Wind Ram Pressure Research Articles

The Dynamic Response of Jovian Magnetotail Reconnection to Enhanced Solar Wind Ram Pressure

In this study, we employ the Grid Agnostic Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) for Extended Research Applications (GAMERA), a high-resolving-power, three-dimensional global MHD model, to simulate magnetotail reconnection in Jupiter's magnetosphere. While previous satellite observations have provided initial statistics on magnetotail reconnection properties at Jupiter, they have been limited in spacetime coverage, leaving the dynamic process of Jovian magnetotail reconnection and its response to the solar wind (SW) poorly understood. Using MHD simulations, we quantitatively analyze the temporal evolution and spatial dependence of nightside reconnection in Jupiter's magnetotail under ideal quiet and enhanced SW conditions. Our results demonstrate that magnetotail reconnection tends to occur in the midnight and postmidnight sectors, with a low occurrence in the premidnight sector, consistent with both Galileo and Juno observations and predictions by Delamere & Bagenal. The magnetic local time (MLT)–radial distribution of magnetotail reconnection is broad, indicating that Jovian magnetotail reconnection is always dynamic rather than steady state. Enhanced SW ram pressure can decrease the MLT coverage of magnetotail reconnection by compressing Jupiter's magnetosphere. However, the occurrence of magnetotail reconnection near the midnight and postmidnight sectors is enhanced by SW compression beyond 60 R J, but is not significantly impacted by SW compression within 60 R J. Conversely, SW compression suppresses reconnection in the premidnight sector, leading to a stronger dawn–dusk asymmetry in the occurrence and location of magnetotail reconnection. This study validates the applicability of the GAMERA code for simulating Jupiter’s magnetosphere and provides complementary insights into the dynamic structure and the SW response of Jupiter’s magnetosphere.

Superthermal Electron Observations at Mars During the December 2022 Disappearing Solar Wind Event

AbstractOn 26–27 December 2022, Mars experienced an extremely low‐density solar wind stream, which was encountered first by Earth because of the radial alignment of the two planets (i.e., Mars opposition). During this event, two important properties of the ionospheric and magnetospheric states changed significantly in response to the low solar wind ram pressure, as inferred from the superthermal electron observations from the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission. The interface between the ionosphere and magnetosphere expanded to thousands of kilometers, outside of the nominal bow shock locations, coinciding with the expansion of the cold planetary ions. Meanwhile, the ambipolar electrostatic potential arising from the ionospheric electron pressure gradient increased from the nominal ∼ −0.7 to ∼ −2 V (relative to the lower ionosphere). This enhanced ambipolar potential likely facilitated the observed ionosphere expansion.

Global Distribution of Relativistic Electron Precipitation and the Dependences on Substorm Injection and Solar Wind Ram Pressure: Long‐Term POES Observations

AbstractRelativistic electron precipitation (REP) into the Earth's atmosphere is one of the fundamental mechanisms causing radiation belt electron flux dropout. It is important to know the preferred regions of REP events and the interplanetary and magnetospheric conditions under which the events take place. In this study of the POES relativistic electron data during 1998–2017, we have examined all REP events from L = 3–10 using an automatic algorithm. The REP events preferentially occur in MLT = 17–03 at L = 4–6.5, where the precipitation fluxes also peak. The monthly average REP event number is correlated with both monthly average AE (auroral electrojet index) and Pd (solar wind ram pressure) indices, so we separately investigate the spatial dependences of the events on one index by restricting the other one to a low level. The occurrence rate of REP events increases with both the AE* and the indices (where AE* and are time‐modified from the AE and Pd indices). During large AE* but low , the events occur mainly in the dusk sector (MLT = 17–22) near the plasmapause. For large but low AE* intervals, most of the events occur outside the plasmapause in the midnight sector (MLT = 23–03). Possible REP loss mechanisms are discussed based on our findings. Our study provides new insights into the distribution and dependences of REP in the Earth's magnetosphere.

