The energy release of substorm and magnetic storm: Its present state and future improvements by KuaFu mission

Considering the KuaFu mission, state of the energy release of substorm and storm is simply presented and it’s improvements by KuaFu mission are investigated. The KuaFu mission will provide us an opportunity to improve our understanding of the energy release during the storm and the substorms. The two KuaFu-B satellites flying in 180° phase-lagged formation in a polar orbit will allow synoptic observations of the auroral oval, central plasma sheet, ring current and other regions. It can monitor the polar region 24/7 continuously. The advantage of the KuaFu mission is to provide the data during all phases of storm and substorm time that can be used to study the global energy release during all phases continuously. The data from auroral imager and other in-situ instruments on board KuaFu-B can be used to study the auroral dynamics and Joule heating during a storm and substorm. The data from the neutral atom imager instrument can be used to study the dynamics and the energy release in the ring current region from sudden commencement to complete storm recovery. Furthermore the data from KuaFu-A, which is around L1 point, can be used to study the interplanetary conditions along with the data from the plasma sheet to study the triggering process and energy release during a substorm. So, KuaFu mission with its continuous time monitoring facilities would enable us to make much progress towards solving the underlying problems.     

TC-1和Geotail对亚暴过程中近地等离子体片磁扰动的联合观测

以2004年9月28日02:53:20 UT的亚暴为例, 通过TC-1在磁尾约12.5 R_e 和Geotail卫星在近地磁尾等离子体片约8～9 R_e的联合观测, 研究亚暴触发过程中近地磁尾等离子体片中等离子体波动特征. 结果表明, 亚暴触发区是近地磁尾中心等离子体片中较小的一个区域, 在亚暴触发区中低混杂不稳定性在近地磁尾等离子体片中存在, 准垂直传播的低混杂波发生在亚暴触发过程中, 而亚暴触发过程中近地磁尾等离子体片外边界区内的磁场偶极化信号和扰动都非常微弱. 在亚暴触发和亚暴膨胀相过程中出现了多次具有不同特征的磁场偶极化现象.      

A statistical analysis of substorm associated tail activity

Substorm onset timing is a critical issue in magnetotail dynamics research. Solar wind energy is accumulated in the magnetosphere and the configuration of the magnetosphere evolves toward an unstable state during the growth phase. At some point, the expansion phase begins and the stored energy is released through a variety of processes that return the magnetosphere to a lower energy state. In recovery the various processes die away. Unfortunately, the ground and magnetospheric signatures of onset, i.e. energy release, can be seen both in the growth phase prior to onset and in the expansion phase after onset. Some investigators refer to each of these events as a substorm. Tail observations suggest that most substorms have one event that differentiates the behavior of the tail field and plasma. We refer to this time as the “main substorm onset”. Each substorm associated phenomenon is timed independently and then compared with main substorm onsets. ISEE-2 tail observations are used to examine the tail lobe magnetic conditions associated with substorms because ISEE-2 orbit has a high inclination and frequently observes lobe field. Approximately 70 ∼ 75% of tail lobe B_t and B_z change are associated with the main substorm onset. If the satellite is more than 3 Re above (below) the neutral sheet, 86% (57%) of plasma pressure dropouts are associated with substorms. We interpret our results as evidence that the effect of the growth phase is to drive the magnetosphere towards instability. As it approaches global instability local regions become temporarily unstable but are rapidly quenched. Eventually one of these events develops into the global instability that releases most of the stored energy and returns the magnetosphere to a more stable configuration.     

The magnetosphere as a complex system

The magnetosphere is a complex system, with multi-scale spatio-temporal behavior. Self-organization is a possible solution to two seemingly contradicting observations: (a) the repeatable and coherent substorm phenomena, and, (b) the underlying self-similar turbulent behavior in the plasma sheet. Such states, are seen to emerge naturally in a plasma physics model with sporadic dissipation, through spatio-temporal chaos.     

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。      

Plasma sheet oscillations and their relation to substorm development: Cluster and double star TC1 case study

We examined two consecutive plasma sheet oscillation and dipolarization events observed by Cluster in the magnetotail, which are associated with a pseudo-breakup and a small substorm monitored by the IMAGE spacecraft. Energy input from the solar wind and an associated enhancement of the cross-tail current lead to current sheet thinning and plasma sheet oscillations of 3–5 min periods, while the pseudo-breakups occur during the loading phase within a spatially limited area, accompanied by a localized dipolarization observed by DSP TC1 or GOES 12. That is, the so-called “growth phase” is a preferable condition for both pseudo-breakup and plasma sheet oscillations in the near-Earth magnetotail. One of the plasma sheet oscillation events occurs before the pseudo-breakup, whereas the other takes place after pseudo-breakup. Thus there is no causal relationship between the plasma sheet oscillation events and pseudo-breakup. As for the contribution to the subsequent small substorm, the onset of the small substorm took place where the preceding plasma sheet oscillations can reach the region.     

