Magnetopause poleward of the cusp: Comparison of plasma and magnetic signature of the boundary for southward and northward directed interplanetary magnetic field

A coherent data set of high-latitude dayside magnetopause encounters by old (Heos 2, Hawkeye, Prognoz 7, 8) and new (Polar, Interball Tail, Cluster) spacecraft is needed to build a realistic model of the magnetopause (MP) including an indentation in the cusp. In building such a coherent data set a caution is necessary as the dayside magnetopause at high-latitudes may be less clearly defined than in the case of observations at low latitudes. It is due to expected presence of bundles of newly-reconnected magnetic field lines forming an extended boundary layer on the magnetosheath (MS) side of the magnetopause in the cusp region. Moreover, numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models of the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction predict that under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) an additional thin current sheet should form inside the magnetopause at high latitudes on the dayside (e.g., Wu, 1983; Palmroth et al., 2001). Such a thin currect sheet is absent in empirical magnetosphere models. This internal current sheet, if a real one, may be mistaken for the magnetopause if magnetic field data are only taken into account and/or plasma data are unavailable. The Interball-Tail orbit allows for a full transition of magnetopause boundary layers at high-latitudes. We compare plasma and magnetic field signatures of the magnetopause poleward of the cusp for southward and northward IMF. The distance between the magnetic signature of the magnetopause (the current layer) and a cold and laminarly antisunward flowing MS plasma (so called free-flow MS) was found to be 0.5 to 1 R_E, at least. These observations were made under nominal solar wind of v350 km/s and p_dyn=1 to 4 nPa. We also observed several transient magnetic field reversals in the cusp related to pulses of solar wind dynamic pressure and/or the IMF discontinuity arrival. These transient reversals occurred at the same distance to the model MP as well defined full MP crossing, so most probably they represent just short encounters with the magnetopause current layer. Our analysis suggests that an indentation of the magnetopause with a subtle structure dependent on the local magnetic shear would explain and allow to predict the magnetic configuration in the high-altitude cusp.     

三维试验粒子轨道法在磁层粒子全球输运中的应用

根据磁层粒子动力学理论, 通过偶极磁场模型验证利用三维试验粒子轨道方法模拟近地球区(r < 8R_e)带电粒子运动特征的可靠性. 在此基础上, 以太阳风和磁层相互作用的全球MHD模拟结果为背景, 利用三维试验粒子轨道方法, 对非磁暴期间南向行星际磁场背景下太阳风离子注入磁层的情形进行数值模拟, 并对北向行星际磁场背景下太阳风离子注入极尖区以及内磁层的几种不同情形进行了单粒子模拟. 模拟结果反映了南向和北向行星际磁场离子向磁层的几种典型输入过程, 揭示出行星际磁场南向时太阳风粒子在磁层内密度分布的晨昏不对称性以及其在磁鞘和磁层内的大致分布, 并得出统计规律. 模拟结果与理论预测和观测结论相一致, 且通过数值模拟发现, 行星际磁场北向时靠近极尖区附近形成的非典型磁镜结构对于能量粒子经由极尖区注入环电流区域过程有重要的影响和作用.      

Unusually strong magnetic fields in Titan’s ionosphere: T42 case study

Observations of unusually large magnetic fields in the ionosphere indicate periods of maximum stress on Titan’s ionosphere and potentially of the strongest loss rates of ionospheric plasma. During Titan flyby T42, the observed magnetic field attained a maximum value of 37 nT between an altitude of 1200 and 1600 km, about 20 nT stronger than on any other Titan pass and close to five times greater in magnetic pressure. The strong fields occurred near the corotation-flow terminator rather than at the sub-flow point, suggesting that the flow which magnetized the ionosphere was from a direction far from corotation and possibly towards Saturn. Extrapolation of solar wind plasma conditions from Earth to Saturn using the University of Michigan MHD code predicts an enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure at Saturn close to this time. Cassini’s earlier exits from Saturn’s magnetosphere support this prediction because the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer instrument saw a magnetopause crossing three hours before the strong field observation. Thus it appears that Titan’s ionosphere was magnetized when the enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure compressed the Saturnian magnetosphere, and perhaps the magnetosheath magnetic field, against Titan. The solar wind pressure then decreased, leaving a strong fossil field in the ionosphere. When observed, this strong magnetic flux tube had begun to twist, further enhancing its strength.     

How to address the accuracy of empirical magnetic field models?

