Solar Wind Dynamics Research Articles

The response of the H geocorona between 3 and 8 <i>R</i><sub>e</sub> to geomagnetic disturbances studied using TWINS stereo Lyman-<i>α</i> data

Abstract. Circumterrestrial Lyman-α column brightness observations from 3–8 Earth radii (Re) have been used to study temporal density variations in the exospheric neutral hydrogen as response to geomagnetic disturbances of different strength, i.e., Dst peak values between −26 and −147 nT. The data used were measured by the two Lyman-α detectors (LAD1/2) onboard both TWINS satellites between the solar minimum of 2008 and near the solar maximum of 2013. The solar Lyman-α flux at 121.6 nm is resonantly scattered near line center by exospheric H atoms and measured by the TWINS LADs. Along a line of sight (LOS), the scattered LOS-column intensity is proportional to the LOS H column density, assuming optically thin conditions above 3 Re. In the case of the eight analyzed geomagnetic storms we found a significant increase in the exospheric Lyman-α flux between 9 and 23 % (equal to the same increase in H column density ΔnH) compared to the undisturbed case short before the storm event. Even weak geomagnetic storms (e.g., Dst peak values ≥ −41 nT) under solar minimum conditions show increases up to 23 % of the exospheric H densities. The strong H density increase in the observed outer exosphere is also a sign of an enhanced H escape flux during storms. For the majority of the storms we found an average time shift of about 11 h between the time when the first significant dynamic solar wind pressure peak (pSW) hits the Earth and the time when the exospheric Lyman-α flux variation reaches its maximum. The results show that the (relative) exospheric density reaction of ΔnH have a tendency to decrease with increasing peak values of Dst index or the Kp index daily sum. Nevertheless, a simple linear correlation between ΔnH and these two geomagnetic indices does not seem to exist. In contrast, when recovering from the peak back to the undisturbed case, the Kp index daily sum and the ΔnH essentially show the same temporal recovery.

Macroscopic quasilinear theory of parallel electron firehose instability associated with solar wind electrons

A number of different microinstabilities are known to be responsible for regulating the upper bound of temperature anisotropies in solar wind protons, alpha particles, and electrons. In the present paper, quasilinear kinetic theory is employed to investigate the time variation in electron temperature anisotropies in response to the excitation of parallel electron firehose instability in homogeneous and non-collisional solar wind plasma under the condition of T∥e>T⊥e. By assuming the bi-Maxwellian form of velocity distribution functions, various velocity moments of the particle kinetic equation are taken in order to reduce the theory to macroscopic model in which the wave-particle interaction is incorporated, hence, the macroscopic quasilinear theory. The threshold condition for the parallel electron firehose instability, empirically constructed as a curve in (β∥e,T⊥e/T∥e) phase space, is implicit in the present macroscopic quasilinear calculation. Even though the present calculation excludes the oblique firehose instability, which is known to possess a higher growth rate, the basic methodology may be further extended to include such a mode. Among the findings is that the parallel electron firehose instability dynamically couples the electrons and protons, which implies that this instability may be important for overall solar wind dynamics. The present analysis shows that the macroscopic quasilinear approach may eventually be incorporated in global-kinetic models of the solar wind electrons and ions.

New Solar Wind Model Could Improve Space Weather Forecasts

Real-world data drive a simulation that successfully predicts Sun structures and interplanetary solar wind dynamics.

Kinetic scale turbulence and dissipation in the solar wind: key observational results and future outlook.

Turbulence is ubiquitous in the solar wind. Turbulence causes kinetic and magnetic energy to cascade to small scales where they are eventually dissipated, adding heat to the plasma. The details of how this occurs are not well understood. This article reviews the evidence for turbulent dissipation and examines various diagnostics for identifying solar wind regions where dissipation is occurring. We also discuss how future missions will further enhance our understanding of the importance of turbulence to solar wind dynamics.

