Spatial distribution of the magnetosheath ion flux

The magnetosheath plays a crucial role in solar wind-magnetosphere interaction because it is the magnetosheath magnetic field and plasma that interact with the magnetopause and magnetosphere, not the unshocked solar wind. We are presenting ion flux measurement statistics at both the dawn and dusk flanks of the magnetosheath and their comparison with a gasdynamic magnetosheath model. The study is based on three years of INTERBALL-1 measurements supported by simultaneous WIND solar wind and magnetic field observations. Statistical processing has shown (1) the limitations of the gasdynamic model, (2) the conditions favorable for the creation of a plasma depletion layer adjacent to the flank magnetopause, (3) strong dawn-dusk asymmetry of the ion fluxes, and (4) an evidence for the presence of a slow mode front adjacent to the magnetopause.     

On the modular approach of a 3D model of the system magnetosheath–magnetosphere

This article presents some preliminary features of a new self consistent model of the system magnetosheath–magnetosphere, recently developed in the Institute of Mechanics, Sofia, Bulgaria. The flow in the magnetosheath is governed by 3D ideal gas-dynamic equations. The positions and the shapes of the bow shock and the magnetopause are calculated iteratively as a part of the solution. These surfaces are essentially three-dimensional (generally non-axially-symmetric). The self-consistency between the regions is ensured via the boundary conditions. The magnetopause cusp indentations are formed, influencing essentially the magnetosheath flow. Prediction of the position and the shape of the bow shock for different values of the sonic Mach number are derived. Distribution of some flow parameters in the magnetosheath is presented. 3D numerical finite element model, calculating the field due to the magnetopause currents for an arbitrary magnetopause geometry, is used in the magnetosphere. The fields due to the current systems inside the magnetosphere(cross-tail current, ring current, and Birkeland current) are taken from the Tsyganenko empirical model. The magnetopause surface is calculated from the requirement the outside gas-dynamic pressure to be balanced by the magnetic pressure inside. The magnetosphere model can be viewed as an improved version of the empirical model but with more realistic magnetopause form and shielding field. Not a final but a beta version is used in this approach. The final model version as well the model details will be presented elsewhere.     

磁层顶低混杂漂移不稳定性及等离子体幔、磁层对流的形成机制

磁层顶低混杂漂移不稳定性的理论和观测使我们可以提出一个新的磁层对流驱动模式,为了解释磁层对流的形成、磁层顶厚度等一系列磁层现象,已经提出了三种磁层模式,Dunge提出互联模式,认为行星际磁场磁力线与地磁场磁力线在磁层顶前部相互联接起来,磁层顶为一旋转间断面,太阳风粒子可直接通过磁层顶进入磁层内,虽然这一     

Dayside reconnection during IMF northward: A possible foreshock effect

The northward and southward orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is usually considered as providing the external boundary conditions in the solar wind interaction with the Earth's magnetopause but it is the magnetic field in the magnetosheath that interacts with the Earth's magnetic field. In this paper, we consider the possibility that the wave activity in the foreshock region may affect the magnetic field orientation in the magnetosheath with time scales that might be geomagnetically effective. If magnetosheath magnetic field becomes disturbed on plasma streamlines which are connected to the quasi-parallel bow shock and foreshock, the magnetic field orientation on the inner magnetosheath may differ significantly from the undisturbed IMF. We present a model of dayside reconnection which may occur when the IMF northward and illustrate its effects on the erosion of the magnetopause.     

磁层氧离子向磁鞘泄漏的机制和效应

１９９７年 １月 １０日磁暴期间， Ｇｅｏｔａｉｌ卫星在向阳侧的磁鞘中观测到了磁层氧离子突增事件．这些氧离子的出现和磁鞘中存在很强的南向行星际磁场有关．事件期间向阳面发生了准静态的磁重联，氧离子流存在由北向南的速度分量．通量突增过程具有逆向和正向能量色散现象，磁层内部只有氧离子有可能被梯度漂移输送到重联区，所以只有氧离子在磁鞘中持续地被观测到．估计氧离子的逃逸速率为 ０．６１× １０２３／ｓ，大约为环电流氧离子输入率的 ３３％．大量的环电流氧离子由磁层跑到了磁鞘，导致环电流指数 ＡＳＹ－Ｈ呈现明显的非对称性．     

Variations of the magnetosheath ion flux and geomagnetic activity

The magnetosheath plays a dominant role in the Sun–Earth connection because the magnetosheath field and plasma actually interact with the magnetosphere. The interactions change the magnetospheric magnetic field from its nominal value through a long chain of different processes. The change is usually described by geomagnetic indices and thus it can be expected that these indices would reflect changes in the magnetosheath. The present paper analyzes the relation between geomagnetic activity characterized by changes of the K_p, D_ST and AE indices and ion flux measured in the night-side magnetosheath. The results suggest a weak dependence of the D_ST index on the ion flux in the inner magnetosheath that is connected with a magnetopause displacement. On the other hand, fluctuations of the ion flux in the analyzed frequency range do not correlate with any of the indices.     

