The plasma sheet and boundary layers under northward IMF: A multi-point and multi-instrument perspective

During conditions of northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), the near-tail plasma sheet is known to become denser and cooler, and is described as the cold-dense plasma sheet (CDPS). While its source is likely the solar wind, the prominent penetration mechanisms are less clear. The two main candidates are solar wind direct capture via double high-latitude reconnection on the dayside and Kelvin–Helmholtz/diffusive processes at the flank magnetopause. This paper presents a case study on the formation of the CDPS utilizing a wide variety of space- and ground-based observations, but primarily from the Double Star and Polar spacecraft on December 5th, 2004. The pertinent observations can be summarized as follows: TC-1 observes quasi-periodic (∼2 min period) cold-dense boundary layer (compared to a hot-tenuous plasma sheet) signatures interspersed with magnetosheath plasma at the dusk flank magnetopause near the dawn-dusk terminator. Analysis of this region suggests the boundary to be Kelvin–Helmholtz unstable and that plasma transport is ongoing across the boundary. At the same time, IMAGE spacecraft and ground based SuperDARN measurements provide evidence of high-latitude reconnection in both hemispheres. The Polar spacecraft, located in the southern hemisphere afternoon sector, sunward of TC-1, observes a persistent boundary layer with no obvious signature of boundary waves. The plasma is of a similar appearance to that observed by TC-1 inside the boundary layer further down the dusk flank, and by TC-2 in the near-Earth magnetotail. We present comparisons of electron phase space distributions between the spacecraft. Although the dayside boundary layer at Polar is most likely formed via double high-altitude reconnection, and is somewhat comparable to the flank boundary layer at Double Star, some differences argue in favour of additional transport that augment solar wind plasma entry into the tail regions.     

2001年9月15日Cluster卫星对电流片的观测研究

2001年9月15日0430-0515 UT期间,Cluster卫星多次穿越磁尾电流片.由FGM、CIS等仪器获得了电流片磁场,粒子速度等数据变化情况,并得到了磁尾高速流的两次明显反转.本文采用GSM坐标系.利用求磁场空间梯度张量的方法获得了越尾电流,其电流密度的峰值为28nA/m2.并对电流片在垂直方向上的摆动和在晨昏方向的波动现象进行了分析.数据显示此时电流片为薄电流片并有一个变薄的趋势,其厚度大约为0.2-0.3 Re.磁场重联时地向流与尾向流均超过了1000 km/s,并测得了电流片的法线方向和运动速度,从而得到了磁尾电流片的结构和运动情况.      

Understanding magnetotail current sheet meso-scale structures using MHD simulations

Recent Cluster observations have strongly supported the existence of meso-scale structure in the magnetotail current sheet. In our study, a magnetohydrodynamic simulation event study exhibited current sheet behavior comparable to that seen in the Cluster observations. Geotail and DoubleStar observations also show that the simulation is providing a realistic representation of the magnetosphere during the period of interest; that is, when the current sheet evidently becomes bifurcated. The magnetohydrodynamic simulation allows us to place the local observations into a global contest. It shows that the observations can be explained in terms of localized reconnection tailward of the Cluster location and the formation of a flux rope nearby. The simulation also features wave-like structure across the current sheet.     

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.     

Night side lunar surface potential in the Earth’s magnetosphere

In the Earth’s magnetotail, Japanese Moon orbiter Kaguya repeatedly encountered the plasmoid or plasma sheet. The encounters were characterized by the low energy ion signatures including lobe cold ions, cold ion acceleration in the plasma sheet-lobe boundaries, and hot plasma sheet ions or fast flowing ions associated with plasmoids. Different from the previous observations made in the magnetotail by the GEOTAIL spacecraft, the ions were affected by the existence of the Moon. On the dayside of the Moon, tailward flowing cold ions and their acceleration were observed. However, on the night side, tailward flowing cold ions could not be observed since the Moon blocked them. In stead, ion acceleration by the spacecraft potential and the electron beam accelerated by the potential difference between lunar surface and spacecraft were simultaneously observed. These electron and ion data enabled us to determine the night side lunar surface potential and spacecraft potential only from the observed data for the first time.     

