Interplanetary field enhancements in the solar wind: Evidence for cometesimals at 0.72 and 1.0 AU?

A new class of interplanetary magnetic disturbance has been identified which consists of a nearly symmetric rise and fall of the magnetic field surrounding a cusp-shaped maximum. These disturbances have been hypothesized to be caused by the mass-loading of the solar wind by small outgassing bodies. The clustering of these events in space suggests that not all the events are independent. Clustering is greatest at 0.72 AU because of one very strong family of events associated with the orbit of the asteroid 2201 Oljato. The events are larger at 0.72 AU than at 1 AU. The timing of the disturbances at both 1 AU and 0.72 AU relative to Oljato suggests the presence of outgassing debris both in front of and behind the asteroid.     

Evolution of solar wind structures from 0.72 to 1 AU

Understanding the evolution of solar wind structures in the inner heliosphere as they approach the Earth is important to space weather prediction. From the in situ solar wind plasma and magnetic field measurements of Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) at 0.72 AU (1979–1988), and of Wind/Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) missions at 1 AU (1995–2004), we identify and characterize two major solar wind structures, stream interaction regions (SIRs) and interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). The average percentage of SIRs occurring with shocks increases significantly from 3% to 24% as they evolve from 0.72 to 1 AU. The average occurrence rate, radial extent, and bulk velocity variation of SIRs do not change from 0.72 to 1 AU, while peak pressure and magnetic field strength both decrease with the radial evolution of SIRs. Within the 0.28 AU distance from the orbit of Venus to that of Earth, the average fraction of ICMEs with shocks increases from 49% to 66%, and the typical radial extent of ICMEs expands by about a fraction of 1.4, with peak pressure and magnetic field strength decreasing significantly. The mean occurrence rate and expansion velocity of ICMEs do not change from 0.72 to 1 AU.     

Quasi-periodic ripples in the heliosphere from 1 to 40 AU

This study extends the investigation of the ripples in the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field at L1 reported by Birch and Hargreaves (2020) to cover heliospheric distances from 1 to 40 AU, using data from the Voyager 2, Ulysses, Juno, Cassini, Themis and Apollo-12 spacecraft. The ripples were extracted from the source data using a bandpass filter which reduces the noise component of the source data while removing long-term trends. The ripples were found to propagate throughout the heliosphere with an average periodicity of 26 min, without significant attenuation relative to the background. They also permeated within the magnetospheres of Earth, Jupiter and Saturn with an average periodicity of 25 min, though with some attenuation relative to the solar wind, especially in the case of Jupiter. Within the planetary magnetospheres, the ripples were suppressed by the intense fields in close proximity to each planet, and though the distance varied at which this cutoff occurred, the flux density was very similar in all three cases.     

0.3AU和1AU之间高速太阳风的加速和加热机制

本文应用Helios飞船在0.3AU和1AU之间的高速太阳风质子和磁流涨落观测, 同时考察了包括各种可能的加速和加热效应的高速太阳风动量方程和质子能量方程.分析表明在碰撞为主的等离子体条件下导出的经典粘性系数表式明显地不适用于太阳风等离子体;在0.3AU和1AU之间主要加速力是热压梯度力和Alfven波压力, 背景磁场的洛伦兹力可忽略;在减速方面, 除了太阳重力外, 还需存在其它减速机制, 才能使太阳风动量平衡.看来唯有粘性能同时满足减速和加热这两种要求.      

Alfvén脉动的控制方程

本文由磁流体力学方程组导出了行星际空间中不可压缩小尺度脉动的控制方程组。对这一组方程的讨论表明,在小振幅极限下,脉动幅度的径向变化可由通常文献中引用的Alfvén波在缓变磁流体介质中传播的WKB解来描述。当脉动幅度与平均磁场强度之比为有限值时,在一般情况下,控制方程中的非线性项不能略去,因而不能用WKB解来描述有限振幅脉动幅度的径向变化。这一结论可以解释为什么在0.3—0.9AU实测Alfvén脉动振幅和谱的变化与WKB解不一致。在这组控制方程的基础上提出了一个定性的模式。将Alfvén脉动看作主要由许多具有不同波矢k的向外传播的有限振幅的Alfvén模式组成。它们在传播过程中将产生一级小量的波动。零级量与一级量的非线性相互作用使波能向高频区串级。零级量波动振幅的变化不仅受到太阳风慢变化的影响,而且受到这一非线性相互作用的影响。这一模式可以定性解释主要的Alfvén脉动的观测事实。      