Empirical magnetic field models are compared with high-altitude magnetic field measurements and results from an MHD simulation. Comparison of the T96 model and observations from GOES-8 and GOES-9 shows that if the observed solar wind and IMF parameters are used to compute the model field, the model field is more stretched than the observed field. On the other hand, if measurements made by one spacecraft are used to find the model parameters that give a best-fit field at that location, the RMS error can be reduced also at the other spacecraft four hours away in local time. Comparison of T96 model and MHD simulation results shows that the empirical models have a thinner current sheet than the MHD simulation, but that the lobe field values are quite similar to each other. Furthermore, a comparison of an event-oriented, modified T89 model and MHD simulation by Pulkkinen et al. [2000] reveals that if the empirical model is constructed by fitting to in-situ measurements, the resulting model is very similar to the MHD simulation magnetic field. These results indicate that an efficient method of utilizing the present-day empirical models is to select model parameters based on measurements from a few individual points.     

Real-time global MHD simulation of the solar wind interaction with the earth’s magnetosphere

We have developed a real-time global MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) simulation of the solar wind interaction with the earth’s magnetosphere. By adopting the real-time solar wind parameters and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) observed routinely by the ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) spacecraft, responses of the magnetosphere are calculated with MHD code. The simulation is carried out routinely on the super computer system at National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan. The visualized images of the magnetic field lines around the earth, pressure distribution on the meridian plane, and the conductivity of the polar ionosphere, can be referred to on the web site (http://www2.nict.go.jp/y/y223/simulation/realtime/).The results show that various magnetospheric activities are almost reproduced qualitatively. They also give us information how geomagnetic disturbances develop in the magnetosphere in relation with the ionosphere. From the viewpoint of space weather, the real-time simulation helps us to understand the whole image in the current condition of the magnetosphere. To evaluate the simulation results, we compare the AE indices derived from the simulation and observations. The simulation and observation agree well for quiet days and isolated substorm cases in general.     

Invariant Modulation of IMF Clock Angle on the Solar Wind Energy Input into the Magnetosphere

By use of the global PPMLR Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model, a serial of quasisteady- state numerical simulations were conducted to examine the modulation property of the interplanetary magnetic field clock angle θ on the solar wind energy input into the magnetosphere. All the simulations can be divided into seven groups according to different criteria of solar wind conditions. For each group, 37 numerical examples are analyzed, with the clock angle varying from 0° to 360° with an interval of 10°, keeping the other solar wind parameters (such as the solar wind number density, velocity, and the magnetic field magnitude) unchanged. As expected, the solar wind energy input into the magnetosphere is modulated by the IMF clock angle. The axisymmetrical bell-shaped curve peaks at the clock angle of 180°. However, the modulation effect remains invariant with varying other solar wind conditions. The function form of such an invariant modulation is found to be sin(θ/2)2.70 + 0.25.      

利用Cluster资料对经验及抛物面磁场模式性能的研究

Cluster的观测区包括太阳风与磁层相互作用的关键区域.本文将Tsyganenko经验模式T96,T01及Alexeev抛物面模式A2000的模拟结果与Cluster的磁场资料进行了详细对比,研究了两种模式对于近地点分别位于日侧及夜侧磁层的不同Cluster轨道上磁场的模拟性能.结果表明: (1)Cluster近地点附近轨道上的磁场主要受Birkland电流影响,T96,T01能很好地估计电流系位置,但对其强度模拟有所偏差,由于A2000不包含Ⅱ区场向电流,因此模拟不出近地点附近的磁场扰动; (2)对于0＞Dst＞-100 nT情况,T96与T01性能相当,但由于缺少部分环电流,T96对于日侧昏线附近的磁场模拟偏差大; (3)T96与T01对夜侧近地点轨道上磁场模拟的均方根相对误差为40%左右,受极尖区电流影响,日侧时误差上升到50%,而A2000均方根相对误差明显偏大,均为58%左右.      

A coordinated study of field-aligned currents and Pc5 ULF waves during ejecta 1997

We show examples of long period Pc5 magnetic field pulsations near field-aligned current (FAC) regions in the high-latitude magnetosphere, observed by INTERBALL-Au, and coordinated with POLAR, GOES-9 and ground-based observations during 11 January and 11 April 1997. Identification of corresponding magnetosphere regions and subregions is provided by electrons and protons in the energy-range of 0.01–100 keV measured onboard the spacecraft. The ULF Pc5 wave occurrence is observed in both upward and downward FACs. A fairly good correlation is demonstrated between these ULF Pc5 waves and the consecutive injection of magnetosheath low energy protons. The constancy of the observed frequency peak at 1.8 mHz during quite unsteady solar wind pressure conditions could be reconciled with the surface wave mode model. The 3.1 mHz peak location area probably resembles field-line fluctuations with an interesting appearance of poloidal mode oscillation. It is suggested that the 1.3 mHz wave and its harmonic 2.6 mHz represent global compressional oscillations.     

