Case study of September 24–26, 1998 magnetic storm

We compute global magnetospheric parameters based upon solar wind data obtained from the WIND spacecraft upstream. Using the paraboloid magnetospheric model, calculations of the dynamic global magnetospheric current systems have been made. The solar wind dynamic pressure, the interplanetary magnetic field, the strength of the tail current, and the ring current control the polar cap and auroral oval size and location during the magnetic storm. The model calculations demonstrate that the polar cap and the auroral oval areas are mainly controlled by the tail current. The substorm onset at 0630 UT on September 25, 1998 happened near the minimum in the main phase field depression. The substorm expansion onset time is also marked by a sudden enhancement in the solar wind dynamic pressure and an enhancement in the tail current. The magnetic signatures of these two effects cancel each other, which explains why the D_st profile shows no strong time variation during the substorm. Evidence for the substorm expansion includes not only the signature in the AL index but also the strong asymmetry of the low latitude magnetic disturbances (substorm positive bay signature). Model calculations were checked by comparison with the GOES 8 and 10 magnetic field measurements.     

Mini-magnetosphere: Laboratory experiment,physical model and Hall MHD simulation

Magnetosphere with a size comparable to the ion kinetic scales is investigated by means of laboratory experiment, analytical analysis and Hall MHD simulation. In experiment a specific magnetic field was observed which is non-coplanar to dipole field, does not change sign at dipole moment inversion and could be generated only via the quadratic Hall term. Magnetopause position and plasma stand off distance were found to be profoundly different between the experimental regimes with small and large ion inertia length. In the previous studies of a mini-magnetosphere by kinetic codes such novel features were observed as absence of the bow shock and plasma stopping at the Stoermer particle limit instead of the pressure balance distance. Proposed analytical model explains these features by Hall currents which tend to cancel magnetic field convection by ions. Performed numerical simulation shows a good agreement with experiment and analytical model. It gives detailed spatial structure of the Hall field and reveals that while ions penetrate deep inside mini-magnetosphere electrons overflow around it along magnetopause boundary.     

环电流区能量离子分布特性研究

为了考察环电流区离子的分布情况,采用环电流粒子理论模式,对环电流中10-100 keV的离子进行了模拟研究.这个模式能够根据近地注入区外边界处离子的分布函数得出磁暴主相期间环电流中的主要成分H+,O+,He+3种离子的通量分布.计算结果分析表明,在其他条件相同的情况下,不同种类离子的通量分布的形态结构十分相似.电场强度对环电流离子通量的空间分布具有决定性的作用;晨昏电场强度越强,离子的通量越高;晨昏电场越强,环电流离子的内边界越接近地球.10keV的离子在电场相当弱的时候还是存在着连续的通量分布,但他们的形态和结构随着电场的变化有明显的变化.电场很弱时,离子分布主要集中于内外两个环带,离子通量在晨侧的更多一些,离子通量的最大值基本上是在比较靠近地球的环带上;随着电场的增强,离子分布的内外两个环带逐步合并,离子的分布逐渐靠近地球,通量分布的最大值也移动到了昏侧.环电流离子投掷角分布具有各向异性,投掷角在90°左右的时候,离子通量能达到最大值.      

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.      

Circulation of energetic ions of terrestrial origin in the magnetosphere

Energetic ion composition measurements have now been performed from earth orbiting satellites for more than a decade. As early as 1972 we knew that energetic (keV) ions of terrestrial origin represented a non-negligible component of the storm time ring current. We have now assembled a significant body of knowledge concerning energetic ion composition throughout much of the earth's magnetosphere. We know that terrestrial ions are a common component of the hot equatorial magnetospheric plasma in the ring current and the plasma sheet out to ? 23 R_E. During periods of enhanced geomagnetic activity this component may become dominant. There is also clear evidence that the terrestrial component (specifically O⁺) is strongly dependent on solar cycle. Terrestrial ion source, transport, and acceleration regions have been identified in the polar auroral region, over the polar caps, in the magnetospheric boundary layers, and within the magnetotail lobes and plasma sheet boundary layer. Combining our present knowledge of these various magnetospheric ion populations, it is concluded that the primary terrestrial ion circulation pattern associated with enhanced geomagnetic activity involves direct injection from the auroral ion acceleration region into the plasma sheet boundary layer and central plasma sheet. The observed terrestrial component of the magnetospheric boundary layer and magnetotail lobes are inadequate to provide the required influx. They may, however, contribute significantly to the maintenence of the plasma sheet terrestrial ion population, particularly during periods of reduced geomagnetic activity. It is further concluded, on the basis of the relative energy distributions of H⁺ and O⁺ in the plasma sheet, that O⁺ probably contributes significantly to the ring current population at energies inaccessible to present ion composition instrumentation (? 30 keV).     