On the effects of dynamical turbulence on the perpendicular diffusion of low-energy cosmic ray electrons

Diffusion perpendicular to the heliospheric magnetic field plays an integral role in the transport of charged particles in the heliosphere. In this study the perpendicular diffusion coefficient of low-energy cosmic ray electrons is calculated, using an equation derived from the random ballistic decorrelation interpretation of nonlinear guiding centre theory. An observationally motivated 2D turbulence power spectrum is assumed and the effects of various turbulence inputs on the resulting perpendicular diffusion coefficient are investigated. The perpendicular diffusion coefficients are first determined at 1 AU, for both magnetostatic and dynamical turbulence conditions. These solutions are also evaluated for radial distances of 0.1 AU to 10 AU to further investigate the values of the perpendicular diffusion coefficients in the very inner heliosphere. The results of this study show that the dissipation range of the turbulence power spectrum provides a negligible contribution towards the perpendicular diffusion coefficient, and that solutions derived using only the energy containing range serve as good approximations for solutions derived assuming the full 2D turbulence power spectrum. Finally, it is shown that the effects of dynamical turbulence, as considered in the present study, do not affect the perpendicular diffusion coefficients derived from the scattering theory considered here.     

Acceleration and transport of energeticparticles at CME-driven shocks

Historically, solar energetic particle (SEP) events are classified in two classes as “impulsive” and “gradual”. Whether there is a clear distinction between the two classes is still a matter of debate, but it is now commonly accepted that in large “gradual” SEP events, Fermi acceleration, also known as diffusive shock acceleration, is the underlying acceleration mechanism. At shock waves driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), particles are accelerated diffusively at the shock and often reach > MeV energies (and perhaps up to GeV energies). As a CME-driven shock propagates, expands and weakens, the accelerated particles can escape ahead of the shock into the interplanetary medium. These escaping energized particles then propagate along the interplanetary magnetic field, experiencing only weak scattering from fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). In this paper, we use a Monte-Carlo approach to study the transport of energetic particles escaping from a CME-driven shock. We present particle spectra observed at 1 AU. We also discuss the particle “crossing number” at 1AU and its implication to particle anisotropy. Based on previous models of particle acceleration at CME-driven shocks, our simulation allows us to investigate various characteristics of energetic particles arriving at various distances from the sun. This provides us an excellent basis for understanding the observations of high-energy particles made at 1 AU by ACE and WIND.     

The auroral activity during the main phase of magnetic storms

The relationship of auroral activity indices (AE, Kp, SME) with interplanetary medium parameters during the main phase of magnetic storms is studied. For the period 1990–2020, 142 magnetic storms driven by (41) Sheath, (61) CIR, and (40) ICME events are selected. It is found that the correlation coefficient between average values of the SME index and the SW electric field for Sheath (r = 0.75) is close to correlation coefficients for CIR and ICME events. The correlation coefficient between Kp_aver&Esw_aver (r = 0.72) is higher than the correlation coefficient between AE_aver&Esw_aver (r = 0.63) at the main phase of magnetic storms induced by the Sheath events. It is shown that average values of SW dynamic pressure and IMF σB fluctuations correlate each other for all types of SW.     