Magnetosphere response to the 2005 and 2006 extreme solar events as observed by the Cluster and Double Star spacecraft

The four identical Cluster spacecraft, launched in 2000, orbit the Earth in a tetrahedral configuration and on a highly eccentric polar orbit (4–19.6 R_E). This allows the crossing of critical layers that develop as a result of the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetosphere. Since 2004 the Chinese Double Star TC-1 and TC-2 spacecraft, whose payload comprise also backup models of instruments developed by European scientists for Cluster, provided two additional points of measurement, on a larger scale: the Cluster and Double Star orbits are such that the spacecraft are almost in the same meridian, allowing conjugate studies. The Cluster and Double Star observations during the 2005 and 2006 extreme solar events are presented, showing uncommon plasma parameters values in the near-Earth solar wind and in the magnetosheath. These include solar wind velocities up to ∼900 km s⁻¹ during an ICME shock arrival, accompanied by a sudden increase in the density by a factor of ∼5 and followed by an enrichment in He⁺⁺ in the secondary front of the ICME. In the magnetosheath ion density values as high as 130 cm⁻³ were observed, and the plasma flow velocity there reached values even higher than the typical solar wind velocity. These resulted in unusual dayside magnetosphere compression, detection of penetrating high-energy particles in the magnetotail, and ring current development following several successive injections of energetic particles in the inner magnetosphere, which “washed out” the previously formed nose-like ion structures.     

Statistical study of electrostatic solitary waves associated with reconnection: Geotail observations

The role of waves in the dynamics of the magnetotail has long been a topic of interest in magnetospheric physics. The characteristics of Electrostatic Solitary Waves (ESWs) associated with reconnection have been studied statistically in the magnetotail by surveying the large amounts data obtained from Waveform Capture (WFC) which is an important component of Plasma Wave Instrument (PWI) on the Geotail spacecraft. About 150 reconnection events with WFC data available are selected, and approximately 10 thousands of ESW waveforms are picked up by hands for statistical study. The ESWs are observed near diffusion region and near the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). Two kinds of waveforms of ESWs are observed: bi-polar and tri-polar pulses. It is found that the pulse width of the ESWs is in the order of 1–5 ms and the peak-to-peak amplitude is in the order of 0.1–5 mV/m. The amplitudes of ESWs are larger in the near-earth tail region than that in deep tail region. ESWs have been observed with or without guide magnetic field 〈By〉. The characteristics of ESWs in different reconnection region and under different strength of guild magnetic field, their possible generation mechanism will be discussed.     

ULF wave index as magnetospheric and space-weather parameters

Waves in the Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) band owe their existence to solar wind turbulence and transport momentum and energy from the solar wind to the magnetosphere and farther down. Therefore an index based on ULF wave power could better characterize solar wind–magnetosphere interaction than K_P, Dst, AE, etc. indices which described mainly quasi-study state condition of the system. We have shown that the ULF wave index accurately characterize relativistic electron dynamics in the magnetosphere as these waves are closely associated with circulation, diffusion and energization of relativistic electrons in the magnetosphere. High speed solar wind streams also act as a significant driver of activity in the Earth’s magnetosphere co-rotating interaction region and are responsible for geomagnetic activities. In the present paper, we have analyzed various cases related with very weak (quiet) days, weak days, storm days and eclipse events and discussed the utility of the ULF wave index to explain the magnetospheric dynamics and associated properties. We have tried to explain that the ULF wave index can equally be useful as a space weather parameter like the other indices.     