On the large-scale structure of the tail current as measured by THEMIS

The magnetic field structure and the spatial characteristics of the large-scale currents in the magnetospheric tail were studied during quiet and moderately disturbed geomagnetic conditions in 2009. The magnetic field of the currents other than the tail current was calculated in terms of a paraboloid model of the Earth’s magnetosphere, A2000, and was subtracted from measurements. It was found on the base of obtained tail current magnetic field radial distribution that the inner edge of the tail current sheet is located in the night side magnetosphere, at distances of about 10 R_E and of about 7 R_E during quiet and disturbed periods respectively. During the disturbance of February 14, 2009 (Dst_min ∼ −35 nT), the B_x and the B_z component of the tail current magnetic field near its inner edge were about 60 nT, and −60 nT that means that strong cross-tail current have been developed. The tail current parameters at different time moments during February 14, 2009 have been estimated. Solar wind conditions during this event were consistent with those during moderate magnetic storms with minimum Dst of about −100 nT. However, the magnetospheric current systems (magnetopause and cross-tail currents) were located at larger geocentric distances than typical during the 2009 extremely quiet epoch and did not provide the expected Dst magnitude. Very small disturbance on the Earth’s surface was detected consistent with an “inflated” magnetosphere.     

External plasma flow and related geomagnetic phenomena

Considering a three layered configuration of boundary layer bounded by compressible magnetosheath and magnetospheric plasma, the dispersion equation for K-H instability has been derived. In the presence of finite compressibility normal components of wave vectors are non-zero implying propagation normal to the boundary layer. The growth rate for the magnetopause or M-mode is greater than the inner magnetospheric or I-mode surface waves. However, for certain orientations of magnetosheath magnetic field $\text{ωiIΩiM}$ and the corresponding phase and group velocities are significant. The amplitude ratio of displacement vectors at the magnetospheric and magnetosheath interfaces is greater for the I-mode than that for the M-mode. These situations are capable of exciting I-mode waves which may transport energy to the inner magnetosphere resulting in field line resonances and generation of micropulsations. The sense of polarization of M-mode and I-mode are the same in the magnetospheric region.     

晨昏电场对磁亚暴触发的影响

本文讨论了晨昏电场存在时磁尾等离子体片内撕裂模不稳定性的激发和增长问题。得到的结果可以用来解释晨昏电场对磁亚暴的触发以及加快等离子体片贮存能量的耗散等现象。我们推导了存在电场漂移时的撕裂模方程,并在均匀电流片模型下求解了该方程的解析解。结果表明触发不稳定性所允许的临界电流片宽度与电场大小近似成正比,这表明考虑晨昏电场效应后磁亚暴更易被激发。此外对于厚度相同的电流片来说,长波撕裂模的增长率也随晨昏电场的加强而增大。      

膨胀磁场和太阳风粒子相互作用三维数值模拟

采用三维模型,使用混合网格质点法HPIC(Hybrid Particle-in-Cell)对膨胀的磁场和太阳风相互作用过程进行数值模拟.研究了线圈产生的偶极子磁场在注入等离子体后和太阳风粒子的相互作用过程,并对以不同速度入射的等离子体引起的太阳风粒子的变化和磁场变化进行了比较.研究结果表明,偶极子磁场和太阳风作用时会产生弓形激波,此时磁压等于太阳风粒子的动压,当向线圈产生的偶极子磁场中注入高能等离子体时引起磁场膨胀,膨胀的磁场将会排斥太阳风粒子向外运动,从而引起弓形激波的变化,增大与太阳风相互作用的面积,并且粒子入射速度越大,磁场膨胀越明显,与太阳风相互作用愈强.      

Interconnection of high-latitude and low-latitude boundary layers when IMF BY is dominant

The antiparallel merging model places the location of the reconnection region for a dominant interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B_Y at high latitudes at the dayside magnetopause and predicts that the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) is located on open field lines of the magnetospheric flanks. Interball-1 data obtained in the wide local time range near the low-latitude magnetopause makes it possible to analyze the LLBL plasma population and to find a link between possible reconnection at high latitudes and LLBL occurrence. We found that no boundary layer was observed in the regions which have no topological connection with the merging site. All cases of LLBL observations are located downstream from a specific boundary. This boundary coincides with the first magnetospheric field line touching the reconnection region and can be located in a wide local time region depending on the instant IMF direction. Even the LLBL on closed field lines shows the tendency to be concentrated in the vicinity of this boundary. Thus we show that all types of observed LLBLs are linked to reconnection sites predicted by the antiparallel merging model.     

