High-latitude Lobe Research Articles

Inferring the Interstellar Magnetic Field Direction from Energetic Neutral Atom Observations of the Heliotail

Determining the magnitude and direction of the interstellar magnetic field (B ISM) is a long-standing problem. To date, some methods to infer the direction and magnitude have utilized best-fit models to the positions of the termination shock and heliopause measured by Voyager 1 and 2. Other models use the circularity of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) ribbon assuming a secondary energetic neutral atom (ENA) mechanism. Previous studies have revealed that the B ISM organizes the orientation of the heliotail with respect to the solar meridian. Here we propose a new way to infer the direction of the B ISM based on ENA observations of the heliotail. IBEX observations of the heliotail have revealed high-latitude lobes of enhanced ENA flux at energies >2 keV. Analyses showed that the high-latitude lobes are nearly aligned with the solar meridian, while also exhibiting a rotation with solar cycle. We show, using steady-state solar wind conditions, that the inclination of the lobes reproduced with commonly used values for the angle (α BV ) between B ISM and the interstellar flow in the hydrogen deflection plane (40° < α BV < 60°) is inconsistent with the IBEX ENA observations. We report that 0° < α BV < 20° best replicates the heliotail lobe inclinations observed by IBEX. Additionally, our model results indicate that the variation of the solar magnetic field magnitude with solar cycle causes the longitudinal rotation of the lobes observed by IBEX by affecting the inclination of the lobes.

A statistical study of space hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere

The space hurricane is a newly discovered large-scale three-dimensional magnetic vortex structure that spans the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere. At the height of the ionosphere, it has a strong circular horizontal plasma flow with a nearly zero-flow center and a coincident cyclone-shaped aurora caused by strong electron precipitation associated with intense upward magnetic field-aligned currents. By analyzing the long-term optical observation onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F16 satellite from 2005 to 2016, we found that space hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere occur in summer and have a maximum occurrence rate in the afternoon sector around solar maximum. In particular, space hurricanes are more likely to occur in the dayside polar cap at magnetic latitudes greater than 80°, and their MLT (magnetic local time) dependence shows a positive relationship with the IMF (interplanetary magnetic field) clock angle. We also found that space hurricanes occur mainly under dominant positive IMF By and Bz and negative Bx conditions. It is suggested that the stable high-latitude lobe reconnection, which occurs under the conditions of a large Earth’s dipole tilt angle and high ionosphere conductivity in summer, should be the formation mechanism of space hurricanes. The result will give a better understanding of the solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling process under northward IMF conditions.

Field Line Resonances and Cavity Modes at Earth and Jupiter

Ultra-Low-Frequency (ULF) waves provide a means for the rapid propagation of energy and field-aligned current in planetary magnetospheres. At Earth, the ULF frequency range is usually defined as including waves with periods of 0.2–600 s; however, at Jupiter these waves can extend to periods of tens of minutes. In both magnetospheres, shear mode Alfvén waves can form field line resonances that exist between the ionospheres, with periods of a few minutes at Earth and a few tens of minutes at Jupiter. A major distinction between these two magnetospheres is in the density distribution. Earth has a dense ionosphere full of heavy ions, an extended, cold plasmasphere and a relatively low-density plasma sheet. In contrast, at Jupiter, the ionosphere is largely hydrogen (both in atomic form and in the H3+molecular ion), there is no appreciable plasmasphere and the plasma disk is dense and populated with heavy ions (largely sulfur and oxygen) originating at the moon Io and to some extent from other moons. As at Earth, the sharp Alfvén speed gradient above the ionosphere forms an ionospheric Alfvén resonator at Jupiter with periods of seconds. Furthermore, the high-latitude lobes at Jupiter have very low density and a resonant structure can be formed by waves bouncing between the ionosphere and the dense plasma disk. This structure leads to periods of tens of seconds. Finally, the dense Io plasma torus and plasma sheet provide conditions for compressional cavity modes to form in this region. Thus, the structure of the field line resonance modes is quite different at the two planets. Implications of these resonances on auroral particle acceleration will be discussed.