Generation of kinetic Alfvén waves by velocity shear instability on auroral field lines

Ion beams observed in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL), cusp, and on the auroral zone field lines are expected to have spatial gradients in their drift velocity. Generation of kinetic Alfvén waves by velocity shear of the ion beams is discussed. It is shown that a hot ion beam can excite both a resonant kinetic Alfvén wave instability and a non-resonant coupled Alfvén-ion acoustic instability. For typical parameters, observed on the auroral field lines in the altitude range of 5–7 R_E (where R_E is the Earth’s radius), the frequency of the velocity shear modes, in the satellite frame of reference, lie in the ultra-low frequency (ULF) range. The noise due to velocity shear driven Alfvén modes is electromagnetic in nature, and has a finite parallel electric field component.     

Modeling PSBL high speed ion beams observed by Cluster and Double Star

On October 8, 2004, the Cluster and Double Star spacecraft crossed the near-Earth (12–19 R_E) magnetotail neutral sheet during the recovery phase of a small, isolated substorm. Although they were separated in distance by ∼7 R_E and in time by ∼30 min, both Cluster and Double Star observed steady, but highly structured Earthward moving >1000 km/s high speed H⁺ beams in the PSBL. This paper utilizes a global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation driven by Wind spacecraft solar wind input to model the large-scale structure of the PSBL and large-scale kinetic (LSK) particle tracing calculations to investigate the similarities and differences in the properties of the observed beams. This study finds that the large-scale shape of the PSBL is determined by the MHD configuration. On smaller scales, the LSK calculations, in good qualitative agreement with both Cluster and Double Star observations, demonstrated that the PSBL is highly structured in both time and space, on time intervals of less than 2 min, and spatial distances of the order of 0.2–0.5 R_E. This picture of the PSBL is different from the ordered and structured region previously reported in observations.     

行星际激波导致的磁尾等离子片中ULF波动事件

磁层中的超低频（ULF）波动在太阳风和磁层之间的能量输运过程中具有重要作用.ULF波动主要发生在内磁层，且内磁层中ULF波动影响粒子的加速及沉降，而在夜侧磁层尤其是磁尾等离子片中观测到的ULF波动比较少.基于中国自主磁层探测卫星TC-1的观测数据，发现了两例行星际激波导致的磁尾中心等离子片中ULF波动事件，并发现这两例ULF事例都包含很强的环向模驻波分量，与以往THEMIS卫星报道的同类事件观测特征相符.根据ULF波的观测特征，分析了这两例ULF波动的可能触发机制.研究结果有助于深入理解磁层对行星际激波的全球响应.      

Images of the Earth's aurora and geocorona from the dynamics explorer mission

Several results from analyses of auroral and geocoronal images from the Dynamics Explorer Mission are summarized. (1) The motion of the transpolar arc of a theta aurora is found to be correlated with the y-component of the interplanetary magnetic field. The arc motion is in the general direction of the y-component. (2) A sequence of global images of a small auroral substorm shows the initial development of intense luminosities in a relatively small spatial region, or ‘bright spot’, in the pre-midnight sector of the auroral oval and a subsequent appearance of an expanding area of lesser intensities at lower latitudes and contiguous to the midnight boundary of the bright spot. This evolution of auroral luminosities is interpreted in terms of acceleration of electrons in the boundary layer of the magnetotail plasma sheet to produce the bright spot and subsequent injection into, and eastward drift within, the plasma sheet to form the diffuse area of lesser intensities. (3) A series of images of the Earth's geocorona in scattered solar Ly α emissions is used to obtain a best-fit spherical model of atomic hydrogen densities in the Earth's exosphere. A Chamberlain model provides an adequate fit to radial distances of 4.5 R_E, beyond which an exponential fit is used. The geocoronal tail is detected as an asymmetric increase in scattered Ly α intensities in the anti-solar direction.     