Outstanding issues in understanding the dynamics of the inner plasma sheet and ring current during storms and substorms

The paper deals with five selected issues of the dynamical coupling of the near-Earth plasma sheet and magnetosphere, (1) substorm initiation, (2) dipolarization, (3) pressure release of the outer magnetosphere via the auroral energy conversion process, (4) magnetization of the very high beta plasma assembling at the inner edge of the tail, and (5) penetration of energetic particles into the ring current below L 4. One outstanding and strongly debated subject is not discussed here, the origin of the substorm current wedge. The main conclusions (or personal preferences) are: (1) the substorm is initiated by formation of a near-Earth neutral line; (2) dipolarization occurs through magnetic flux transport by the earthward reconnection flow and not by current diffusion; (3) the auroral energy conversion process, the “auroral pressure valve”, contributes substantially to the pressure release during the substorms; (4) high beta ( 10) plasma breaks up into smaller scale blobs under slow magnetization; and (5) deep and prolonged penetration of hot plasma sheet plasma into the middle magnetosphere produces currents and electric fields which lead to the growth of the storm-time ring current.     

磁尾等离子体片对流对亚暴的影响

采用2(1/2)维全粒子电磁模拟方法研究了等离子体片中稳态对流及局地爆发高速流对磁层亚暴触发过程的影响.研究发现,地向瞬时局地高速流可触发磁场重联,导致储存于磁尾磁场能量的快速释放.但是,等离子体片稳态对流可抑制磁尾磁场重联过程.此项研究结果表明,局地爆发高速流能够触发磁层亚暴;而行星际磁场(IMF)持续南向时的稳态磁层对流期间,不易发生亚暴.      

利用THEMIS卫星观测结果分析亚暴期间等离子体片尾向膨胀

利用THEMIS卫星观测结果,分析2008年3月13日10:40UT-12:10UT的一次中等亚暴事件在磁尾的全球演化过程.在该过程中,THEMIS的5颗卫星在午夜区附近沿x轴依次排列,离地心距离约8.7~13.2R_e.亚暴触发开始后,磁场偶极化和等离子体片的膨胀依次被在磁尾不同位置的卫星观测到.等离子体尾向膨胀的平均速度约为140km·s-1.在此次亚暴事件中可观测到两种类型的偶极化.一种为偶极化锋面,其与爆发性整体流（BBF）密切相关;另一种为全球偶极化,其与等离子体片的膨胀密切相关.亚暴触发开始约7min后,THEMIS卫星在低中高纬都可以观测到Pi2脉动的发生,且Pi2脉动的振幅随着纬度的升高逐渐变大.此次亚暴事件中的离子整体流速度主要是由离子电漂移速度引起的,测得的电场为局地磁通量变化导致的感应电场.      

Do we understand the inner magnetotail dynamics during substorms?

Substorm evolution of the near-Earth (|X|<15 R_E) plasma sheet has been emphasized recently because the inner tail is thought to link closely to the substorm auroral activity in the ionosphere during the early stage of substorms. In this paper, we discuss how the inner tail substorm phenomena during the late substorm growth phase and early expansion phase are accounted for by the two prevailing substorm models, namely, the near-Earth neutral line model and the current disruption model. We find that the late growth phase features are more satisfactorily accounted for by the current disruption model than by the near-Earth neutral line model. In addition, detailed observations on current disruption show evidence inconsistent with the proposed idea of dipolarization being due to plasma flow braking from reconnection in the mid-tail region, which poses a difficulty to the near-Earth neutral line model as well.     