Midlatitude bursts of PiB geomagnetic pulsations and night airglow during stormtime sawtooth events

We explore bursts of broadband pulsations (PiBs) and airglow using the ISTP midlatitude observatories during substorm activations in the course of severe magnetospheric storms. We detected bursty pulsations in the Pi1B short-period range not only when the boundary of the auroral and field-aligned currents (FACs) region was near Irkutsk, but also when the boundary was up to 10° northward. Earlier, we associated such events with sharp pulses of the solar wind (SW) ram pressure, Pd, and/or to fast substorm-related variations in FACs during superstorms. In this paper, we show observations of such bursty phenomena during substorm sawtooth events (STEs) in the course of two storms both with and without strong Pd pulses or their moderate variations. The possibility of periodic substorm activations during STEs by a global magnetotail instability and excitation of the nighttime Alfvén resonator is discussed. We suppose and test a technique for timing the substorm explosive phase onset by the start of the surge in the spectral power of Pi1B pulsations.

Modeling the Time‐Dependent Magnetic Fields That BepiColombo Will Use to Probe Down Into Mercury's Mantle

AbstractExternal solar wind variability causes motion of the magnetopause and changes of this boundary's current structure, and the resulting inductive processes, may be exploited to determine the interior structure of magnetized planets. In preparation for the arrival of the BepiColombo spacecraft at Mercury, we here assess solar wind ram pressure forcing in this planet's environment, through analysis of data acquired by the Helios spacecraft, and the impact on the magnetopause's inducing field. These measurements suggest that BepiColombo will see highly unpredictable solar wind conditions and that the inducing field generated in response to variable solar wind ram pressure is non‐uniform across the planet's surface. The inducing magnetic field spectrum, with frequencies in the range of , suggests that the transfer functions derived from the two BepiColombo spacecraft could allow us to obtain a profile of conductivity through Mercury's crust and mantle.

The Effects of Substorm Injection of Energetic Electrons and Enhanced Solar Wind Ram Pressure on Whistler‐Mode Chorus Waves: A Statistical Study

AbstractWhistler‐mode chorus waves in the inner magnetosphere are typically excited by an electron temperature anisotropy. The anisotropy can be driven by two sources: particle injections from the tail (such as during substorms) and the solar wind ram pressure on the dayside magnetosphere. Based on 5 years of data from Van Allen Probe A, we have separately studied the effects of substorm injection of energetic ∼10–100 keV electrons and their gradient and curvature drifts () and enhanced solar wind ram pressure () on the generation of whistler‐mode chorus waves. We use time‐modified and indices to take into account time delays. We find that during the period of large but small , chorus waves are mainly observed in the midnight through dawn to noon sectors ( MLT 13) near the magnetic equator (|MLAT| < 10°) at L = 4.5–6.5. With an increase in both the chorus occurrence rates and the wave amplitudes increase. While under the condition of enhanced but small , chorus waves are preferentially detected on the dayside ( MLT 14) in a wide range of latitudes (|MLAT| < 20°) at outer L‐shells (L = 5.5–6.5). With the increase of , chorus occurrence rates also increase, while the amplitude remains relatively constant. Our study supports the two mechanisms for chorus excitation in the Earth’s magnetosphere and provides a better understanding of the global distribution and properties of chorus waves.

Dynamic Jovian Magnetosphere Responses to Enhanced Solar Wind Ram Pressure: Implications for Auroral Activities

AbstractThe main emission (ME) of the Jovian aurora is thought to be related to the current system associated with the breakdown of plasma corotation in the middle magnetosphere. According to the mainstream corotation breakdown model, the intensity of the Jovian ME is expected to decrease when the solar wind (SW) ram pressure increases, which is not fully consistent with auroral observations. In addition to the field‐aligned current (FAC), Alfvénic power (AP) play an important role in regulating planetary auroral emissions. We use three‐dimensional global simulations to investigate how these proxies of auroral emission respond to enhanced SW ram pressure. We found that during SW compression, both FAC and AP experience up‐down‐up trends, which is not revealed by any previous simulations, while could potentially explain many observations. The results suggest that different Jovian auroral activities including brightening or dimming can be observed during SW compression period.