磁鞘快速流引起的磁层顶凹陷事件

最近研究表明,磁层顶凹陷对磁层-电离层耦合具有重要作用.但是,磁层顶凹陷现象的确认需要多颗卫星的联合观测,目前为止报道的磁层顶凹陷事例非常少.本文利用THEMIS5颗卫星的联合观测结果,分析了一例由磁鞘快速流引起的磁层顶凹陷事件.2007年7月21日10:00 UT—10:45 UT,位于日下点磁层顶附近的THEMIS卫星在磁鞘观测到很强的地向流（约400km·-1）,随后THEMIS5颗卫星相继穿越磁层顶进入磁层.通过最小方差MVA方法确认局部磁层顶法向,与经典磁层顶模型比较发现,磁鞘快速流压缩磁层顶形成局部凹陷.为了探究此磁鞘快速流的起源,对位于L1点的WIND卫星观测到的太阳风数据进行分析发现:在这个时间段内太阳风条件非常稳定,行星际磁场主要为径向,磁场南北向分量非常小.由此推测此磁鞘快速流的产生很可能与径向行星际磁场有关.      

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.     

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.     

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。      

磁层顶穿越事件自动识别算法

磁层顶是太阳风与磁层进行质量、动量、能量交换的关键区域.磁层顶穿越事件（MCEs）可通过对卫星探测到的粒子能谱和磁场数据图进行人工分析的方式来识别.因太阳风动压和行星际磁场的易变性,位于磁层顶附近的卫星经过长期观测可能会经历成千上万次的磁层顶穿越.人工分析的方法工作量巨大,而且识别速度慢.本文发展了一种新的日下点附近MCEs自动识别算法.此算法综合分析卫星探测到的粒子和磁场数据,能有效地减少误判的发生.为了验证算法的有效性,采用单CPU计算机对THEMIS卫星在2007—2018年靠近日下点附近观测到的数据进行MCEs自动识别,最终在约6h共识别出16758个MCEs.这些自动识别出来的MCEs样本可用于统计研究磁层顶相关的诸多物理问题,如凹陷磁层顶、太阳风与磁层相互作用,磁层顶磁场重联等.同时还分析了算法的精确性和局限性.      

Intrinsic time scale for reconnection on the dayside magnetopause

Recently much attention has been focused on the transient behavior of the magnetopause in response to pressure pulses and southward fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field. We examine the motion of the magnetopause behind the foreshock and conclude that this motion is affected by foreshock pressure variations but not by fluctuations in the direction of the magnetic field. Neither magnetopause erosion nor flux transfer event occurrence is controlled by the foreshock. On the contrary, flux transfer events occur at times of steady IMF and thier quasi-periodic behavior is controlled by the magnetopause or the magnetosphere and is not driven by the external boundary conditions. Since flux transfer events are clearly due to reconnection, this observation implies that the IMF must be southward some time perhaps as long as 7 minutes before flux transfer begins.     

地球磁鞘中磁场起伏特性的分布

本文利用行星际起伏通过激波后的变化的MHD模型, 具体讨论了地球磁鞘中磁场起伏特性在黄道面内的分布.主要结果是:(1)行星际磁场起伏的强度和各向异性在磁鞘中被显著放大;(2)行星际磁场基本位于黄道面内时, 磁鞘中磁场起伏特性(强度、相对起伏和各向异性等)呈现明显的晨一昏不对称性, 早晨侧(准平行激波)显著地高于黄昏侧(准垂直激波);(3)行星际磁场方向对磁场起伏特性在磁鞘中的分布有强烈的控制作用, 早晨侧响应灵敏, 黄昏侧反响不大.相对地讲, 黄昏侧的磁活动较之早晨侧稳定;(4)行星际磁场转南的增强将导致磁鞘中磁场起伏的最大区域自黄道面低纬向北极高纬移动, 南-北不对称性磁活动随之加强, 最强大致出现在磁场与黄道面相交成大约45°时, 而晨-昏不对称性的强弱程度则发生相反变化;(5)行星际磁场的相对起伏增加, 晨-昏不对称性反随之减弱.磁鞘中磁场起伏分布的特性与卫星观测大体符合, 是磁顶、边界层某些晨-管不对称性出现的可能起因之一.      

