Low-speed Solar Wind Research Articles

Statistical Associations between Geomagnetic Activity, Solar Wind, Cosmic Ray Intensity, and Heart Rate Variability in Patients after Open-Heart Surgery

The aim of this study was to identify associations of the parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) with the variations in geomagnetic activity (GMA), solar wind, and cosmic ray intensity (CRI) in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery in Kaunas, Lithuania, during 2008–2012. The data from 5-minute electrocardiograms (ECGs) in 220 patients were used. ECGs were carried out at 1.5 months, 1 year, and 2 years after the surgery (N = 495). A lower (higher) very-low-frequency-band (VLF) and a higher (lower) high-frequency band (HF) in normalised units (n.u.) were associated with a low maximal daily 3-hourly ap (the DST index > 1). A lower mean standard deviation of beat-to-beat intervals (SDNN) and VLF, LF, and HF powers were lower in patients when Ap < 8 occurred two days after the surgery, and a low solar wind speed (SWS) occurred two days before the ECG. The effect of CRI was non-significant if the linear trend was included in the model. Low GMA and a low SWS may effect some HRV variables in patients after open-heart surgery. The GMA during the surgery may affect the SDNN in short-term ECG during the longer period.

On the Relation Between Coronal Green Line Brightness and Magnetic Fields Intensity

Two-dimensional (2D) solar coronal magnetogram is difficult to be measured directly until now. From the previous knowledge, a general relation has been noticed that the brighter green-line brightness for corona, the higher coronal magnetic field intensity may correspond to. To try to further reveal the relationship between coronal green line brightness and magnetic field intensity, we use the 2D coronal images observed by Yunnan Observatories Green-line Imaging System (YOGIS) of the 10 cm Lijiang coronagraph and the coronal magnetic field maps calculated from the current-free extrapolations with the photospheric magnetograms taken by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft. In our analysis, we identified the coronal loop structures and construct two-dimensional maps of the corresponding magnetic field intensity in the plane of the sky (POS) above the limb. We derive the correlation coefficients between the coronal brightness and the magnetic field intensity for different heights of coronal layers. We further use a linear combination of a Gaussian and a quadratic profile to fit the correlation coefficients distribution, finding a largest correlation coefficient of 0.82 near 1.1 R ⊙ (solar radii) where is almost the top of the closed loop system. For the small closed loop system identified, the correlation coefficient distributions crossing and covering the loop are calculated. We also investigate the correlation with extended heliocentric latitude zones and long period of one whole Carrington Rotation, finding again that the maximum correlation coefficient occurs at the same height. It is the first time for us to find that the correlation coefficients are high (all are larger than 0.8) at the loop-tops and showing poor correlation coefficients with some fluctuations near the feet of the coronal loops. Our findings indicate that, for the heating of the low-latitude closed loops, both DC (dissipation of currents) and AC (dissipation of Alfvén and magnetosonic waves) mechanisms should act simultaneously on the whole closed loop system while the DC mechanisms dominate in the loop-top regions. Therefore, in the distributions of the correlation coefficients with different heights of coronal layers, for both large- and small-scale latitude ranges, the coefficients can reach their maximum values at the same coronal height of 1.1 R ⊙, which may indicate the particular importance of the height of closed loops for studying the coupling of the local emission mechanism and the coronal magnetic fields, which maybe helpful for studying the origin of the low-speed solar wind.

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 Magnetic Storm of August 25–26, 2018: Dayside High Latitude Geomagnetic Variations and Pulsations

The features of daytime high latitude geomagnetic disturbances and geomagnetic pulsations during the recent strong magnetic storm on August 25–26, 2018, which occurred at the end of the decline phase of the 24th solar activity cycle with a very low level of solar flare activity, are considered. As a rule, during this phase of the solar activity cycle, magnetic storms are caused by high-speed solar wind flows from coronal holes; however, the magnetic storms during the decay of the 24th cycle were caused by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). It was shown that, despite very weak disturbances on the Sun and a low solar wind speed, a rather strong magnetic storm occurred in the Earth’s magnetosphere in August 2018 (Dst = –171 nT). The storm SC with a slight (~25 nT) jump in the Dst index caused quite intense daytime geomagnetic pulsations ipcl at the latitudes of the possible position of the daytime polar cusp. A feature of the recovery phase of this storm was the development of a magnetosphere substorm on a global scale, i.e., the appearance of a negative magnetic bay recorded simultaneously in the auroral night sector and in the polar latitudes of the day sector. A possible interpretation is considered.