Fermi bubbles: the collimated outburst needed to explain forward-shock edges

ABSTRACT The bipolar, non-thermal, high-latitude lobes known as the Fermi bubbles (FBs) are thought to originate from a massive energy release near the Galactic Centre (GC). We constrain the FB engine and the circumgalactic medium (CGM) by analytically and numerically modelling the FB edges as strong forward shocks, as inferred from recent observations. A non-directed energy release produces shocks too spherical to account for observations even for a maximally massive Galactic disc, critical CGM rotation, or injection effectively offset from the GC. In contrast, collimated injection nearly perpendicular to the disc can account for observations in both ballistic (free expansion) and slowdown regimes, as we show using a simple stratified evolution model verified by hydrodynamic simulations. FBs still in their ballistic regime require injection (at z ≃ 100 pc heights in our model) with a half-opening angle θ ≃ 4°, a normalized velocity β−2 ≡ v/(0.01c) ≳ 0.4, and an energy $E\gtrsim 2\beta _{-2}^2\times 10^{55}$ erg, launched $\mathbb {T}\simeq 3.3\beta _{-2}^{-1}$ Myr ago, showing a distinctive low-pressure region behind the bubble head. Slowing-down (mass accumulated) FBs require a faster injection, a thinner jet, a smaller E/(β−2θ)2, and a comparable $\mathbb {T}$, and follow a ballistic stage that must reach a height zs ≳ 5 kpc.

Observations of Closed Magnetic Flux Embedded in the Lobes During Periods of Northward IMF.

The high latitude, lobe regions of the magnetosphere are often assumed to contain cool, low energy plasma populations. However, during periods of northward Interplanetary Magnetic Field, energetic plasma populations have occasionally been observed. We present three cases when Cluster observed uncharacteristically "hot" plasma populations in the lobe. For two of the three events, we present simultaneous observations of the plasma sheet observed by Double Star. The similarity between the plasma in the lobe and the plasma sheet suggests that the mechanism that produces plasma at high latitudes is likely to be tail reconnection, resulting in a trapped "wedge" of closed flux about the noon-midnight meridian. Complementary images from Imager for Magnetopause to Aurora Global Exploration and DMSP/Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager show that transpolar arcs, which form in each event in at least one hemisphere, directly intersect the footprint of the Cluster spacecraft in all three events. The intersection of the Cluster footprint with the transpolar arcs is synchronous with the observation of the energetic plasma populations in the lobe. This further supports the conclusion that it is likely this energetic plasma observed in the high latitude lobe regions of magnetosphere is on closed field lines.

A space hurricane over the Earth\u2019s polar ionosphere

In Earth’s low atmosphere, hurricanes are destructive due to their great size, strong spiral winds with shears, and intense rain/precipitation. However, disturbances resembling hurricanes have not been detected in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Here, we report a long-lasting space hurricane in the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere during low solar and otherwise low geomagnetic activity. This hurricane shows strong circular horizontal plasma flow with shears, a nearly zero-flow center, and a coincident cyclone-shaped aurora caused by strong electron precipitation associated with intense upward magnetic field-aligned currents. Near the center, precipitating electrons were substantially accelerated to ~10 keV. The hurricane imparted large energy and momentum deposition into the ionosphere despite otherwise extremely quiet conditions. The observations and simulations reveal that the space hurricane is generated by steady high-latitude lobe magnetic reconnection and current continuity during a several hour period of northward interplanetary magnetic field and very low solar wind density and speed.

The Confinement of the Heliosheath Plasma by the Solar Magnetic Field as Revealed by Energetic Neutral Atom Simulations

Abstract Traditionally, the solar magnetic field has been considered to have a negligible effect in the outer regions of the heliosphere. Recent works have shown that the solar magnetic field may play a crucial role in collimating the plasma in the heliosheath. Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) observations of the heliotail indicated a latitudinal structure varying with energy in the energetic neutral atom (ENA) fluxes. At energies ∼1 keV, the ENA fluxes show an enhancement at low latitudes and a deficit of ENAs near the poles. At energies &gt;2.7 keV, ENA fluxes had a deficit within low latitudes, and lobes of higher ENA flux near the poles. This ENA structure was initially interpreted to be a result of the latitudinal profile of the solar wind during solar minimum. We extend the work of Kornbleuth et al. by using solar minimum–like conditions and the recently developed Solar-wind with Hydrogen Ion Exchange and Large-scale Dynamics (SHIELD) model. The SHIELD model couples the magnetohydrodynamic plasma solution with a kinetic description of neutral hydrogen. We show that while the latitudinal profile of the solar wind during solar minimum contributes to the lobes in ENA maps, the collimation by the solar magnetic field is important in creating and shaping the two high-latitude lobes of enhanced ENA flux observed by IBEX. This is the first work to explore the effect of the changing solar magnetic field strength on ENA maps. Our findings suggest that IBEX is providing the first observational evidence of the collimation of the heliosheath plasma by the solar magnetic field.