子午面内Alfvén波的传播特征

本文使用由ＷＫＢ近似得到的Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波传播的张量表达式,具体计算和讨论了一种太阳子午面内含盔形－电流片磁位形的流场中Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波的传播特征,主要结果是：（１）Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波磁场起伏随日心距离的增加而衰减,其中极开区的衰减远快于赤道区,但随着距离的增大,这种纬度关系将迅速变弱,以致在较远空间,磁起伏相差很小,衰减很慢;（２）Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波的相对磁场起伏ｂ／Ｂ随着距离的增加而迅速增大,在几个太阳半径之后变化不再明显,达到所谓的＂饱和＂;在大日心距离的盔形电流片附近,Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波将成为重要的磁场组成部分;（３）Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波速度起伏纬度关系较为明显,相对速度起伏。ｕ／Ｕ随着距离增大而衰减,电流片区衰减得较快,但这种纬度差别将变弱．与黄道面内Ａｌｆｖｅｎ波传播特征的具体比较表明,磁场涨落的变化特征与背景场位形存在着十分密切的关系,但速度涨落与背景场没有这种明显关系．     

The interplanetary dust environment beyond 1 AU and in the vicinity of the ringed planets (tutorial talk)

The dust population at 1 AU is known for all sizes between μm and cm to an accuracy better than one order of magnitude. It was observed by Helios that the fine grained dust (μm to 100 μm) decreases with increasing sun distance ∞ r^?1.3, at least between 0.3 and 1 AU /1/.Two Pioneer $\text{10}\text{11}$ dust experiments observed the dust distribution beyond 1 AU in the 10 to 100 μm diameter size range for the first time directly with contradicting results. The penetration experiment saw a constant flux out to 20 AU while the optical experiment observed a decrease of the dust number densities until 3.3 AU, but no scattered light was recorded further out. An attempt is made to explain these observations on the basis of the socalled ‘Greenberg’-particles: cometary core/mantle grains with organic mantle material. The observed enhancement of the dust flux by 1 or 2 orders of magnitudes near Jupiter and Saturn are interpreted as being caused by gravitational focussing, ejecta from jovian/saturnian satellites and electrostatic fragmentation products.     

太阳宁静及耀斑期间1AU附近等离子体轫致辐射研究

在太空等离子体中，尤其在等离子体内部磁场较弱时，轫致辐射是等离子体能量损失的主要机制．本文对太阳宁静及耀斑期间1AU处等离子体轫致辐射计算表明，等离子体辐射强度If的变化与辐射的电磁波频率有直接的关系．当辐射频率，接近于等离子体频率，fpe时，辐射强度显著增大．随着电磁波辐射频率的增大，辐射强度随频率增大作缓慢对数下降．辐射亮温Tb与等离子体电子温度Te、介质光深成正比．Tb与If随辐射频率变化的整体趋势一致．在相同的辐射频率情况下，太阳宁静期间If值、Tb值低于太阳耀斑期间If值、Tb值．     

Numeric simulations of in situ observations of interacting ejecta near 1 AU

We use a simple numerical model (González-Esparza, J.A., Santillán, A., Ferrer, J. A numerical study of the interaction between two ejecta in the interplanetary medium: one and two dimensional hydrodynamic simulations, Ann. Geophys. 22, 3741–3749, 2004) to study the evolution of three events in the solar wind reported by Wang et al. (Wang, Y.M., Ye, P.Z., Wang, S. Multiple magnetic clouds: several examples during March–April 2001. J. Geophys. Res. 108, 1370, 2003, doi:10.1029/2003JA009850), where two interacting ejecta detected in situ by ACE near 1 AU were related to CMEs observed previously by SOHO-LASCO. The study is based on a 1-D hydrodynamic model using the ZEUS code (Stone, J.M., Norman, M. ZEUS 2-D: A radiation magnetohydrodynamics code for astrophysical flows in two dimensions, I, the hydrodynamics algorithms and tests, Astrophys. J. 80, 753, 1992). Although this model cannot address either the magnetic field dynamics or the complex geometrical effects intrinsic in the three-dimensional nature of the phenomena, it illuminates the transferring of momentum and evolution of interacting large-scale solar wind disturbances in those cases where there is no merging (magnetic reconnection) between the two ejecta. This model can reproduce, in some cases, characteristics of the events such as transit times and flow signatures as inferred from the two-point measurements from spacecraft.     