磁层亚暴恢复期间等离子片边界层区的Kelvin—Helmholtz不稳定性

本文根据两个理想的磁流体力学模型研究了磁层亚暴恢复期间等离子体片边界层区的Kelvin-Helmholtz不稳定性。一个模型由三个均匀的等离子体区组成--北尾瓣、等离子体片和南尾瓣。在此模型里,不稳定模式在北(或南)尾瓣和等离子体片之间的边界面上激发。另一个模型由五个均匀的等离子体区组成--北尾瓣、等离子体片北边界层、等离子体片中间层、等离子体片南边界层和南尾瓣,在等离子体片边界层区存在着两种不稳定模式,一种在等离子体片的北(或南)边界层和中间层之间的边界表面上激发(模式Ⅰ);另一种在等离子体片北(或南)边界层和北(或南)尾瓣之间的边界面上激发(模式Ⅱ).模式Ⅰ多数时间是不稳定的。这些不稳定模式可能引起卫星观测到的等离子体边界层的一些特征。      

磁扰动和磁静时近地等离子体片中脉冲电场的分布

Ｇｅｏｔａｉｌ卫星的电场数据被用于分析近地磁尾等离子体片中电场在磁扰动（Ｄｓｔ＜－２５ｎＴ）和磁静时（Ｄｓｔ＞－２５ ｎＴ的统计分布．结果表明，伴随着地向高速离子流，在Ｘ＞－１６Ｒｅ以内区域出现强电场（高达 ５—８ ｍＶ／ｍ）．磁扰动期间强电场的幅值较磁静时大，并且出现在更靠近地球的位置．较强和较靠近地球的强电场与磁扰动时更薄的等离子体片和更接近地球的等离子体片内边界相联系．观测结果意味着磁扰动期间的亚暴可能更有效地将高能粒子注射到环电流中．这对磁暴和亚暴的关系问题的解决有重要意义．     

Evaluation of substorm models with Cluster observations of plasma flow reversal in the magnetotail

We evaluate two prevailing substorm models with an event of plasma flow reversal from tailward to Earthward detected by Cluster at the downstream distance of ∼19 R_E in the magnetotail during a substorm on August 22, 2001. We use the unique capability of Cluster measurements in determining gradients to examine the associated current density, Lorentz force, and current dissipation/dynamo term. In association with plasma flow reversal, it is found that (1) there was no clear quadrupole magnetic perturbation signature, (2) the x-component of the Lorentz force did not change sign, (3) the y-component of the product of the current density and the electric field was occasionally negative indicative of a dynamo effect, and (4) the timing sequence of flow reversal from the Cluster configuration did not match tailward motion of a single plasma flow source. These observations are consistent with the near-Earth initiation model for substorms with multiple current disruption sites moving progressively tailward near the late stage of substorm expansion.     

ISEE-1 and 2 observations of field-aligned currents in the distant midnight magnetosphere

Magnetic field measurements obtained in the nightside magnetosphere by the co-orbiting ISEE-1 and 2 spacecraft have been examined for signatures of field-aligned currents (FAC). Such currents are found on the boundary of the plasma sheet both when the plasma sheet is expanding and when it is thinning. Plasma sheet boundary layer current structure and substorm associated dynamics can be determined using the two spacecraft, although for slow traversals of the FAC sheet the spatial/temporal ambiguity is still an issue. We often find evidence for the existence of waves on the plasma sheet boundary, leading to multiple crossings of the FAC sheet. At times the boundary layer FAC sheet orientation is nearly parallel to the X-Z GSM plane, suggesting ‘protrusions’ of plasma sheet into the lobes. The boundary layer current polarity is, as expected, into the ionosphere in the midnight to dawn local time sector, and outward near dusk. Current sheet thicknesses and velocities are essentially independent of plasma sheet expansion or thinning, having typical values of 1500 km and 20–40 km/s respectively. Characteristic boundary layer current densities are about 10 nanoamps per square meter.     

双带耀斑磁重联过程的数值研究

本文用多步隐格式求解包含电阻的磁流体力学方程组, 对双带耀斑的主相作数值模拟, 清晰地展示了中性片区由撕裂模线性重联向准稳态重联的过渡以及后随耀斑环的产生和等离子体团的喷发过程.对于在能量方程中计及和忽略焦耳加热两种情况, 分别作了计算.结果表明, 计及焦耳加热时, 电流片中等离子体的温度显著增加(是初始温度的2—3倍), 但等离子体的运动速度却变化不大.两种情况的计算结果均表明:等离子体的运动速度低于声速, 因此不会形成快激波.计及焦耳加热的计算结果显示了两个新的特征:其一是中性片高密度等离子体的受热膨胀, 增大了电流片的有效厚度, 它使重联速率降低, 并逐渐趋于饱和, 其二是同时形成上升和沉降等离子体团, 后者与耀斑环碰撞, 并合并于后随耀斑环内.      