Onset and Evolution of the Oblique, Resonant Electron Firehose Instability in the Expanding Solar Wind Plasma

A double adiabatically expanding solar wind would quickly develop large parallel to perpendicular temperature anisotropies in electrons and ions that are not observed. One reason is that firehose instabilities would be triggered, leading to an ongoing driving/saturation evolution mechanism. We verify this assumption here for the first time for the electron distribution function and the electron firehose instability (EFI), using fully kinetic simulations with the Expanding Box Model. This allows the self-consistent study of onset and evolution of the oblique, resonant EFI in an expanding solar wind. We characterize how the competition between EFI and adiabatic expansion plays out in high- and low-beta cases, in high- and low-speed solar wind streams. We observe that, even when competing against expansion, the EFI results in perpendicular heating and parallel cooling. These two concurrent processes effectively limit the expansion-induced increase in temperature anisotropy and parallel electron beta. We show that the EFI goes through cycles of stabilization and destabilization: when higher wave number EFI modes saturate, lower wave number modes are destabilized by the effects of the expansion. We show how resonant wave/ particle interaction modifies the electron velocity distribution function after the onset of the EFI. The simulations are performed with the fully kinetic, semi-implicit expanding box code EB-iPic3D.

Observations of Slow Solar Wind from Equatorial Coronal Holes

Abstract Because of its distinctive compositional properties and variability, low-speed (≲450 km s−1) solar wind is widely believed to originate from coronal streamers, unlike high-speed wind, which comes from coronal holes. An alternative scenario is that the bulk of the slow wind (excluding that in the immediate vicinity of the heliospheric current sheet) originates from rapidly diverging flux tubes rooted inside small coronal holes or just within the boundaries of large holes. This viewpoint is based largely on photospheric field extrapolations, which are subject to considerable uncertainties and do not include dynamical effects, making it difficult to be certain whether a source is located just inside or outside a hole boundary, or whether a high-latitude hole will be connected to Earth. To minimize the dependence on field-line extrapolations, we have searched for cases where equatorial coronal holes at central meridian are followed by low-speed streams at Earth. We describe 14 examples from the period 2014–2017, involving Fe xiv 21.1 nm coronal holes located near active regions and having equatorial widths of ∼3°–10°. The associated in situ wind was characterized by speeds v ∼ 300–450 km s−1 and by O7+/O6+ ratios of ∼0.05–0.15, with v showing the usual correlation with proton temperature. In addition, consistent with other recent studies, this slow wind had remarkably high Alfvénicity, similar to that in high-speed streams. We conclude that small coronal holes are a major contributor to the slow solar wind during the maximum and early post-maximum phases of the solar cycle.

Statistical properties of the IMF clock angle in the solar wind with northward and southward interplanetary magnetic field based on ACE observation from 1998 to 2009: Dependence on the temporal scale of the solar wind