Conditions in solar wind and magnetosphere during the nontypical VLF hiss burst on December 8, 2013

The features of the dynamics of solar wind and IMF parameters were studied during the initial phase of the weak magnetic storm of December 8, 2013, where a nontypical two hour lasting wide-band (∼4–10 kHz) hiss burst was recorded during VLF observations in auroral latitudes near Sodankyla observatory (L ∼ 5.5), which differed from classical auroral hiss. A similar VLF hiss burst was recorded at Russian Lovozero observatory, which is located ∼400 km to the east. In contrast to a typical auroral hiss, the VLF emissions at both points were left-polarized and arrived at the observation point from the southeast. Although the VLF hiss burst coincided in time with the development of a substorm and the appearance of zenithal bright auroras near the stations traveling north-south, the excitation of the VLF hiss apparently has no relation to the auroras. It is suggested that the VLF emissions were generated due to cyclotron instability far to the east of Scandinavia in the region of plasmapause at L ∼ 3.5, where the equatorial gyrofrequency (f He) is about 20 kHz. The generated VLF waves could be ducted in the plasmapause at frequencies lower than a half of f He, i.e., below ∼10 kHz, they arrive at the Earth’s surface near the projection of their source and propagate in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide to large distances, as left-polarized waves. A sharp increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure was noted during the hiss burst under study, which resulted in a significant contraction of the daytime magnetosphere, a shift of the plasmapause and radiation belt to lower L shells, and the development of a substorm and southward travel of auroral arcs. The VLF hiss may have been generated in the region where energetic particles of the radiation belt crossed the plasmapause. The fact that the hiss under study was generated not in the early morning sector (Scandinavian meridian), but much further to the east, could be indirectly confirmed by quasiperiodic modulation of the VLF noise intensity in the range of Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations, which were observed in this period at eastern stations but not at the Scandinavian meridian.

AUTOMATIC DETECTION ALGORITHM OF DYNAMIC PRESSURE PULSES IN THE SOLAR WIND

Dynamic pressure pulses (DPPs) in the solar wind are a significant phenomenon closely related to the solar-terrestrial connection and physical processes of solar wind dynamics. In order to automatically identify DPPs from solar wind measurements, we develop a procedure with a three-step detection algorithm that is able to rapidly select DPPs from the plasma data stream and simultaneously define the transition region where large dynamic pressure variations occur and demarcate the upstream and downstream region by selecting the relatively quiet status before and after the abrupt change in dynamic pressure. To demonstrate the usefulness, efficiency, and accuracy of this procedure, we have applied it to the Wind observations from 1996 to 2008 by successfully obtaining the DPPs. The procedure can also be applied to other solar wind spacecraft observation data sets with different time resolutions.

Tsallis non-extensive statistics and solar wind plasma complexity

This article presents novel results revealing non-equilibrium phase transition processes in the solar wind plasma during a strong shock event, which took place on 26th September 2011. Solar wind plasma is a typical case of stochastic spatiotemporal distribution of physical state variables such as force fields (B→,E→) and matter fields (particle and current densities or bulk plasma distributions). This study shows clearly the non-extensive and non-Gaussian character of the solar wind plasma and the existence of multi-scale strong correlations from the microscopic to the macroscopic level. It also underlines the inefficiency of classical magneto–hydro-dynamic (MHD) or plasma statistical theories, based on the classical central limit theorem (CLT), to explain the complexity of the solar wind dynamics, since these theories include smooth and differentiable spatial–temporal functions (MHD theory) or Gaussian statistics (Boltzmann–Maxwell statistical mechanics). On the contrary, the results of this study indicate the presence of non-Gaussian non-extensive statistics with heavy tails probability distribution functions, which are related to the q-extension of CLT. Finally, the results of this study can be understood in the framework of modern theoretical concepts such as non-extensive statistical mechanics (Tsallis, 2009), fractal topology (Zelenyi and Milovanov, 2004), turbulence theory (Frisch, 1996), strange dynamics (Zaslavsky, 2002), percolation theory (Milovanov, 1997), anomalous diffusion theory and anomalous transport theory (Milovanov, 2001), fractional dynamics (Tarasov, 2013) and non-equilibrium phase transition theory (Chang, 1992).