Globally Distributed Energetic Neutral Atom Maps for the “Croissant” Heliosphere

Abstract A recent study by Opher et al. suggested the heliosphere has a “croissant” shape, where the heliosheath plasma is confined by the toroidal solar magnetic field. The “croissant” heliosphere is in contrast to the classically accepted view of a comet-like tail. We investigate the effect of the “croissant” heliosphere model on energetic neutral atom (ENA) maps. Regardless of the existence of a split tail, the confinement of the heliosheath plasma should appear in ENA maps. ENA maps from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) have shown two high latitude lobes with excess ENA flux at higher energies in the tail of the heliosphere. These lobes could be a signature of the confinement of the heliosheath plasma, while some have argued they are caused by the fast/slow solar wind profile. Here we present ENA maps of the “croissant” heliosphere, focusing on understanding the effect of the heliosheath plasma collimation by the solar magnetic field while using a uniform solar wind. We incorporate pick-up ions (PUIs) into our model based on Malama et al. and Zank et al. We use the neutral solution from our MHD model to determine the angular variation of the PUIs, and include the extinction of PUIs in the heliosheath. In the presence of a uniform solar wind, we find that the collimation in the “croissant” heliosphere does manifest itself into two high latitude lobes of increased ENA flux in the downwind direction.

Simultaneous optical and radar observations of poleward moving auroral forms under different IMF conditions

Using high temporal resolution optical data obtained from three-wavelength all-sky imagers at Chinese Yellow RiverStation in the Arctic, together with the EISCAT Svalbard radar (ESR) and SuperDARN radars, we investigated the dayside polewardmoving auroral forms (PMAFs) and the associated plasma features in the polar ionosphere under different interplanetarymagnetic field (IMF) conditions, between 0900 and 1010 UT on 22 December 2003. Simultaneous optical and ESR observationsrevealed that all PMAFs were clearly associated with pulsed particle precipitations. During northward IMF, particles can precipitateinto lower altitudes and reach the ionospheric E-region, and there is a reverse convection cell associated with these PMAFs.This cell is one of the typical signatures of the dayside high-latitude (lobe) reconnection in the polar ionosphere. These resultsindicate that the PMAFs were associated with the high-latitude reconnection. During southward IMF, the PMAFs show larger latitudinalmotion, indicating a longer mean lifetime, and the associated ionospheric features indicate that the PMAFs were generatedby the dayside low-latitude reconnection.

SuperDARN CUTLASS Finland radar observations of high-latitude magnetic reconnections under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions

A number of backscatter power enhancement events with “equatorward-moving radar auroral forms” in the high-latitude ionosphere were observed by SuperDARN CUTLASS Finland radar when the IMF was northward during 09:00–10:00 UT on 26 March 2004. These events were also associated with sunward flow enhancements at each location in the Northern Hemisphere which were shown in ionospheric convections measured by the SuperDARN radars. These are typical features of high-latitude (lobe) magnetic reconnections. The durations of the velocity enhancements imply that the evolution time of the lobe reconnections is about 8–16 min from their origin at the reconnection site to their addition to the magnetotail lobe again. In additional, the Double Star TC-1 spacecraft was moving from magnetosheath into magnetosphere, and crossing the magnetopause near the subsolar region during this interval, and observed typical low-latitude magnetic reconnection signatures. This infers that the dayside high- and low-latitude reconnections may occur simultaneously.

“Shoulders” on the high-latitude magnetopause: Polar/GOES observations

[1] MHD simulations predict that under strongly southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions the polar cap potential saturates and attendant Region 1 currents affect the dayside magnetosphere by weakening subcusp magnetic fields and enhancing them in the high-latitude lobe. Consequently, “shoulder-like” structures appear as sunward projections of the high-latitude magnetopause relative to the location of the subsolar magnetopause that retreats earthward. We present observations from the Polar satellite, acquired during a period of strong southward IMF and saturated transpolar potential, which illustrate the predicted lobe field enhancement and resulting “shoulder” structure. At about the same time the GOES satellite observed weakening magnetic fields near the subsolar magnetopause. Similar types of observations, obtained under weakly and strongly driven magnetospheric conditions, are shown to be consistent with the MHD predictions. We demonstrate that including the Region 1 current generated magnetic field in the force balance equation at the magnetopause provides a quantitative basis for predicting magnetopause erosion during strongly southward IMF intervals.