Utilizing ACE satellite observations from 1998 to 2009, we performed the elaborate study on the properties of the clock angle θCA (arctan(By/Bz) (−90° to 90°) of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the solar wind at 1 AU. The solar wind with northward IMF (NW-IMF) and southward IMF (SW-IMF) are analyzed, independently. Statistical analysis shows that the solar wind with SW-IMF and NW-IMF has similar properties in general, including their durations, the IMF Bz and By components, and the IMF θCA. Then, the solar wind with NW-IMF (SW-IMF) is classified into five different temporal scales according to the duration of the NW-IMF (SW-IMF), i.e., very-short wind of 10–30 min, short-scale wind of 0.5–1 h, moderate-scale wind of 1–3 h, long-scale wind of 3–5 h, and super-long wind >5 h. Our analysis reveals that the IMF θCA has a distinct decrease with increase of the temporal scale of the solar wind. Next, the solar wind is classified into two groups, i.e., the high-speed solar wind (>450 km/s) and the low-speed solar wind (<450 km/s). Our analysis indicates that the IMF θCA depends highly on the solar wind speed. Statistically, high-speed solar wind tends to have larger IMF θCA than low-speed solar wind. The evolutions of the solar wind and IMF with the solar activity are further studied, revealing no clear solar variation of the IMF θCA. Finally, we analyze the monthly variation of the IMF θCA. Superposed epoch result strongly suggests the seasonal variation of the IMF θCA.

Interplanetary Parameters Leading to Relativistic Electron Enhancement and Persistent Depletion Events at Geosynchronous Orbit and Potential for Prediction

AbstractWe have identified 61 relativistic electron enhancement events and 21 relativistic electron persistent depletion events during 1996 to 2006 from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 8 and 10 using data from the Energetic Particle Sensor (EPS) &gt;2 MeV fluxes. We then performed a superposed epoch time analysis of the events to find the characteristic solar wind parameters that determine the occurrence of such events, using the OMNI database. We found that there are clear differences between the enhancement events and the persistent depletion events, and we used these to establish a set of threshold values in solar wind speed, proton density and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz that can potentially be useful to predict sudden increases in flux. Persistent depletion events are characterized by a low solar wind speed, a sudden increase in proton density that remains elevated for a few days, and a northward turning of IMF Bz shortly after the depletion starts. We have also found that all relativistic electron enhancement or persistent depletion events occur when some geomagnetic disturbance is present, either a coronal mass ejection or a corotational interaction region; however, the storm index, SYM‐H, does not show a strong connection with relativistic electron enhancement events or persistent depletion events. We have tested a simple threshold method for predictability of relativistic electron enhancement events using data from GOES 11 for the years 2007–2010 and found that around 90% of large increases in electron fluxes can be identified with this method.

High-latitude substorm dependence on space weather conditions in solar cycle 23 and 24 (SC23 and SC24)

The occurrence of the magnetic substorms at high geomagnetic latitudes (>70° CGC) has been visually analyzed using the ground-based IMAGE magnetometer chain and OMNI solar wind and Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) data. We studied the time intervals closely to the minimum and maximum of the 23-th and 24-th solar cycles. The considered high-latitude substorms have been divided into two different types according to their occurrence relatively to the auroral oval dynamics. The first type - the substorms which expand from the auroral geomagnetic latitudes to the polar ones (named the “expanded” substorms, according to an expanded oval dynamics); the second type - the substorms which are observed only at the geomagnetic latitudes higher ∼ 70° CGC under the absence of simultaneous magnetic disturbances at lower latitudes (named the “polar” substorms, according to a polar latitude contracted oval dynamics). Both substorm types are identified at almost identical latitudes, however, with different latitude of their onset locations. It was found that the “polar” substorms show behavior opposite to the “expanded” ones. The “polar” substorms are observed under a low solar wind speed (V < 500 km/s) and the “expanded” substorms - under a high speed (V > 500 km/s). We found, that the PC-index of the polar cap activity, which could be used as a proxy of changes in solar wind electric field, was lower before the “polar” substorms than before the “expanded” ones. The summer maxima in the seasonal occurrence of the “polar” substorms correspond to the minima of the “expanded” substorm. We did not reveal any significant cycle differences in the distributions of the IMF and solar wind parameters before the both types of substorms observed near the maxima and minima of the 23-th and 24-th cycles of the solar activity.