Variability of Jupiter’s Synchrotron Radiation: Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) Observations -II

Jupiter’s decimeter-wavelength flux density is dominated by synchrotron emission from magnetically trapped ∼5–50 MeV electrons in the radiation belts. Synchrotron radio emission remains the most useful diagnostic of the radiation belts, and a global picture is provided by ground-based observations. Monitoring of the long-term variations of Jupiter’s Synchrotron Radiation (JSR) flux density is crucial to understanding its relationship with the solar wind. The GAVRT (Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope) program operates two retired Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas, and as part of their K-12 program and Juno support, GAVRT has been collecting data to monitor JSR radio emission at 2280 MHz (13 cm wavelength). We present new results from 2019 August to 2021 December GAVRT monitoring observations. As viewed from Earth the JSR varies systematically (by about 10%) with Jupiter’s 9.9 hr rotation period, and our observations were typically much shorter than 9.9 hr. To estimate the daily flux density of JSR, we took advantage of recent progress in modeling the radiation belt, scaling individual observations by the predicted relative variation due to Jupiter’s rotation as viewed from Earth. We discuss the JSR variability from 2015 to 2021, combining our results with previous GAVRT data. Our new results show a marked decrease (∼1 Jy) in JSR flux density between 2018 and 2021, while earlier observations showed an increase from 2015 to 2018. These results are remarkably consistent with long-term variability shown by the simulations of Han et al. based on models driven by the solar wind ram pressure.

Anomalous Reconnection Layer at Earth's Dayside Magnetopause

AbstractObservations by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft (MMS) of an unusual layer, located between the dayside magnetosheath and the magnetosphere, alternating with encounters with the magnetosheath during an extended time period between December 31, 2015 and January 01, 2016, when the interplanetary magnetic field was strongly southward and the Earth's dipole tilt large and negative, are presented. It appears to have been magnetically connected to both magnetosphere and magnetosheath. The layer appears to be located mostly on closed field lines and was bounded by a rotational discontinuity (RD) at its magnetosheath edge and by the magnetosphere on its earthward side. A separatrix layer, with heated magnetosheath electrons streaming unidirectionally along the field lines, was present sunward of the RD. We infer that the layer was started by a dominant reconnection site well north of the spacecraft and that it may have gained additional width, from a large drop in solar wind density and ram pressure, which preceded the beginning of the event by more than an hour. Relative to the magnetosheath, in which the magnetic field was strongly southward, this unusual layer was characterized by a less southward, more dawnward magnetic field of lower magnitude. The plasma density and flow speed in the region were lower than in the magnetosheath, albeit with Alfvénic jetting occurring at the magnetosheath edge as well as at the magnetospheric edge of the layer. The closing of the magnetic field lines requires the existence of another reconnection site, located southward/tailward of MMS.

Planetary magnetosphere evolution around post-main-sequence stars

ABSTRACT Accompanying the mounting detections of planets orbiting white dwarfs and giant stars are questions about their physical history and evolution, particularly regarding detectability of their atmospheres and potential for habitability. Here we determine how the size of planetary magnetospheres evolves over time from the end of the main sequence through to the white dwarf phase due to the violent winds of red giant and asymptotic giant branch stars. By using a semi-analytic prescription, we investigate the entire relevant phase space of planet type, planet orbit, and stellar host mass ($1\!-\!7\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$). We find that a planetary magnetosphere will always be quashed at some point during the giant branch phases unless the planet’s magnetic field strength is at least two orders of magnitude higher than Jupiter’s current value. We also show that the time variation of the stellar wind and density generates a net increase in wind ram pressure and does not allow a magnetosphere to be maintained at any time for field strengths less than 10−5 T (0.1 G). This lack of protection hints that currently potentially habitable planets orbiting white dwarfs would have been previously inhospitable.

A Bayesian Inference‐Based Empirical Model for Scintillation Indices for High‐Latitude

AbstractSolar wind parameters, the solar radio flux index (F10.7), the Sun's declination and the SuperMAG Electrojet index are used to construct a Bayesian inference‐based empirical model for scintillation indices (S4 and σΦ) at high latitudes. For the present study, measurements from three Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 receivers located in the auroral zone, the cusp and in the polar cap are selected, respectively. The solar wind characteristics include the solar wind speed (VSW) and ram pressure (ρSW) as well as the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric (GSM) By and the Bz components of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Following a brief assessment on the independence of the variables (predictors), prior probabilities of occurrence in the case of a multinomial classification are constructed. Posterior‐probabilities are then deduced for any arbitrary set of predictors. We show that the model captures most variations seen in the measured indices whether they are associated or not with transient interplanetary events. Although the model tends to underestimate the actual phase index measurements, 95% of the validated events are predicted with an error less than 0.034 rad in σΦ. For the amplitude scintillation index, 5% of validated events have an error larger than 0.019.