Simultaneous imaging of the reconnection spot in the opposite hemispheres during northward IMF

Cusp aurora associated with high latitude lobe reconnection was imaged simultaneously by IMAGE and Polar in the opposite hemispheres for a short time interval on September 18, 2000. These very rare images taken during strongly northward IMF and high solar wind pressure give a unique opportunity to examine the IMF and dipole tilt control of the cusp aurora and theta aurora. As suggested by theory and observations from one hemisphere, the longitudinal location of the cusp aurora is controlled by the IMF By component, whereas the &gt;5° poleward shift of the southern cusp aurora is attributed to the effects of the dipole tilt angle. The appearance of a non‐conjugate theta aurora can be explained by the more efficient reconnection process in the southern hemisphere due to IMF Bx &gt; 0. Imaging of auroral signatures of magnetic reconnection also demonstrates the potential to examine differences in reconnection rate in the opposite hemispheres.

Pulsed flows observed during an interval of prolonged northward IMF

Abstract. On the 22 December 2002 the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was directed northwards for more than 12h. The Northern and Southern Hemisphere SuperDARN radars were used to study global high-latitude convection during this interval, complemented by data from the ACE and DMSP F13 spacecraft. The relative magnitudes of the IMF By and Bz components varied during this period. When the magnitude of the By component was comparable with or dominated the Bz component, signatures of simultaneous low-latitude and lobe reconnection were observed. Specifically two "standard" merging cells were observed in both hemispheres. In the Northern Hemisphere a high-latitude lobe cell was observed within the dusk merging cell, and there was also evidence of a narrow viscous cell located equatorward of this lobe cell. We observed the ionospheric signatures of flux transfer events (FTEs) in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, occurring with a periodicity of ~15min. In the Northern Hemisphere the FTEs were associated with a stepwise equatorward progression of the equatorward boundary of radar backscatter on the dayside. When the IMF Bz component was predominantly greater than the IMF By component, we observed a four-cell convection pattern in the Northern Hemisphere, with pulses of reverse reconnection and an associated stepwise poleward retraction of the equatorward boundary of radar backscatter occurring every ~25min. These observations are consistent with pulsed lobe reconnection occurring in both hemispheres, closing open flux and adding closed flux to the dayside magnetopause. So, during this northward IMF interval the location of the sites of reconnection between the IMF and the Earth's magnetosphere, and thus the form of reconnection process, varied with changing IMF conditions. However, the reconnection remained pulsed, with lobe-only reconnection having a significantly longer periodicity compared with simultaneous lobe and low-latitude reconnection.

Interplanetary magnetic field control of Saturn's polar cusp aurora

Abstract. Dayside UV emissions in Saturn's polar ionosphere have been suggested to be the first observational evidence of the kronian "cusp" (Gérard et al., 2004). The emission has two distinct states. The first is a bright arc-like feature located in the pre-noon sector, and the second is a more diffuse "spot" of aurora which lies poleward of the general location of the main auroral oval, which may be related to different upstream interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientations. Here we take up the suggestion that these emissions correspond to the cusp. However, direct precipitation of electrons in the cusp regions is not capable of producing significant UV aurora. We have therefore investigated the possibility that the observed UV emissions are associated with reconnection occurring at the dayside magnetopause, possibly pulsed, akin to flux transfer events seen at the Earth. We devise a conceptual model of pulsed reconnection at the low-latitude dayside magnetopause for the case of northwards IMF which will give rise to pulsed twin-vortical flows in the magnetosphere and ionosphere in the vicinity of the open-closed field-line boundary, and hence to bi-polar field-aligned currents centred in the vortical flows. During intervals of high-latitude lobe reconnection for southward IMF, we also expect to have pulsed twin-vortical flows and corresponding bi-polar field-aligned currents. The vortical flows in this case, however, are displaced poleward of the open-closed field line boundary, and are reversed in sense, such that the field-aligned currents are also reversed. For both cases of northward and southward IMF we have also for the first time included the effects associated with the IMF By effect. We also include the modulation introduced by the structured nature of the solar wind and IMF at Saturn's orbit by developing "slow" and "fast" flow models corresponding to intermediate and high strength IMF respectively. We then consider the conditions under which the plasma populations appropriate to either sub-solar reconnection or high-latitude lobe reconnection can carry the currents indicated. We have estimated the field-aligned voltages required, the resulting precipitating particle energy fluxes, and the consequent auroral output. Overall our model of pulsed reconnection under conditions of northwards and southwards IMF, and for varying orientations of IMF By, is found to produce a range of UV emission intensities and geometries which is in good agreement with the data presented by Gérard et al. (2004). The recent HST-Cassini solar wind campaign provides a unique opportunity to test the theoretical ideas presented here.