Solar wind: A possible factor driving the interannual sea surface temperature tripolar mode over North Atlantic

The effect of solar wind (SW) on the North Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) in boreal winter is examined through an analysis of observational data during 1964-2013. The North Atlantic SSTs show a pronounced meridional tripolar pattern in response to solar wind speed (SWS) variations. This pattern is broadly similar to the leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode of interannual variations in the wintertime SSTs over North Atlantic. The time series of this leading EOF mode of SST shows a significant interannual period, which is the same as that of wintertime SWS. This response also appears as a compact north-south seesaw of sea level pressure and a vertical tripolar structure of zonal wind, which simultaneously resembles the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the overlying atmosphere. As compared with the typical low SWS winters, during the typical high SWS winters, the stratospheric polar night jet (PNJ) is evidently enhanced and extends from the stratosphere to the troposphere, even down to the North Atlantic Ocean surface. Notably, the North Atlantic Ocean is an exclusive region in which the SW signal spreads downward from the stratosphere to the troposphere. Thus, it seems that the SW is a possible factor for this North Atlantic SST tripolar mode. The dynamical process of stratosphere-troposphere coupling, together with the global atmospheric electric circuit-cloud microphysical process, probably accounts for the particular downward propagation of the SW signal.

On the nature of IMF polarity dependent asymmetries in solar wind plasma properties during the minimum of sunspot cycles 23 and 24

The monthly solar wind speed and density observed near 1AU in IMF sectors of opposite magnetic polarity are studied during the minimum of sunspot cycles 23 and 24. During sunspot minima, the IMF is pointing away from the sun (Away sector) in the north of the Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS) and pointing towards the sun (Toward sector) in the south of HCS during odd sunspot cycles and the same process is reversed during the even cycles. During this period, the solar wind plasma parameters (number density and speed) show a systematic month to month variation with solar wind number density decreases and velocity increases from equator to poles (heliomagnetic latitudinal organization) only in ‘Away’ IMF sectors compared to ‘Toward’ IMF sectors. This feature is particularly more evident for low speed solar wind and happens in a helio-hemisphere with a larger polar coronal hole. The association of the above phenomena with north–south asymmetry in coronal and solar wind flow characteristics will be discussed.

Galactic cosmic rays measured by UVS on Voyager 1 and the end of the modulation

The detectors of the UltraViolet Spectrographs (UVS) on Voyager 1/2 are recording a background that was earlier assigned to disintegrations in the RTG. We show that it arises instead from Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs). We show the 1992-2013 GCR flux measured by UVS on V1 and, by comparing with data from the GCR dedicated detectors, we estimate the energy range responsible for this UVS signal, around 300 MeV, and the response of UVS to the GCR anisotropy. After the abrupt jumps of May and August 2012 the count rate has been fluctuating only slightly around a constant value, but comparing with data from the LECP and the CRS instruments shows that those small variations are only responses to a varying anisotropy and not to a flux change. Taking advantage of the similarity in energy range to one of the products of the CRS instrument suite, we use the ratio between the two independent signals as a proxy for the temporal evolution of the GCR spectral slope around the 300 MeV range. We show that this slope has remained unchanged since Aug 2012 and find strong evidence that it will no longer vary, implying the end of the modulation at those energies and that V1 at this date is near or past the heliopause. The origin of this narrow and stagnating inner heliosheath is still unclear, and we discuss the potential effects of low solar wind speed episodes and subsequent self-amplified charge-exchange with interstellar neutrals, as a source of deceleration and collapse. We suggest that the quasi-static region encountered by V1 may be related to such effects, triggered by the strong post solar-maximum variability. This did not happen for V2 due to its trajectory at an angle further from the heliosphere axis and a later termination shock crossing. The existence on the upwind side of a mixing layer formed by charge transfer instead of a pure plasma contact discontinuity could explain various observations.