第23和24太阳活动周高纬地磁感应电流分布特性

基于高纬度芬兰Mäntsälä地区近两个太阳活动周期（1999—2017年）天然气传输管道的地磁感应电流（GIC,I_GIC）观测数据,统计研究了GIC扰动的分布特征以及强GIC扰动与磁暴和地磁亚暴的相关性.研究发现:95.83%时间段的GIC强度分布在0～1A之间.定义:若某个时间段|I_GIC|_max> 1A,则认为发生GIC扰动;|I_GIC|_max>10A,则认为发生强GIC扰动事件.GIC扰动在磁地方时夜侧附近发生的概率最高,这主要与地磁亚暴发生期间电离层电流最剧烈的变化发生在磁地方时夜侧附近有关;强GIC扰动经常爆发式出现,且都发生在磁暴期间,但大多数磁暴并不伴随强GIC扰动事件发生.磁暴急始驱动的强GIC扰动事件较少,由磁层压缩引起地磁场突然增强驱动的强GIC扰动事件持续时间较短;强GIC扰动事件主要发生在磁暴主相和恢复相,由环电流变化驱动的强GIC扰动事件一般持续时间较长且强度较大.      

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPACE DOUBLE STAR PROGRAM

The Geospace Double Star Exploration Project (DSP) contains two small satel lites operating in the near-earth equatorial and polar regions respectively. The tasks of DSP are: (1) to provide high-resolution field, particle and wave mea surements in several important near-earth active regions which have not been covered by existing ISTP missions, such as the near-earth plasma sheet and its boundary layer, the ring current, the radiation belts, the dayside magnetopause boundary layer, and the polar region; (2) to investigate he trigger mechanisms of magnetic storms, magnetospheric substorms, and magnetospheric particle storms, as well as the responses of geospace storms to solar activities and in terplanetary disturbances; (3) to set up the models describing the spatial and temporal variations of the near-earth space environment.To complete the mission, there are eight instruments on board the equatorial satellite and the polar satellite, respectively. The orbit of the equatorial satellite is proposed with a perigee at 550km and an apogee at 60 000km, and the inclination is about 28.5°; while the orbit of the polar satellite with a perigee at 700 km and an apogee at 40 000 km, as well as an inclination about 90°. The equatorial and polar satellites are planed to be launched into orbits in June 2003 and December 2003 respectively to take coordinating measurements with Cluster Ⅱ and other missions.     

嵌套闭磁场日冕背景结构对触发CME特征的影响

在子午面内,研究具有嵌套闭磁场结构冕流背景对触发日冕物质抛射(CME)特征的影响.在冕流背景磁场结构内有三个小尺度的闭磁场结构,其中中间小尺度闭磁场结构的磁场方向和冕流整体偶极磁场方向相反.CME触发模型在这个小尺度闭磁场结构下方浮出,它具有同心圆形磁场结构,半径为a=0.1Rs(Rs为太阳半径);CME触发模型前半部分磁场方向和触发位置处小尺度闭磁场结构的磁场方向相反,与冕流整体偶极磁场方向相同.数值模拟结果表明,当CME触发模型中心等离子压力与边界压力之比m≥2时,上浮CME触发模型可以触发CME;当m＜2时,上浮CME触发模型不能触发CME,计算结论的误差小于1%.      

A Brief Introduction and Recent Progress of the Geospace Double Star Program

The Geospace Double Star Project (DSP) consists of two small satellites operating in the near-earth equatorial and polar regions, respectively. The goals of DSP are: (1) to provide high-resolution field, particle, and wave measurements in some important near-earth active regions which have not been covered by current ISTP missions, such as the near-earth plasma sheet and its boundary layer, the ring current, the radiation belts, the dayside magnetopause boundary layer, and the polar region; (2) to investigate the trigger mechanisms of magnetic storms, magnetospheric substorms, and magnetospheric particle events,as well as the responses of geospace storms to solar activities and interplanetary disturbances; (3) to set up the models describing the spatial and temporal variations of the near-earth space environment.To realize the above goals, the equatorial satellite TC-1 and the polar satellite TC-2 will accommodate, respectively, eight instruments on board. TC-1was launched successfully in December 2003 while the polar satellite (TC-2)will be launched in July 2004. The orbit of the equatorial satellite TC-1 consists of a perigee at 550 km, an apogee at 60 000 km, and an inclination of about 28.5; while the orbit of the polar satellite will have a perigee of 700 km, an apogee of 40 000 km, and an inclination of about 90. The two satellites will take coordinated measurements with Cluster Ⅱ and will first form a "six-point exploration" in geospace.The operational status of TC-1 are introduced in this paper.     