Stability analysis of the polytropic solar wind

A linear stability analysis of a simple polytropic model for the solar wind dynamics within the framework of a magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium configuration is theoretically proposed. The simplistic analysis is based on the model developed based on the data available from the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft mission. A unique form of dispersion relation is derived by coupling the adiabatic and polytropic processes in the limit of ideal gas approximation for the solar wind gas in accordance with the standard Fourier technique. Applying usual variable-separation methodology on the dispersion relation, we obtain the linear growth rate of the fluctuations. It is seen that the growth rate is an explicitly nonlinear function of the variable polytropic index (α) and radial position (r) with respect to the considered center of the Sun. Numerical analyses are carried out to understand the physical insight of the growth profiles of the fluctuations. It is shown that the growth is maximized near the solar corona, where α ∼ 1, relative to that observed elsewhere in the entire solar plasma system. The source for this growth may be attributed to the free flow of energy coming from the dynamic equilibrium of the solar plasma itself. As compared with existing model predictions, our results are qualitatively capable of reproducing the average behavior of the solar wind fluctuation and stability behaviors on the astrophysical scales of space and time.

Ionospheric irregularities during a substorm event: Observations of ULF pulsations and GPS scintillations

Plasma instability in the ionosphere is often observed as disturbances and distortions of the amplitude and phase of the radio signals, which are known as ionospheric scintillations. High-latitude ionospheric plasma, closely connected to the solar wind and magnetospheric dynamics, produces very dynamic and short-lived Global Positioning System (GPS) scintillations, making it challenging to characterize them. It is observed that scintillations in the high-latitude ionosphere occur frequently during geomagnetic storms and substorms. In addition, it is well known that Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) pulsations (Pi2 and Pi1B) are closely associated with substorm activity. This study reports simultaneous observations of Pi2 and Pi1B pulsations and GPS phase scintillations during a substorm using a newly designed Autonomous Adaptive Low-Power Instrument Platform (AAL-PIP) installed at the South Pole. The magnetic field and GPS data from the instruments appear to be associated in terms of their temporal and spectral features. Moreover, the scintillation events were observed near the auroral latitudes where Pi1B pulsations are commonly detected. The temporal, spectral and spatial association between the scintillation and geomagnetic pulsation events suggests that the magnetic field perturbations and enhanced electric fields caused by substorm currents could contribute to the creation of plasma instability in the high-latitude ionosphere, leading to GPS scintillations.

Comparison between vortices created and evolving during fixed and dynamic solar wind conditions

Abstract. We employ Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to examine the creation and evolution of plasma vortices within the Earth's magnetosphere for steady solar wind plasma conditions. Very few vortices form during intervals of such solar wind conditions. Those that do remain in fixed positions for long periods (often hours) and exhibit rotation axes that point primarily in the x or y direction, parallel (or antiparallel) to the local magnetospheric magnetic field direction. Occasionally, the orientation of the axes rotates from the x direction to another direction. We compare our results with simulations previously done for unsteady solar wind conditions. By contrast, these vortices that form during intervals of varying solar wind conditions exhibit durations ranging from seconds (in the case of those with axes in the x or y direction) to minutes (in the case of those with axes in the z direction) and convect antisunward. The local-time dependent sense of rotation seen in these previously reported vortices suggests an interpretation in terms of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. For steady conditions, the biggest vortices developed on the dayside (about 6 RE in diameter), had their rotation axes aligned with the y direction and had the longest periods of duration. We attribute these vortices to the flows set up by reconnection on the high-latitude magnetopause during intervals of northward Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) orientation. This is the first time that vortices due to high-latitude reconnection have been visualized. The model also successfully predicts the principal characteristics of previously reported plasma vortices within the magnetosphere, namely their dimension, flow velocities, and durations.