Steady Wind-blown Cavities within Infalling Rotating Envelopes: Application to the Broad Velocity Component in Young Protostars

Abstract Wind-driven outflows are observed around a broad range of accreting objects throughout the universe, ranging from forming low-mass stars to supermassive black holes. We study the interaction between a central isotropic wind and an infalling, rotating envelope, which determines the steady-state cavity shape formed at their interface under the assumption of weak mixing. The shape of the resulting wind-blown cavity is elongated and self-similar, with a physical size determined by the ratio between wind ram pressure and envelope thermal pressure. We compute the growth of a warm turbulent mixing layer between the shocked wind and the deflected envelope, and calculate the resultant broad-line profile, under the assumption of a linear (Couette-type) velocity profile across the layer. We then test our model against the warm broad velocity component observed in CO J = 16–15 by Herschel/HIFI in the protostar Serpens-Main SMM1. Given independent observational constraints on the temperature and density of the dust envelope around SMM1, we find an excellent match to all its observed properties (line profile, momentum, temperature) and to the SMM1 outflow cavity width for a physically reasonable set of parameters: a ratio of wind to infall mass flux of ≃4%, a wind speed of v w ≃ 30 km s−1, an interstellar abundance of CO and H2, and a turbulent entrainment efficiency consistent with laboratory experiments. The inferred ratio of ejection to disk accretion rate, ≃6%–20%, is in agreement with current disk wind theories. Thus, the model provides a new framework to reconcile the modest outflow cavity widths in protostars with large observed flow velocities. Being self-similar, it is applicable over a broader range of astrophysical contexts as well.

The Space Environment and Atmospheric Joule Heating of the Habitable Zone Exoplanet TOI 700 d

Abstract We investigate the space environment conditions near the Earth-size planet TOI 700 d using a set of numerical models for the stellar corona and wind, the planetary magnetosphere, and the planetary ionosphere. We drive our simulations using a scaled-down stellar input and a scaled-up solar input in order to obtain two independent solutions. We find that for the particular parameters used in our study, the stellar wind conditions near the planet are not very extreme—slightly stronger than that near the Earth in terms of the stellar wind ram pressure and the intensity of the interplanetary magnetic field. Thus, the space environment near TOI 700 d may not be extremely harmful to the planetary atmosphere, assuming the planet resembles the Earth. Nevertheless, we stress that the stellar input parameters and the actual planetary parameters are unconstrained, and different parameters may result in a much greater effect on the atmosphere of TOI 700 d. Finally, we compare our results to solar wind measurements in the solar system and stress that modest stellar wind conditions may not guarantee atmospheric retention of exoplanets.

Alfvén-wave-driven Magnetic Rotator Winds from Low-mass Stars. I. Rotation Dependences of Magnetic Braking and Mass-loss Rate

Abstract Observations of stellar rotation show that low-mass stars lose angular momentum during the main sequence. We simulate the winds of sunlike stars with a range of rotation rates, covering the fast and slow magneto-rotator regimes, including the transition between the two. We generalize an Alfvén-wave-driven solar wind model that builds on previous works by including the magneto-centrifugal force explicitly. In this model, the surface-averaged open magnetic flux is assumed to scale as , where and Ro are the surface open-flux filling factor and Rossby number, respectively. We find that, (1) the angular-momentum loss rate (torque) of the wind is described as , yielding a spin-down law . (2) The mass-loss rate saturates at , due to the strong reflection and dissipation of Alfvén waves in the chromosphere. This indicates that the chromosphere has a strong impact in connecting the stellar surface and stellar wind. Meanwhile, the wind ram pressure scales as , which is able to explain the lower envelope of the observed stellar winds by Wood et al. (3) The location of the Alfvén radius is shown to scale in a way that is consistent with one-dimensional analytic theory. Additionally, the precise scaling of the Alfvén radius matches previous works, which used thermally driven winds. Our results suggest that the Alfvén-wave-driven magnetic rotator wind plays a dominant role in the stellar spin-down during the main sequence.