Ion dynamics associated with Alfven wave in the near-Earth magnetotail: Two-dimensional global hybrid simulation

Ion dynamics in the near-Earth magnetotail region is examined during periods of fast Earthward flow with a two-dimensional (2-D) global-scale hybrid simulation. The simulation shows that shear Alfven waves are generated at x ∼ −10R_E, where the strong earthward flow is arrested by the dipole field, and propagate along field lines from the equator to both southern and northern polar ionosphere. Non-gyrotropic ion velocity distributions occur where the large-amplitude Alfven waves are dominant. The simulation indicates that the Alfven waves are generated by interaction of the fast earthward flow with the stationary near-Earth plasma. Beam ions are found to be pitch-angle scattered and trapped in the wave field, leading to the non-gyrotropic ion distributions in the high-latitude plasma sheet boundary. In addition, significant particle heating and acceleration are found to occur behind the dipolarization front due to the effect of wave turbulence.     

Determination of reconnected flux via remote sensing

Magnetic reconnection is one of the most fundamental processes in the magnetosphere. We present here a simple method to determine the essential parameters of reconnection such as reconnected flux and location of the reconnection site out of single spacecraft data via remote sensing. On the basis of a time-dependent reconnection model, the dependence of the reconnected flux on the magnetic field z-component B_z is shown. The integral of B_z over time is proportional to the reconnected flux and depends on the distance between the reconnection site and the actual position where B_z is measured. This distance can be estimated from analysis of magnetic field B_z data. We apply our method to Cluster measurements in the Earth’s magnetotail.     

Furthering our understanding of electrostatic solitary waves through Cluster multispacecraft observations and theory

Nonlinear isolated electrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) are observed routinely at many of Earth’s major boundaries by the Wideband Data (WBD) plasma wave receivers that are mounted on the four Cluster satellites. The current study discusses two aspects of ESWs: their characteristics in the magnetosheath, and their propagation in the magnetosheath and in the auroral acceleration (upward current) region. The characteristics (amplitude and time duration) of ESWs detected in the magnetosheath are presented for one case in which special mutual impedance tests were conducted allowing for the determination of the density and temperature of the hot and cold electrons. These electron parameters, together with those from the ion experiment, were used as inputs to an electron acoustic soliton model as a consideration for the generation of the observed ESWs. The results from this model showed that negative potential ESWs of a few Debye lengths (10–50 m) could be generated in this plasma. Other models of ESW generation are discussed, including beam instabilities and spontaneous generation out of turbulence. The results of two types of ESW propagation (in situ and remote sensing) studies are also presented. The first involves the propagation of bipolar type ESWs from one Cluster spacecraft to another in the magnetosheath, thus obtaining the velocity and size of the solitary structures. The structures were found to be very flat, with large scale perpendicular to the magnetic field (>40 km) and small scale parallel to the field (<1 km). These results were then discussed in terms of various models which predict such flat structures to be generated. The second type of propagation study uses striated Auroral Kilometric Radiation (SAKR) bursts, observed on multiple Cluster satellites, as tracers of ion solitary waves in the upward current region. The results of all studies discussed here (pulse characteristics and ESW velocity, lifetime, and size) are compared to in situ measurements previously made on one spacecraft and to theoretical predictions for these quantities, where available. The primary conclusion drawn from the propagation studies is that the multiple spacecraft technique allows us to better assess the stability (lifetime) of ESWs, which can be as large as a few seconds, than can be achieved with single satellites.     

MHD modeling of the outer heliosphere: Achievements and challenges

An overview is presented of magnetic-field-related effects in the solar wind (SW) interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM) and the different theoretical approaches used in their investigation. We discuss the possibility that the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) introduces north–south and east–west asymmetries of the heliosphere, which might explain observational data obtained by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. The SW–LISM interaction parameters that are responsible for the deflection of the interstellar neutral hydrogen flow from the direction of propagation of neutral helium in the inner heliosheath are outlined. The possibility of a strong ISMF, which increases the heliospheric asymmetry and the H–He flow deflection, is discussed. The effect of the combination of a slow-fast solar wind during solar minimum over the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle is illustrated. The consequences of a tilt between the Sun’s magnetic and rotational axes are analyzed. Band-like areas of an increased magnetic field distribution in the outer heliosheath are sought in order to discover regions of possible 2–3 kHz radio emission.     