EISCAT Svalbard radar observations of ionospheric signatures of magnetopause reconnection during a changing IMF Bz polarity

Abstract. Observations by the EISCAT Svalbard radar are presented that show the response of the spatial structure of the ionosphere in the dayside cusp region to a rotational trend in the IMF clock angle. Over a period of one hour, the clock angle increased from about 45° to some 150°, moving the likely location of the magnetopause reconnection site from the high-latitude lobe to near the equatorial plane. Increased topside electron temperatures measured by the ESR identified footprints of the reconnection process. Temporal changes in the spatial distribution of the temperature reflected the change from lobe to equatorial reconnection. Discrete spatial enhancements in ion temperature were found resulting from ion-neutral frictional heating in the fast flows where it was likely that field lines were being convected from the reconnection locations. The corresponding electron density structuring is interpreted in terms of the particle precipitation, field-aligned currents and convection flows driven by the IMF.Key words. Ionosphere (ionosphere – magnetosphere interactions; plasma temperature and density; polar ionosphere)

Substorm‐associated pressure variations in the magnetotail plasma sheet and lobe

Simultaneous pressure measurements by Interball‐Tail in the high‐latitude lobe and by Geotail in the equatorial plasma sheet were analyzed for 30 substorms which exhibited significant pressure changes. At the onset of a few substorms we observed equatorial pressure peaks with magnitudes up to 50% higher than those in the lobe. These pileups are probably rather localized, and their properties are consistent with plasma sheet thickening between two active regions in the tail. During expansion and recovery phases of more than half of substorms, we observed equatorial pressure depletions relative to the high‐latitude lobe pressure. These depletions can last more than 2 hours and are likely formed during the substorm expansion phase near the equatorial plane behind (tailward of) the strongly dipolar near‐Earth magnetotail region. The observed pressure gradient is probably a nonstationary feature and can be compensated partially by magnetic tension on the curved field lines. Magnitude and history of the solar wind dynamic pressure appear to significantly influence substorm scenarios in the magnetotail. Possible existence of the pressure difference should be taken into account in single‐spacecraft substorm studies.

A model of the magnetospheric tail with current-free lobes

A model of the Earth's tail field with no current density in its high latitude lobes is obtained as a modification of Tsyganenko's tail model. This is achieved by replacing Tsyganenko's current element with one in which the current density ends abruptly at a distance D from the central axis.

Dawn-dusk asymmetry of the tail region of the magnetosphere of Saturn and the interplanetary magnetic field

It is suggested that as a result of the dawn-dusk asymmetry of the magnetospheric structure of Saturn, caused by the interplanetary magnetic field, the Voyager 1 spacecraft remained in the closed region (the extended plasma sheet) during its entire traversal through the tail region, so that it did not have an opportunity to penetrate into the high latitude lobe (the open region).

Complete plasma dropouts at vela satellites during thinning of the plasma sheet

Five satellite years of Vela data are examined for plasma sheet thinnings. Complete proton disappearances (plasma dropouts) are the main subject here. During such times, the Vela satellite is temporarily in the high-latitude tail lobe. The distribution of such plasma dropouts within the magnetotail suggests that the semithickness of the plasma sheet near midnight seldom reaches less than 1 RE during substorms and that the dawn and dusk portions of the plasma sheet remain thicker than the midnight portion. But it is also shown that the plasma sheet occasionally becomes very thin near the dusk magnetopause. This seems to occur when the magnetopause near the dawn and dusk meridians lies further away from the earth than is normal. Extension of the magnetopause to these greater distances does not seem to be related to magnetically quiet periods nor to the Z component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). No such severe thinnings of the plasma sheet are found near the dawn magnetopause. Plasma dropouts can occur regardless of the sign of the Z component of the IMF, but their frequency of occurrence seems to be greater when the Z component is negative. The decreased frequency of occurrence with northward IMF may reflect weaker thinning of the plasma sheet at ∼ 18 RE during the weaker substorms that occur then. Weaker thinning of the plasma sheet may also imply a greater than normal distance from the earth to the magnetic neutral line thought to form in the magnetotail at substorm onset. Three plasma dropouts which occurred in the midnight sector at unusually large distances from the estimated position of the neutral sheet were observed during geomagnetic storms. It is likely that the midnight sector of the plasma sheet can become very thick (∼18 RE) at certain times during the main phase of storms. Detailed measurements in the plasma sheet were obtained near the beginning of a geomagnetic storm whose sc triggered a substorm. A compression of the plasma sheet at XSM ≈ −15 RE occurred about 10 min after the sc onset at the earth and about 5 min after the start of plasma sheet thinning associated with the sc-related substorm. If compression-thinning of the plasma sheet initiated this substorm, the triggering action must have occurred earthward of XSM ≈ −15 RE.