The solar wind from a stellar perspective

Context.Due to the effects that they can have on the atmospheres of exoplanets, stellar winds have recently received significant attention in the literature. Alfvén-wave-driven 3D magnetohydrodynamic models, which are increasingly used to predict stellar wind properties, contain unconstrained parameters and rely on low-resolution stellar magnetograms.Aims.In this paper, we explore the effects of the input Alfvén wave energy flux and the surface magnetogram on the wind properties predicted by the Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM) model for both the solar and stellar winds.Methods.We lowered the resolution of two solar magnetograms during solar cycle maximum and minimum using spherical harmonic decomposition. The Alfvén wave energy was altered based on non-thermal velocities determined from a far ultraviolet spectrum of the solar twin 18 Sco. Additionally, low-resolution magnetograms of three solar analogues, 18 Sco, HD 76151, and HN Peg, were obtained using Zeeman Doppler imaging and used as a proxy for the solar magnetogram. Finally, the simulated wind properties were compared to Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) observations.Results.AWSoM simulations using well constrained input parameters taken from solar observations can reproduce the observed solar wind mass loss and angular momentum loss rates. The simulated wind velocity, proton density, and ram pressure differ from ACE observations by a factor of approximately two. The resolution of the magnetogram has a small impact on the wind properties and only during cycle maximum. However, variation in Alfvén wave energy influences the wind properties irrespective of the solar cycle activity level. Furthermore, solar wind simulations carried out using the low-resolution magnetogram of the three stars instead of the solar magnetogram could lead to an order of a magnitude difference in the simulated solar wind properties.Conclusions.The choice in Alfvén energy has a stronger influence on the wind output compared to the magnetogram resolution. The influence could be even stronger for stars whose input boundary conditions are not as well constrained as those of the Sun. Unsurprisingly, replacing the solar magnetogram with a stellar magnetogram could lead to completely inaccurate solar wind properties, and should be avoided in solar and stellar wind simulations. Further observational and theoretical work is needed to fully understand the complexity of solar and stellar winds.

Low Frequency (f < 200 Hz) Polar Plasmaspheric Hiss: Coherent and Intense

AbstractLow frequency (LF) ~22 Hz to 200 Hz plasmaspheric hiss was studied using a year of Polar plasma wave data occurring during solar cycle minimum. The waves are found to be most intense in the noon and early dusk sectors. When only the most intense LF (ILF) hiss was examined, they are found to be substorm dependent and most prominent in the noon sector. The noon sector ILF waves were also determined to be independent of solar wind ram pressure. The ILF hiss intensity is independent of magnetic latitude. ILF hiss is found to be highly coherent in nature. ILF hiss propagates at all angles relative to the ambient magnetic field. Circular, elliptical, and linear/highly elliptically polarized hiss have been detected, with elliptical polarization the dominant characteristic. A case of linear polarized ILF hiss that occurred deep in the plasmasphere during geomagnetic quiet was noted. The waveforms and polarizations of ILF hiss are similar to those of intense high frequency hiss. We propose the hypothesis that ~10–100 keV substorm injected electrons gradient drift to dayside minimum B pockets close to the magnetopause to generate LF chorus. The closeness of this chorus to low altitude entry points into the plasmasphere will minimize wave damping and allow intense noon‐sector ILF hiss. The coherency of ILF hiss leads the authors to predict energetic electron precipitation into the mid latitude ionosphere and the electron slot formation during substorms. Several means of testing the above hypotheses are discussed.

The Influence of Solar Wind Pressure on Martian Crustal Magnetic Field Topology

AbstractWe present a study of changes in Martian magnetic topology induced by upstream solar wind ram pressure variations. Using electron energy spectra and pitch angle distributions measured by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, we classify the topology of magnetic field lines in the Martian space environment across a range of solar wind conditions. We find that during periods of high solar wind dynamic pressure, draped fields are pushed to lower altitudes on the dayside of the planet, compressing closed fields. At the same time, open topology becomes more prevalent on the nightside due to the broadening of crustal cusp regions. The result is a decrease in closed topology at all locations around Mars, suggesting that the Martian ionosphere becomes significantly more exposed to solar wind energy input during high solar wind pressure. This could likely contribute to elevated levels of ion escape during these periods.