Old tail lobes effect on the solar-wind – Magnetosphere energy transport for the 27 August 2001 substorm

The magnetic flux of tail lobes Ψ is divided in two parts of comparable values Ψ₁ and Ψ₀₂, with the first that appears during substorm and the second, observed before substorm start. The first was named “new magnetic flux”, the second – “old magnetic flux”. The first, Ψ₁, is known to play a definitive role in the energy transport from the solar wind into the magnetosphere-ionosphere-atmosphere system, but the role of Ψ₀₂ in this transport is not well known. From the 27 August 2001 substorm data we study the involvement in the above transport process of the old flux Ψ₀₂. This involvement is observed in the polar cap (PC) area, which existed prior to the substorm and is called respectively “the old PC”. In this study, as distinct from earlier works, we use the balance equation of the energy stored in magnetosphere and energy consumed. Activation of the old PC magnetic flux Ψ₀₂ was found to increase the energy input by ∼85% in the event under consideration.     

Comparison of BBfs Observed by Single and Multi Satellites

This paper, using the data of three Cluster satellites, compares the observations of Bursty Bulk Flow (BBF) by single satellite with those by multi satellites. The results indicate that there exists remarkable difference between observations of BBF by single satellite and multi satellites. The observations of BBF by a single satellite depend on its position relative to the flow channel. The difference is caused by the localization characteristics of fast flows in the plasma sheet, and can lead to diverging views about substorm and causal relations among substorm phenomena.      

亚暴起始位置和膨胀相持续时间对行星际磁场Bz分量的响应

磁层亚暴是太阳风–磁层–电离层耦合过程中的重要爆发性事件,其特性受太阳风参数的影响很大。本文利用对IMAGE卫星在2000 － 2005年观测到的4193个亚暴起始事件,统计研究了在不同的行星际磁场（IMF）B_z 条件下亚暴起始位置和膨胀相持续时间。结果表明,南向IMF发生的亚暴比北向IMF下发生的亚暴要多。南向IMF条件下亚暴AE指数最大值的平均值基本上>600 nT,并有随南向IMF持续时间增大而增大的趋势。北向IMF条件下亚暴AE指数最大值的平均值基本上<500 nT,并有随北向IMF持续时间增大而减小的趋势。亚暴的起始磁纬度基本上位于65° － 70°之间。当南向IMF或北向IMF的持续时间增大,超过80 min时,北半球的亚暴起始磁纬度会降低。亚暴起始磁地方时大部分位于22:15 － 23:15 MLT之间。但整体分布比较分散,显示不出特别清晰的随IMF B_z持续时间变化的趋势。相比于南向的IMF,北向IMF期间发生亚暴的平均膨胀相持续时间增大了将近10 min,表明南向IMF期间,亚暴强度虽然较大,但其膨胀相持续时间较短,亚暴能量释放和耗散的速度更快。      

北极黄河站极光亚暴期间低热层大气中性风研究

极光亚暴是地球空间基本的能量输入、耦合及耗散过程,其对低热层大气中性风的影响不容忽视,对这一问题进行深入研究具有重要意义.2010年11月,中国北极黄河站(78.92°N,11.93°E)安装了一台自主研制的全天空法布里-珀罗干涉仪(FPI)并开始进行正常观测,为中国首次获得了极光亚暴期间的FPI观测数据.根据2012年越冬期间的观测情况,对2012年11月12-14日及12月09-11日两个极光亚暴事件期间的数据进行处理,计算得到了5级干涉环对应的风场.亚暴期间风场变化与地磁活动变化的对比分析表明,风速的剧烈变化可能是由地磁活动剧烈扰动造成的.针对2012年11月13日00:00UT-02:00UT和2012年12月10日05:00UT-07:30UT的亚暴事件,将全天空相机拍摄到的极光图像与FPI干涉图像对应的视线风场进行对比分析.结果表明在极光活动中,视线风速加强的方向与极光弧的方向垂直,而在极光弧的平行方向,风速相对较小.      

From the Solar Wind to the Magnetospheric Substorm

This paper gives a brief outline of the progression from the first substorm model developed in Ref.[4] and[8] based on Kennel's ideas[3], to the present views about the mechanism by which solar wind kinetic energy is converted to electromagnetic energy at the Bow Shock and by which this energy is transferred to the magnetosphere in the form of current; about the transformation of the energy of this current to gas kinetic energy of convecting plasma tubes, and, finally, the back transformation of gas kinetic energy to electromagnetic energy in secondary magnetospheric MHD generators. The questions of the formation of the magnetospheric convection system, the nature of substorm break-up, and of the matching of currents in the magnetosphere-ionosphere system are discussed.