Study of Corotating Interaction Regions in the Ascending Phase of the Solar Cycle: Multi-spacecraft Observations

We combined simultaneous solar wind observations from five different spacecraft: Helios 1, Helios 2, IMP-8, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, from November 1977 to February 1978 (Carrington rotations 1661 – 1664, ascending phase of Solar Cycle 21). The concurrence of the five trajectories makes this interval unique for the purpose of studying solar wind dynamics during this phase of the cycle. We analyzed the observations identifying five corotating interaction regions (CIRs) and produced maps of interplanetary large-scale features, unifying and summarizing the data. The maps show the compressive events and the magnetic sectors associated with the solar wind streams causing the CIRs. We analyzed the relative position of the stream interfaces immersed within the CIRs. About 70 % of the stream interfaces in this study were located closer to the forward edge of the CIR. From the analysis of the geometry of the stream interfaces, we found that all the CIRs presented latitudinal tilts, having their fronts pointing towards the ecliptic plane and their tails northwards or southwards. These results are in agreement with the origin of the fast streams coming from mid-latitude coronal holes and the predominance of forward shocks over reverse shocks bounding the CIRs, which characterize this phase of the cycle. From the analysis of the ratio of dynamic pressures between fast and slow solar wind streams associated with the CIRs, we found that in about 60 % of the cases the fast stream was transferring momentum to the slow one ahead, but in the rest of the cases the momentum was flowing sunward. This result indicates significant inhomogeneities in the solar wind streams during the ascending phase of the cycle that affect the local form and evolution of CIR events. We did a limited comparison between a global magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) model of SW flows and the orientation of the SI from in-situ observations, we found, in general, a qualitative agreement between the pressure profiles at 1 AU predicted by the model and the inclinations of the stream interfaces deduced from the data analysis.

PROTON TEMPERATURE ANISOTROPY AND MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN THE SOLAR WIND: EFFECTS OF KINETIC INSTABILITIES ON CURRENT SHEET STABILITY

We investigate the role of kinetic instabilities driven by a proton anisotropy on the onset of magnetic reconnection by means of 2-D hybrid simulations. The collisionless tearing of a current sheet is studied in the presence of a proton temperature anisotropy in the surrounding plasma. Our results confirm that anisotropic protons within the current sheet region can significantly enhance/stabilize the tearing instability of the current. Moreover, fluctuations associated to linear instabilities excited by large proton temperature anisotropies can significantly influence the stability of the plasma and perturb the current sheets, triggering the tearing instability. We find that such a complex coupling leads to a faster tearing evolution in a regime with larger perpendicular temperature when an ion-cyclotron instability is generated by the anisotropic proton distribution functions. On the contrary, in the presence of the opposite anisotropy, fire hose fluctuations excited by the unstable background protons with larger parallel temperature are not able to efficiently destabilize the current sheets, which remain stable for a long time after fire hose saturation. We discuss possible influences of this novel coupling on the solar wind and heliospheric plasma dynamics.

Dynamic modeling of cusp ion structures

Dispersed ion structures observed near the magnetosphere cusps have long been used to infer locations and properties of reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause. However, observations are often difficult to interpret since spacecraft move relative to a cusp ion structure, creating temporal and spatial ambiguity in the observations. Models of cusp ion structures are also limited to the cases during stable solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) because empirical models are used to obtain the Earth's electromagnetic fields. We introduce a new model of a cusp ion structure by using the Liouville theorem particle tracer (LTPT) with the OpenGGCM 3D global MHD model. The OpenGGCM produces time‐dependent magnetospheric electromagnetic fields under various solar wind and IMF conditions, while the LTPT traces test particles backward from an observation point to the magnetosheath to map the phase space density and construct an energy‐time spectrogram. This allows our model to study cusp ion structures under dynamic solar wind and IMF conditions. In this paper, we first test our model's capability by reconstructing the cusp ion structures observed from three cusp‐crossing events of Cluster and Polar satellites. We show that the model reproduces various observed ion structures, such as normal dispersion, reverse dispersion, double dispersions, and stepped dispersion. We then show that the cusp structures observed by Cluster on 23 September 2004 and on 23 August 2003 are temporal structures caused by a sudden increase of solar wind dynamic pressure and various reconnection rates, respectively. We also show that the stepped dispersion observed by Polar on 25 August 1998 is not only spatial but also temporal, caused by two different subsolar reconnection sites during a change of the IMF clock angle. In addition, we find that the ions entering the cusp often cross the magnetopause far away from the reconnection site, even though the reconnection is the cause of precipitation, and that the magnetic configuration of the magnetosheath is also sometimes a cause of energy dispersion in a cusp structure.