Polarization of compressible turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind plasma

Compressible fluctuations in solar wind plasma are analyzed on the basis of the 1995–2010 WIND and Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft data. In the low-speed solar wind (V0 < 430 km/s), correlations between fluctuations in the magnetic field direction and plasma density, as well as between velocity fluctuations and plasma density, are found. The covariance functions of these parameters calculated as functions of the local magnetic field direction are axially symmetric relative to the axis, which is oriented nearly along the regular magnetic field of the heliosphere (the Parker spiral). Fluctuations in the magnetic field and velocity are polarized in the plane that is orthogonal to the axis of symmetry. Plasma oscillations of these properties can be caused by fast magnetosonic waves propagating from the Sun along the Parker spiral.

Transit Time of Coronal Mass Ejections under Different Ambient Solar Wind Conditions

The speed [v(R)] of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at various distances from the Sun is modeled (as proposed by Vrsnak and Gopalswamy in J. Geophys. Res. 107, 2002, doi: 10.1029/2001/JA000120 ) by using the equation of motion a drag=γ(v−w) and its quadratic form a drag=γ(v−w)|v−w|, where v and w are the speeds of the CME and solar wind, respectively. We assume that the parameter γ can be expressed as γ=αR β , where R is the heliocentric distance, and α and β are constants. We extend the analysis of Vrsnak and Gopalswamy to obtain a more detailed insight into the dependence of the CME Sun–Earth transit time on the CME speed and the ambient solar-wind speed, for different combinations of α and β. In such a parameter-space analysis, the results obtained confirm that the CME transit time depends strongly on the state of the ambient solar wind. Specifically, we found that: i) for a particular set of values of α and β, a difference in the solar-wind speed causes larger transit-time differences at low CME speeds [v 0], than at high v 0; ii) the difference between transit times of slow and fast CMEs is larger at low solar-wind speed [w 0] than at high w 0; iii) transit times of fast CMEs are only slightly influenced by the solar-wind speed. The last item is especially important for space-weather forecasting, since it reduces the number of key parameters that determine the arrival time of fast CMEs, which tend to be more geo-effective than the slow ones. Finally, we compared the drag-based model results with the observational data for two CME samples, consisting of non-interacting and interacting CMEs (Manoharan et al. in J. Geophys. Res. 109, 2004). The comparison reveals that the model results are in better agreement with the observations for non-interacting events than for the interacting events. It was also found that for slow CMEs (v 0<500 km s−1), there is a deviation between the observations and the model if slow-wind speeds (≈ 300 – 400 km s−1) are taken for the model input. On the other hand, the model values and the observed data agree for both the slow and the fast CMEs if higher solar-wind speeds are assumed. It is also found that the quadratic form of the drag equation reproduces the observed transit times of fast CMEs better than the linear drag model.

Influence of high-speed streams from coronal holes on cosmic ray intensity in 2007

The effect of high-speed solar wind streams from low-latitude coronal holes on cosmic ray intensity is studied. The database on Forbush effects created at IZMIRAN, with cosmic ray density and anisotropy calculated by the Global Survey Method (GSM) on the basis of Neutron Monitor network data has been used for the entire 2007. From the analysis of events in 2007 it was found that relationship of the Forbush effect magnitude to the solar wind speed is much weaker than to the magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field. Best of all the FE magnitude correlates with a 'critical' rigidity of the CR determined by the magnetic shield created by interaction of the high speed streams from coronal holes with low speed solar wind.

Density and temperature of energetic electrons in the Earth's magnetotail derived from high-latitude GPS observations during the declining phase of the solar cycle

Abstract. Single relativistic-Maxwellian fits are made to high-latitude GPS-satellite observations of energetic electrons for the period January 2006–November 2010; a constellation of 12 GPS space vehicles provides the observations. The derived fit parameters (for energies ~0.1–1.0 MeV), in combination with field-line mapping on the nightside of the magnetosphere, provide a survey of the energetic electron density and temperature distribution in the magnetotail between McIlwain L-values of L=6 and L=22. Analysis reveals the characteristics of the density-temperature distribution of energetic electrons and its variation as a function of solar wind speed and the Kp index. The density-temperature characteristics of the magnetotail energetic electrons are very similar to those found in the outer electron radiation belt as measured at geosynchronous orbit. The energetic electron density in the magnetotail is much greater during increased geomagnetic activity and during fast solar wind. The total electron density in the magnetotail is found to be strongly correlated with solar wind speed and is at least a factor of two greater for high-speed solar wind (VSW=500–1000 km s−1) compared to low-speed solar wind (VSW=100–400 km s−1). These results have important implications for understanding (a) how the solar wind may modulate entry into the magnetosphere during fast and slow solar wind, and (b) if the magnetotail is a source or a sink for the outer electron radiation belt.