Signatures of Sudden Storm Commencement on the equatorial thermospheric dayglow

It has been observed that the OI 630.0 nm dayglow emission over a dip equatorial station, Trivandrum (8.5° N, 77° E, dip 0.5° N), India registered an abrupt increase of ~ 2000 R during the compression phase of the magnetosphere as dictated by a sudden increase in solar wind ram pressure. Furthermore, an unusual depletion of these emissions has been observed during the eastward interplanetary electric field (IEF), concomitant with southward excursion of IMF Bz. The ionosonde and magnetometer observations confirmed the effects of prompt penetration electric field (PPEF). Associated with the eastward PPEF, formation of F3 layers were also noticed. These unique results, which emphasize the effect of Sudden Storm Commencement/IEF on these equatorial daytime airglow emissions are discussed in context of changes in the equatorial zonal electric field and F region height variations associated with polar/auroral activities due to the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

Investigating Solar Wind‐Driven Electric Field Influence on Long‐Term Dynamics of Jovian Synchrotron Radiation

AbstractSince the first discovery of Jovian Synchrotron Radiation (JSR) from Jovian radiation belt in late 1950s, origin of its time variations has been one of the main subjects of the Jovian radiation belt study. JSR is reported to be strongly correlated with solar wind ram pressure with a possible time lag, which remains an unsolved issue. In our study, the influence of dawn‐to‐dusk electric field modulated with solar wind ram pressure on JSR variations is investigated. Alongside the original diffusion coefficient (DLL(UV)), a new diffusion coefficient (DLL(Elec)) which is dependent on solar wind conditions is applied to a one‐dimensional lossy radial diffusion model, and we reproduce long‐term variations of JSR between 1971 and early 2018. For the specific choice of DLL(UV) = 3.0 × 10−10L3[s−1], the correlation coefficient is found to be 0.6 between the simulated JSR and the ground observation data prior to 2005, and the intermittent observation after 2005 supports our simulation as well. We suggest that while DLL(UV) is the primary mode of diffusion that determines the steady profile of electron population and JSR, DLL(Elec) serves as a secondary mode, which controls long‐term variations of JSR.

Time Dependence of the IBEX Ribbon and the Globally Distributed Energetic Neutral Atom Flux Using the First 9 Years of Observations

Abstract Observations from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) reveal two populations, those emitted from a narrow (∼20°–40°) ribbon that is centered on the local interstellar magnetic field, and a globally distributed flux (GDF) that is controlled by processes in the heliosheath. This is a third study utilizing a previously developed technique to separate ENA emissions in the ribbon from the GDF. In the first ribbon separation study, we analyzed the first year of IBEX data at the energies of 0.7 keV and above; the second study analyzed data down to 0.2 keV using the first five years of IBEX data. Here, we utilize the separation analysis from 0.7 keV and above to study time evolution in 3 year intervals over the first nine years of IBEX data. This study is the first to reveal the global time evolution of the GDF distinct from that of the IBEX ribbon. We show that the time evolution of the GDF within 40° of the upwind pressure maximum is driven by changes in the solar wind ram pressure through compression and rarefaction in the heliosheath. In contrast, the GDF is relatively stable in the region centered on the heliotail downwind with respect to the interstellar flow. The evolution of the IBEX ribbon is observed to have a time lag with respect to the upwind GDF evolution, likely due to the secondary (neutral) solar wind source. The time lag observed in the ribbon evolution is consistent with the generation of ions retained for several years beyond the heliopause. These observations lend further support to secondary solar wind models of the IBEX ribbon, but also require that there is a significant several year time lag for reneutralization of ions that form the IBEX ribbon. We use this study of the 9 year separation of the IBEX ribbon from the globally distributed flux to prepare for a formal IBEX data release of ribbon and globally distributed flux maps to the heliophysics community.