Characteristics of the terrestrial field-aligned current system

Abstract. We present the first ever comprehensive statistical study of the spatiotemporal characteristics of field-aligned currents in the terrestrial magnetosphere-ionosphere system using multi point measurements. We determine how the FAC density, variability and scale size are coupled. The three ST 5 satellites were in a pearls-on-a-string formation making measurements of the magnetic field with variable inter-spacecraft separations ranging from a few seconds to about 10 min. More than 4700 sets of satellite passes are analyzed using a robust correlation analysis aimed at determining the variability of the FAC system as a function of scale size and satellite spacing. We find significant differences between the FAC characteristics on the dayside and on the nightside in terms of dynamics of the current systems. On the dayside the FAC characteristics are found to be independent of IMF Bz and geomagnetic activity while the nightside indicates increased variability during disturbed conditions. The boundary separating highly and poorly correlated FACs can be fitted by a linear line for satellite separations shorter than 60 s (dayside) and 160 s (nightside). We interpret this as the dayside and nightside magnetospheric reconfiguration times respectively. For times exceeding this the FAC characteristics are suggested to be controlled by the solar wind (dayside) and plasma sheet (nightside) dynamics. Finally, the characteristics of FAC system with scale sizes larger than ~200 km (at ionospheric altitude) appear to be stable and repeatable on time scales of the order of a minute (i.e. comparable to the low-altitude orbiting satellite's traverse time across the auroral belt). In this sense, our results effectively validate the Iijima and Potemra (1978) assumption that on average the large-scale currents with scale sizes of the Region1 and Region2 are quasi-persistently significant in the transport of energy and momentum between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere.

Low-dimensionality and predictability of solar wind and global magnetosphere during magnetic storms

The storm index SYM-H, the solar wind velocity v, and interplanetary magnetic field Bz show no signatures of low-dimensional dynamics in quiet periods, but tests for determinism in the time series indicate that SYM-H exhibits a significant low-dimensional component during storm time, suggesting that self-organization takes place during magnetic storms. Even though our analysis yields no discernible change in determinism during magnetic storms for the solar wind parameters, there are significant enhancement of the predictability and exponents measuring persistence. Thus, magnetic storms are typically preceded by an increase in the persistence of the solar wind dynamics, and this increase is also present in the magnetospheric response to the solar wind.

Heavy-ion flux enhancement in the vicinity of the Martian ionosphere during CIR passage: Mars Express ASPERA-3 observations

[1] A characteristic heavy-ion signature observed in the vicinity of the Martian ionosphere during passages of Corotating Interaction Region (CIR) structures in solar wind is reported. We analyzed data obtained by the IMA/ASPERA-3 onboard the Mars Express (MEX) from September to October 2007. We compared the solar wind velocity at Mars derived from a shifted Maxwellian fitting to the IMA data with time-shifted Advanced Composition Explorer satellite data taken at ∼1 AU to the Martian orbit. Using the derived solar wind velocity, we identified four CIR structures passing through Mars quasiperiodically. Coinciding with the CIR passages, the IMA observed heavy-ion flux enhancement in the vicinity of the Martian ionosphere. The heavy-ion energies reach ≥100 eV and sometimes up to approximately several kiloelectron volts. Observed ion velocity distribution functions show that they are mainly precipitating toward the Martian ionosphere. The flux of the precipitating ions is typically 105–106 (104–105) cm−2 s−1 for the energy range of 50–500 eV (≥500 eV) and it becomes by one order of magnitude higher in one event. While the flux level is consistent with a previous model prediction of sputtering ions, the intermittent occurrence of the heavy-ion precipitation differs from conventional expectation of constant precipitation. These results suggest that the efficiency of the sputtering process in the Martian atmospheric escape is highly variable with dynamic solar wind variations.