Global MHD simulations for southward IMF: a pair of wings in the flanks

Global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations have shown that for southward interplanetary magnetic field nightside reconnection takes place only in a limited spatial scale in the cross-tail direction. Between the end of the nightside reconnection line and the flank magnetopause are regions of closed magnetic field lines which move relatively slowly tailward, compared with the magnetosheath flow on the far side and the jet flow produced by nightside reconnection on the side closer to the midnight. The magetosphere appears to have a pair of extended wings on the nightside. Further refinement of the simulations shows that the wings are not produced by the numerical effects. Similar features have been observed previously and also shown in different simulation models. The existence of the wings in the simulations indicates that the solar wind momentum is transferred to the closed magnetosphere if the simulations are relevant to reality.     

通量传输事件相关的动力学磁场湍流观测研究

THEMIS卫星观测到通量传输事件（FTE）的同时,也在磁层侧涡流区域观测到强磁场扰动现象.利用快速傅里叶变换分析磁场扰动频谱特征发现:大约在FTE的扰动频率（约0.1Hz）处,功率谱密度达到峰值;在质子回旋频率（约1Hz）至64Hz的频段内,功率谱密度随着频率的增大而减小,服从幂律分布P₀ f-α.因此,可以认为这些磁场扰动为低纬边界层中的动力学磁场湍流.研究结果表明,当低纬边界层（Low Latitude Boundary Layer,LLBL）中卫星相对磁层顶或FTE的位置越来越远时,功率谱密度与功率谱斜率α（幂律指数）降低,但FTE所在的方位角或低纬磁层顶的磁地方时对幂律指数α和功率谱密度没有显著影响.这些观测特征表明移动的FTE是磁场湍流的源.磁层顶上的大规模扰动（如FTE）和相关的磁场湍流从动力学尺度揭示了磁鞘与磁层的类黏滞相互作用.然而低纬边界层中FTE磁层侧涡流形成所需的黏滞性是否可由磁场湍流来提供还需要验证.      

行星际起伏向磁层顶的输运

时间尺度为分钟数量级的太阳风速度和行星际磁场大幅度扰动实际上始终存在于行星际空间的。这些扰动一直传输到紧贴磁层边界面外侧的区域。它们在磁鞘等离子体和磁层顶的相互作用过程中可能起很重要的作用。行星际起伏中的磁场分量在通过地球弓激波时首先经历一次跳跃,然后一部分扰动被带到磁层边界面处。在边界面附近磁场扰动幅度被大大地放大了。弓激波上游的太阳风条件控制了放大因子。本文所作的数值模拟研究结果表明,如果上游有大幅度的扰动,在边界面附近就有大幅度的Alfven起伏的磁场分量。当上游磁场接近垂直于日地联线时,放大因子变得相当大,而且放大因子随上游的等离子体β值和/或Alfven马赫数的增加而增加。上游各向异性对放大因子的影响不大。在磁层边界附近存在大幅度起伏表明这里不存在稳定的片流。      

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.     

Global Hybrid Simulation of Magnetic Reconnection in the Magnetosheath

A three-dimensional (3-D) global hybrid simulation is carried out for the generation and structure of magnetic reconnection in the magnetosheath due to interaction of an interplanetary Tangential Discontinuity (TD) with the bow shock and magnetosphere. Runs are performed for solar wind TDs possessing different initial half-widths. As the TD propagates through the bow shock toward the magnetopause, it is greatly narrowed by a two-step compression processes, a "shock compression' followed by a subsequent ``convective compression'. In cases with a relatively thin solar wind TD, 3-D patchy reconnection is initiated in the transmitted TD, forming magnetosheath flux ropes. Multiple components of ion particles are present in the velocity distribution in the magnetosheath merging, accompanied by ion heating. For cases with a relatively wide initial TD, a dominant single X-line appears in the subsolar magnetosheath after the transmitted TD is narrowed. A shock analysis is performed for the detailed structure of magnetic reconnection in the magnetosheath. Rotational Discontinuity (RD)/Time-Dependent Intermediate Shock (TDIS) are found to dominate the reconnection layer, which and some weak slow shocks are responsible for the ion heating and acceleration.      

Scientific visualization to study Flux Transfer Events at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center

In this paper we present recent additions to the visualization toolset offered by the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC). Two suites of visualization tools are available that can address different needs during the analysis of model simulations of the magnetosphere that are provided by the CCMC. The online, server-side visualization allows the user to quickly browse through simulation runs and now can create maps of magnetic field line topology in the magnetosphere. The second tool, SWX, can be used on the client computer after data have been downloaded. With this second tool the user can interact directly with the three-dimensional objects that are being rendered. We present results from a simulation of a Flux Transfer Event that was performed at the CCMC using a magnetohydrodynamic model of the Earth’s magnetosphere with a high resolution grid focused on the dayside magnetosheath and dayside magnetopause. The simulation shows that the FTE that results from localized magnetic reconnection is a complicated three-dimensional structure that requires modern visualization techniques. Visualization techniques that are presented here allow the researcher to fully appreciate the complexity contained in magnetospheric simulation results.     

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.