Numerical modeling of propagation of breaking nonlinear acoustic-gravity waves from the lower to the upper atmosphere

Acoustic-gravity waves (AGWs) observed in the upper atmosphere may be generated near the Earth’s surface due to a variety of meteorological sources. Two-dimensional simulations of vertical propagation and breaking of nonlinear AGWs in the atmosphere are performed. Forcing near the Earth’s surface is used as the AGW source in the model. We use a numerical method based on finite-difference analogues of fundamental conservation laws for solving atmospheric hydrodynamic equations. This approach selects physically correct generalized solutions of the wave hydrodynamic equations. Numerical simulations are performed in a representative region of the Earth’s atmosphere up to altitude 500 km. Vertical profiles of temperature, density, molecular viscosity and heat conductivity were taken from the standard atmosphere model MSIS-90 for January. Calculations were made for different amplitudes and frequencies of lower boundary wave forcing. It is shown that after activating the tropospheric wave forcing, the initial pulse of AGWs may very quickly propagate to altitudes of 100 km and above and relatively slowly dissipate due to molecular viscosity and heat conduction. This may increase the role of transient nonstationary waves in effective energy transport and variations of atmospheric parameters and gas admixtures in a broad altitude range.     

December 2006 solar extreme events and their influence on the near-Earth space environment: “Universitetskiy-Tatiana” satellite observations

The Russian microsatellite “Universitetskiy-Tatiana” was launched on Jan. 20, 2005 and was both a scientific and educational mission. Its two main aims were declared as: (1) monitoring of the energetic particles dynamics in the near-Earth space environment after solar events and during quiet times, (2) educational activities based on experimental data obtained from the spacecraft. In this paper observations acquired during Dec. 5–16, 2006, known as “Solar Extreme Events 2006”, were analyzed. The “Universitetskiy-Tatiana” microsatellite orbit permits one to measure both solar energetic particle dynamics, variations of the boundary of solar particle penetration, as well as relativistic and sub-relativistic electrons of the Earth’s outer radiation belt during and after magnetic storms. Both relativistic electrons of the Earth’s outer radiation and solar energetic particles are an important source of radiation damage in near-Earth space. Therefore, the presented experimental results demonstrate the successful application of a small educational spacecraft both for scientific and educational programs.     

Plasma flow in the near and distant geomagnetic tail

Measurements of the bulk flow of plasma in the outer magnetosphere were first made a little over a decade ago with Los Alamos instruments on the Vela satellites. During the intervening years, as flow measurements have been made with improved instruments and by other satellites they have come to play a crucial role in the development of our understanding of the structure and dynamics of the magnetosphere. For example, they were the means of discovery of the magnetosphere's boundary layer and of plasma vortices within the plasma sheet. They were the essential ingredient in the identification of signatures of magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause. And they were indispensible in clarifying the complex phenomena in the magnetotail accompanying substorms and in showing that these phenomena are consistent with a substorm model involving magnetic reconnection at a near-earth neutral line. Most recently, magnetotail plasma flow measurements by the ISEE-3 satellite at distances as great as 230 R_E have been instrumental in fixing the average location of the “distant” neutral line at ～ 60 to 120 R_E and in identifying plasmoids (i.e., severed sections of the plasma sheet), released during substorms and escaping down-tail. This paper reviews the features of magnetotail plasma flow, describes the most recent observations, and discusses their implications for magnetospheric physics.     

An ion analyzer for the lunar surface with E-parallel–B

We present a novel instrument concept to measure the energy and mass spectra of ions incident on the lunar surface, based on the E-parallel–B or Thomson-parabola device used extensively as a diagnostic in the plasma fusion community. The Apollo-era Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment (SIDE) was the first instrument package to perform in-situ measurements of ions incident on the lunar surface. The ions can originate from a variety of sources, including the solar wind, the Earth’s magnetotail, and photoionization of the thin lunar atmosphere. The species and energy distribution of ions arriving at the lunar surface depend in a complicated and poorly-understood fashion on the phase of the lunar day, the position of the Moon with respect to the Earth, and on the local plasma environment.