太阳风向磁层输入电磁能量研究

利用全球磁流体力学（MHD）模拟结果,通过确立包含磁层顶的太阳风流线内边界来识别三维磁层顶位形,并以极尖区位置作为磁层顶日侧与夜侧的分界线,在此基础上定量研究了不同条件下穿过磁层顶向磁层内输入的电磁能量. 研究发现,磁层顶的能量传输与太阳风条件密切相关,磁重联是控制电磁能量传输的重要机制. 结果表明,当IMF（行星际磁场）南向时,极尖区后方的磁尾附近存在电磁能输入最大值,当IMF北向时,电磁能输入最大值发生在极尖区附近;南向IMF条件下,在IMF强度增大或太阳风密度增大时,磁层顶电磁能传输的电磁能量比北向IMF条件时增加更显著. 太阳风通过调节磁层顶面积间接影响到磁层顶能量传输大小. 研究还发现,北向IMF与南向IMF条件下穿过磁层顶的电磁能输入的比值范围约为10%～30%,此比值一定程度上反映了北、南方向IMF与地磁场磁重联效率的比值.      

磁鞘等离子体密度统计建模

利用理想磁流体LFM模型的模拟数据,基于非参数统计方法对2004年11月14日03:00UT-07:00UT磁暴恢复相期间磁鞘等离子体平均密度进行建模.分析磁鞘等离子体平均密度与上游太阳风参数、行星际磁场参数及地磁扰动参数的统计关系,建立基于数据降维的经验模型.结果表明,电离层扰动强度因子、太阳风-磁层耦合强度因子和日地空间因果链耦合强度因子是影响磁鞘等离子体平均密度的三个主要方面.磁暴恢复相期间电离层上行离子是磁层环电流和磁尾等离子体的重要离子来源.建模分析过程表明,利用经验模型对空间物理过程开展建模,数据的严重多重共线性通常会导致模型的精度较差.而利用SIR和LPR建立的磁鞘等离子体平均密度随相关参数变化的经验模型可以有效解决该问题,具有较好的预测精度,统计特征显著.      

Comparison of global MHD simulation results with actual storm and substorm events

Global MHD models hold the promise of providing a physics-based understanding of magnetospheric structure and dynamics. As such models have become more sophisticated, and computing power has increased, it is now possible to model actual events using solar wind data as a boundary condition. In this paper we present some results MHD simulations of actual storm and substorm events. We will demonstrate that not only can the simulations reproduce details of events, they also are reproducing fundamental aspects of energy coupling between the solar wind and the magnetosphere in such a manner that we can distinguish storms and substorms.     

Geomagnetic activity driven by solar wind turbulence

Within the framework of the solar wind—magnetosphere coupled system, intense perturbations in the solar wind, causing geomagnetic storms and substorms, have been widely studied by means of the so-called coupling parameters. However, remarkable variations in the geomagnetic field occur even in absence of such perturbations. In those conditions, solar wind MHD turbulence might have a role. Recent results have shown that solar wind turbulence can be described not only as a mixture of inward and outward stochastic Alfvénic fluctuations, but includes also advected structures, dominated by an excess of magnetic energy.     

The response of the Hermean magnetosphere to the interplanetary magnetic field

The interaction between the solar wind and Mercury is anticipated to be unique because of Mercury’s relatively weak intrinsic magnetic field and tenuous neutral exosphere. In this paper the role of the IMF in determining the structure of the Hermean magnetosphere is studied using a new self-consistent three-dimensional quasi-neutral hybrid model. A comparison between a pure northward and southward IMF shows that the general morphology of the magnetic field, the position and shape of the bow shock and the magnetopause as well as the density and velocity of the solar wind in the magnetosheath and in the magnetosphere are quite similar in these two IMF situations. A Parker spiral IMF case, instead, produces a magnetosphere with a substantial north–south asymmetric plasma and magnetic field configuration. In general, this study illustrates quantitatively the role of IMF when the solar wind interacts with a weakly magnetised planetary body.     

极端太阳风条件下的磁层顶位形

基于极端太阳风条件下的三维MHD数值模拟数据, 构建了一种极端太阳风条件下的三维非对称磁层顶位形模型. 所提出的模型考虑了行星际南向磁场(IMF) B_z日下点距离侵蚀的饱和效应, 太阳风动压B_d对磁层顶张角影响的饱和效应, 赤道面、昼夜子午面磁层顶的不对称性以及极尖区的内凹结构和内凹中心的移动, 并利用Levenberg-Marquart多参量非线性拟合方法拟合了模型参数. 数值模拟研究表明, 在极端太阳风条件下, 随B_d增大, 磁层顶日下点距离减小, 磁层顶磁尾张角几乎不变; 随南向(IMF)B_z增大, 磁层顶日下点距离略有减小, 磁层顶磁尾张角减小, 极尖区内凹中心向低纬移动. 通过对2010年8月1日太阳风暴事件验证发现, 本文所建立的模型能够描述极端太阳风条件下的三维磁层顶位形.      

