULF waves. Also, these results provide some new clues to understanding of how energetic particles in the inner magnetosphere response to different kinds of solar wind pressure impulse impacts including interplanetary shocks.

An unusual giant spiral arc in the polar cap region during the northward phase of a Coronal Mass Ejection

Abstract. The shock arrival of an Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection (ICME) at ~09:50 UT on 22 November 1997 resulted in the development of an intense (Dst<−100 nT) geomagnetic storm at Earth. In the early, quiet phase of the storm, in the sheath region of the ICME, an unusual large spiral structure (diameter of ~1000 km) was observed at very high latitudes by the Polar UVI instrument. The evolution of this structure started as a polewardly displaced auroral bulge which further developed into the spiral structure spreading across a large part of the polar cap. This study attempts to examine the cause of the chain of events that resulted in the giant auroral spiral. During this period the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was dominantly northward (Bz>25 nT) with a strong duskward component (By>15 nT) resulting in a highly twisted tail plasma sheet. Geotail was located at the equatorial dawnside magnetotail flank and observed accelerated plasma flows exceeding the solar wind bulk velocity by almost 60%. These flows are observed on the magnetosheath side of the magnetopause and the acceleration mechanism is proposed to be typical for strongly northward IMF. Identified candidates to the cause of the spiral structure include a By induced twisted magnetotail configuration, the development of magnetopause surface waves due to the enhanced pressure related to the accelerated magnetosheath flows aswell as the formation of additional magnetopause deformations due to external solar wind pressure changes. The uniqeness of the event indicate that most probably a combination of the above effects resulted in a very extreme tail topology. However, the data coverage is insufficient to fully investigate the physical mechanism behind the observations.

Space storm as a phase transition

Fluctuations of the SYM-H index were analyzed for several space storms preceded by more than a week of extremely quiet conditions to establish that there was a rapid and unidirectional change in the Hurst scaling exponent at the time of storm onset. That is, the transition was accompanied by the specific signature of a rapid unidirectional change in the temporal fractal scaling of fluctuations in SYM-H, signaling the formation of a new dynamical phase (or mode) which was considerably more organized than the background state. We compare these results to a model of multifractional Brownian motion and suggest that the relatively sudden change from a less correlated to a more correlated pattern of multiscale fluctuations at storm onset can be characterized in terms of nonequilibrium dynamical phase transitions. The results show that a dynamical transition in solar wind VB s is correlated with the storm onset for intense storms, suggesting that the dynamical transition observed in SYM-H is of external solar wind origin, rather than internal magnetospheric origin. However, some results showed a dynamical transition in solar wind scaling exponents not matched by similar transitions in SYM-H. In other instances, we observed some small storms where there was a strong dynamical transition in SYM-H without similar changes in the VB s scaling statistics, suggesting that changes were due to internal magnetospheric processes. In summary, the results for intense storms points to the solar wind as being responsible for providing the scale free properties in the SYM-H fluctuations but the evidence for small storms clearly limit the importance of the solar wind fluctuations; their interaction is more complex than simple causality.