Suprathermal electron flux peaks at stream interfaces: Signature of solar wind dynamics or tracer for open magnetic flux transport on the Sun?

The high variability of the intensity of suprathermal electron flux in the solar wind is usually ascribed to the high variability of sources on the Sun. Here we demonstrate that a substantial amount of the variability arises from peaks in stream interaction regions, where fast wind runs into slow wind and creates a pressure ridge at the interface. Superposed epoch analysis centered on stream interfaces in 26 interaction regions previously identified in Wind data reveal a twofold increase in 250 eV flux (integrated over pitch angle). Whether the peaks result from the compression there or are solar signatures of the coronal hole boundary, to which interfaces may map, is an open question. Suggestive of the latter, some cases show a displacement between the electron and magnetic field peaks at the interface. Since solar information is transmitted to 1 AU much more quickly by suprathermal electrons compared to convected plasma signatures, the displacement may imply a shift in the coronal hole boundary through transport of open magnetic flux via interchange reconnection. If so, however, the fact that displacements occur in both directions and that the electron and field peaks in the superposed epoch analysis are nearly coincident indicate that any systematic transport expected from differential solar rotation is overwhelmed by a random pattern, possibly owing to transport across a ragged coronal hole boundary.

Relating the Proca Photon Mass and Cosmic Vector Potential via Solar Wind

The effect of the Proca photon mass m(ph) and cosmic vector potential A(C) on the dynamics of solar wind is considered. For large-enough values of the parameter A(C)m(ph)(2), the solar wind structure at a distance of approximately 40 AU from the Sun should change significantly with respect to the actual observed flow. The absence of such deviations gives an upper bound on the parameter A(C)m(ph)(2) 9 orders of magnitude less than in laboratory experiments measuring torque on a toroidal magnet.

Statistical analysis of transfer of fluctuations in solar wind turbulence

Abstract. We present results of statistical analysis of the transfer of fluctuations in solar wind turbulence. We investigate the dynamics of the slow solar wind using an approach based on the Markov processes theory and experimental data measured by ACE spacecraft. In particular, we test whether the Chapman-Kolmogorov equation is approximately satisfied for the turbulent cascade. We consider the following cases of transfer of fluctuations: magnetic-to-magnetic, velocity-to-velocity, velocity-to-magnetic, and magnetic-to-velocity. In all these cases, the obtained results confirm local character of the transfer of fluctuations.

Impact of variations in solar activity on hydrological decadal patterns in northern Italy

Using spectral and statistical analyses of discharges and basin average precipitation rates acquired over the Po River since the early 1800s, we investigate the impact of variations in solar activity on hydrological decadal patterns over northern Italy. Wet and dry periods appear to alternate in accordance with polarized sunspot cycles. Intriguingly, a solar signature on Po River discharges is detected to be highly significant since the late 1800s, before the onset of sunspots hyperactivity established by the middle 1900s. In particular, observed hydrological patterns over northern Italy are significantly correlated, under periods of quiet sunspot activity, with parameters characterizing the Sun's orbital motion, specifically with the time derivative of the solar angular momentum (τ) which is thought to modulate the strength of the solar wind and sunspot dynamics under weak sunspot activity. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is detected as potential link between the Sun and Po River discharges, since it is significantly correlated with both solar activity and the decadal variability in the north Italian climate. In particular, positive (negative) NAO anomalies, which are associated with comparatively lower (higher) Po River discharges, are assessed to alternatively correlate at decadal timescales either with τ or with the Earth's geomagnetic activity (GA), which closely follows sunspot activity. This changing correlation seems to be regulated by the strength of sunspot activity: under periods of quiet sunspot activity, a weakening of the GA‐NAO connection and a reinforcement of the τ‐NAO connection is observed. In this sense, the strength of solar activity apparently modulates the connection between the NAO and Po River discharges.