一类TVD型组合差分方法及其在磁流体数值计算中的应用

根据太阳风数值模拟的特点，考虑到算法的质量（收敛速度、稳定性、精度等），结合磁流体数值计算的特性，对三维球坐标磁流体动力学（MHD）方程组中的流体部分采用一种修正Lax-Friedrichs差分法而对磁场部分采用MacComack格式，发展了一类快捷的具有TVD特性的组合数值新方法，作为格式的检验，在一维情况下，将其与PPM格式进行了比较，对一维快慢磁流体激波问题得到了与PPM格式精度相同的结果，然后将其诮到定态太阳风的数值模拟上，在不同等离子体β情形下，可得到理想的太阳风定态结构，为今后将此数值模式应用到具有复杂磁场位型或三维直实太阳风暴的数值模拟研究奠定了基础。     

球坐标系六片网格下三维定态行星际太阳风模拟

采用二阶MacCormack差分格式, 利用稳态的磁流体(MHD)方程组在球坐标系六片网格下模拟研究了行星际太阳风. 六片网格系统能有效避免极区奇性和网格收敛性. 迭代按径向方向推进求解, 很大程度上减少了计算量, 节约了计算时间. 内边界条件根据太阳与行星际观测确定, 比较测试了5种内边界条件, 模拟给出了1922卡林顿周的背景太阳风结构. 几种内边界条件所得模拟结果与行星际观测基本吻合. 太阳风速度采用McGregor 等的经验公式给出, 磁场由水平电流片(HCCS)模型得到, 密度和温度分别根据动量守恒和气压守恒得到, 研究表明采用这样的边界条件模拟结果最佳.      

地球磁场对太阳风扰动响应的研究

分别对行星际激波、太阳风动压增大事件和减小事件的地球磁场响应进行了比较. 分析结果表明, 同步轨道磁场对太阳风扰动在向阳面产生较强的正响应, 在背阳面 响应较弱且有时会出现负响应, 地磁指数SYM-H对太阳风扰动的响应为正响应. 同时还得出, 向阳侧同步轨道磁场响应幅度d Bz与地磁指数响应幅度d SYM-H、上下游动压均方差均具有较好的相关性. 地磁指数响应幅度与同步轨道磁场响应幅度相关关系在激波和动压增大事件中具有一致性, 动压减小事件出 现明显差异, 这说明激波和动压增大事件在影响地球磁场方面具有某种共性.      

Effect of the Interplanetary Electric Field on the Magnetopause From Global MHD Simulations

The north-south component B_z of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) and solar wind dynamic pressure P_d are generally treated as the two main factors in the solar wind that determine the geometry of the magnetosphere. By using the 3D global MHD simulations, we investigate the effect of the Interplanetary Electric Field (IEF) on the size and shape of magnetopause quantitatively. Our numerical experiments confirm that the geometry of the magnetopause are mainly determined by P_dB_z, as expected. However, the dawn-dusk IEFs have great impact on the magnetopause erosion because of the magnetic reconnection, thus affecting the size and shape of the magnetopause. Higher solar wind speed with the same B_z will lead to bigger dawn-dusk IEFs, which means the higher reconnection rate, and then results in more magnetic flux removal from the dayside. Consequently, the dayside magnetopause moves inward and flank magnetopause moves outward.      

磁层顶对磁层磁场的影响

太阳风与地磁场相互作用形成的磁层顶对磁层内磁场有重要影响。本文假定地磁场为偶极子,太阳风为理想导体,在太阳风与磁层的边界上满足磁场法向分量为零的边界条件。采用最小二乘法求得磁层顶电流在磁层内产生的磁场的球谐系数。从计算结果可以看出磁层顶对磁层磁场的影响。结果表明,向阳面的磁场、中性点、极光区的位置与形状与实际观测比较接近;磁尾磁场与实际观测相差较远,原因是没有加上磁尾片电流。文中还给出了太阳风与地磁轴交不同角度时的磁层磁场的计算结果。      

Laboratory experiments and space phenomena

Two types of convection were observed in the laboratory model of the magnetosphere: viscous convection and convection due to field lines common to both the magnetosphere and artificial solar wind. With a southward field component in the solar wind, convection from the Sun is observed in the polar cap, while with a large northward component, convection is directed toward the Sun. Merging of the field lines occurs in the cleft. With the southward component, a visor appears in front of the magnetosphere boundary. The decay of the visor into small magnetic structure is observed. The formation of an induced magnetosphere with a magnetic tail is shown in the experiments of the simulated conditions near non-magnetic bodies with a plasma shell (Venus, comets). A combined induced-intrinsic magnetosphere also was investigated.