代数重建法反演环电流分布的初步结果

TC-2卫星携带了高能中性原子成像仪.在理论上可以根据对中性原子的探测通过反演获得磁层中环电流的空间分布.开发了一种新的反演技术和算法来反演环电流的分布.文中将层析成像技术引入反演环电流区离子分布,把磁层空间环电流区域划分为网格并依据层析成像常用的代数重建法反演环电流的分布.反演前后的电流离子分布具有一致性,证实了这种反演方法的可行性.通过对比反演结果与初始分布,模型通过较少的假设和简单的步骤就可以获得全面的环电流信息.      

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.     

Magnetospheric turbulence and properties of magnetospheric dynamics

High level of turbulence is one of the main peculiarities inherent to magnetospheric dynamics. Mechanisms for generation of magnetospheric turbulence are analyzed. The instabilities in the plasma pressure distribution are examined as source of large and medium scale modes in the turbulence spectra. Large-scale modes (which scales are comparable with scale of the magnetosphere) lead to convective transport of the magnetospheric particles. Excitation of such modes is analyzed being based on the suggestion of the existence of week instability in the distribution of plasma pressure.     

Magnetospheric Boundary Layer Structure and Dynamics as Seen From Cluster and Double Star Measurements

In this review, we discuss the structure and dynamics of the magnetospheric Low-Latitude Boundary Layer (LLBL) based on recent results from multi-satellite missions Cluster and Double Star. This boundary layer, adjacent to the magnetopause on the magnetospheric side, usually consists of a mixture of plasma of magnetospheric and magnetosheath origins, and plays an important role in the transfer of mass and energy from the solar wind into the magnetosphere and subsequent magnetospheric dynamics. During southward Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) conditions, this boundary layer is generally considered to be formed as a result of the reconnection process between the IMF and magnetospheric magnetic field lines at the dayside magnetopause, and the structure and plasma properties inside the LLBL can be understood in terms of the time history since the reconnection process. During northward IMF conditions, the LLBL is usually thicker, and has more complex structure and topology. Recent observations confirm that the LLBL observed at the dayside can be formed by single lobe reconnection, dual lobe reconnection, or by sequential dual lobe reconnection, as well as partially by localized cross-field diffusion. The LLBL magnetic topology and plasma signatures inside the different sub-layers formed by these processes are discussed in this review. The role of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the formation of the LLBL at the flank magnetopause is also discussed. Overall, we conclude that the LLBL observed at the flanks can be formed by the combination of processes, (dual) lobe reconnection and plasma mixing due to non-linear Kelvin-Helmholtz waves.      

Laboratory investigation of physical mechanisms of auroral charged particle acceleration in the field-aligned current layers

One of the major topics of space weather research is to understand auroral structure and the processes that guide, accelerate, and otherwise control particle precipitation and during substorms. The problem is that it is not clear the structure of the magnetic field-aligned electric fields and how they are supported in the magnetospheric plasma. The objective of this research is to study the physical mechanisms of these phenomena in a laboratory experiment. It should be achieved by simulating the charged particle acceleration due to field-aligned electrical field generation in all totality of the interconnected events: generation of a plasma flow, its evolution in the magnetic field, polarization of plasma, generation of the field-aligned currents, development of instabilities in the plasma and current layers, double layers or anomalous resistance regions appearance, electron acceleration. Parameters of the laboratory simulation and preliminary results of the experiment are discussed.     

Auroral signatures of transient processes in the outer magnetosphere

We present an analysis of sporadic and recurrent injections of magnetospheric ions in the midnight auroral oval during substorms and of the associated ionospheric ion outflows. The source of plasma sheet precipitating ions is determined using a simple method, based on the measured relation between the ion inverse velocity and time (l = v × t). This method is applied here to two typical passes of the Interball-Auroral (IA) satellite at distances of 3 R_E above the auroral regions. Substorm related ion injections are shown to be mainly due to time of flight effects. In contrast with particle trajectory computations (Sauvaud et al., 1999), the inverse velocity method does not require magnetic and electric field models and can thus be used systematically for the detection of time of flight dispersed ion structures (TDIS). This allowed us to build a large database of TDIS events and to perform a statistical analysis of their spatial distribution. For the cases presented here the source region of the injected ions is found at radial distances from 18 to 30 R_E near the equatorial magnetosphere. At Interball altitudes ( 3 R_E), ion injections detected at the poleward boundary of the nighside auroral oval are associated with shear Alfvén waves superimposed over large-scale quasi-static current structures. We show that the most poleward TDIS are collocated with a large outflow of ionospheric H⁺ and O⁺ displaying pitch-angle distributions peaked in the pitch-angle range 90°–120°. These ions are thus accelerated perpendicularly to the magnetic field not only in the main auroral acceleration region but also up to at least 3 R_E. The expanding auroral bulge thus constitutes a significant source of H⁺ and O⁺ ions for the mid-tail magnetosphere.