Solar wind electric field driving of magnetospheric activity: Is it velocity or magnetic field?

The Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry global magnetohydrodynamic simulation code is used to examine a period of steady magnetospheric convection driven by a moderately southward IMF and a steady and quite low solar wind speed. Two other runs were performed to test the effects of increasing solar wind driving: one with 50% increase in the IMF magnitude and one with 50% increase in the solar wind speed. Larger IMF magnitude leads to nightside reconnection closer to the Earth but the steady state of the magnetotail is not changed. On the other hand, higher solar wind speed enhances Earthward mass and Poynting flux transport as well as their variability. The increase in the solar wind EY is the same for both runs, but the EY in the magnetosheath is larger in the run in which the speed is enhanced, which is associated with the higher magnetotail activity in that simulation.

What drives magnetospheric activity under northward IMF conditions?

We show that the dependence of magnetospheric activity on the driving solar wind electric field is qualitatively different for northward and southward IMF conditions. For southward IMF, the AE‐index is driven by the solar wind electric field, but for a given EY, AE is higher when the solar wind speed is higher. For northward IMF, AE does not scale with the electric field, but is lowest for low solar wind speed and small IMF clock‐angles. These results are explained by a quantitative analysis of the amount of energy that enters the magnetosphere using the GUMICS‐4 global MHD simulation.

Plasma Moments in the Environment of Mars

We present the first electron and ion moment maps (density, velocity and temperature) of the martian plasma environment, using data from the ELS and IMA sensors of the ASPERA-3 experiment onboard Mars Express. Moments are calculated by integration and by Gaussian fits to the phase space distribution. The methods of calculation and the calibration parameters relevant for the calculation are described in detail in the first part of the paper. The estimation of ionospheric electron densities assumes that the thermal electron temperature can be determined by the instrument — despite a cut-off by a negative spacecraft potential. The spacecraft potential is estimated by the location of photoelectron peaks in the energy spectrum. For the magnetosheath we separate the low energy part of the electron spectrum — presumably spacecraft photo electrons and the high energy part. For ions, we present maps for solar wind protons and alpha particles. Protons with energies below 500 eV which may play an important role in the ionosphere are not measured by the instrument. As well the low speed solar wind protons are not sampled very well. The maps reveal all the boundaries of the Mars-solar wind interaction and give a good qualitative description of the plasma behavior at the different interaction regions.

Ondas de choque não colisionais no espaço interplanetário

Este trabalho apresenta uma introdução à propagação das ondas de choque não colisionais no espaço interplanetário. Inicialmente, são apresentados conceitos básicos envolvendo a propagação de informação em gases ordinários e em plasmas, os modos de ondas presentes num plasma e o seu escarpamento levando a formação de ondas de choque. A seguir são introduzidos alguns tipos de choques presentes no espaço interplanetário: frentes de choque planetárias, choques transientes devido às remanescentes de ejeções coronais de massa e choques corrotantes devido à interação de feixes rápido e lento do vento solar. Os choques também podem ser classificados quanto à direção de propagação - se afastando do Sol ou se propagando em direção ao Sol - e se são originários devido ao escarpamento de ondas magnetossônicas do modo lento ou rápido. Finalmente, um exemplo de observação de parâmetros de um choque transiente frontal rápido, com dados medidos no vento solar próximo a Terra e de seus efeitos na magnetosfera terrestre é apresentado.