Sharp boundaries of solar wind plasma structures and their relationship to solar wind turbulence

Sharp (<10 min) and large (>20%) solar wind ion flux changes are common phenomena in turbulent solar wind plasma. These changes are the boundaries of small- and middle-scale solar wind plasma structures which can have a significant influence on Earth’s magnetosphere. These solar wind ion flux changes are typically accompanied by only a small change in the bulk solar wind velocity, hence, the flux changes are driven mainly by plasma density variations. We show that these events occur more frequently in high-density solar wind. A characteristic of solar wind turbulence, intermittency, is determined for time periods with and without these flux changes. The probability distribution functions (PDF) of solar wind ion flux variations for different time scales are calculated for each of these periods and compared. For large time scales, the PDFs are Gaussian for both data sets. For small time scales, the PDFs from both data set are more flat than Gaussian, but the degree of flatness is much larger for the data near the sharp flux change boundaries.     

Dynamics of solar cosmic ray events: Processes at large heliocentric distances (⪢1 AU)

Observations of solar cosmic ray events far from the sun (?1 AU) became possible after the launch of Pioneer 10 in 1972. Four spacecraft have now travelled beyond the orbit of Jupiter - Pioneer 10/11 and Voyager 1/2 — and are producing a growing body of distant observations of solar cosmic ray events. Initial studies using Pioneer 10/11 data out to ～6 AU interpreted flare particle observations in terms of a diffusion model, including the effects of convection and adiabatic energy loss. This model enjoyed general success in explaining the time-intensity profiles in cases where the spacecraft connection longitude at the sun did not change significantly with time. The results implied that the radial diffusion coefficient (K_r) increased slowly with distance over that radial range. More recent results at larger distances imply that K_r may begin to decrease beyond ～5 AU. It is not yet clear whether the standard diffusion model will be adequate to explain solar events well beyond 5 AU. The fact that large events at very large distances can last up to two solar rotations implies that solar wind stream structure will also play a role in the event dynamics. In general, however, observations at large distances offer perhaps the best hope of separating interplanetary propagation effects from coronal storage and propagation effects which frequently dominate observed event profiles at 1 AU.     

Numerical investigation of the influence of large turbulence scales on the parallel and perpendicular transport of cosmic rays

In recent analytical investigations it has been demonstrated that the turbulence behavior at large scales has a very strong influence on the perpendicular diffusion coefficient of charged particles. In the present paper we use computer simulations to investigate numerically cross field transport and particle propagation along the mean magnetic field for different turbulence models at large scales. Our results are compared with quasilinear theory and nonlinear diffusion theories. We show that for different forms of the turbulence spectrum at large scales, the perpendicular mean free paths obtained numerically are in agreement with recent predictions made by analytical theory. It is also shown that the parallel diffusion coefficient contains always a strong nonlinear contribution which is, however, independent of the assumed spectrum at large scales.     

On the universality of asymptotic limits in the theory of field line diffusion and perpendicular transport of energetic particles

We discuss the random walk of magnetic field lines in astrophysical plasmas. Based on the standard theory of field line diffusion we show that there are two asymptotic limits. In these limits field line wandering is universal because in both regimes the field line diffusion coefficient depends only on fundamental length scales and absolute magnetic field strengths. As examples we discuss the field line diffusion coefficient for different prominent turbulence models namely the slab model, the two-dimensional model, and the Goldreich–Sridhar model. We show that the field line diffusion coefficient for the latter model agrees with the results obtained for slab and two-dimensional turbulence in limiting cases. We also discuss the transport of energetic particles perpendicular with respect to the mean magnetic field. Based on the unified nonlinear transport theory we consider again asymptotic limits. It is shown that one can identify four different regimes in which the transport is again universal. In all four cases perpendicular transport only depends on fundamental length scales of turbulence, magnetic field values, and the parallel diffusion coefficient.     

Magnetic Field Fluctuations in the Solar Wind, Foreshock and Magnetosheath： Cluster Data Analysis

46 magnetosheath crossing events from the two years (2001.2-2003.1) of Cluster magnetic field measurements are identified and used to investigate the characters of the magnetic field fluctuations in the regions of undisturbed solar wind, foreshock, magnetosheath. The preliminary results indicate the properties of the plasma turbulence in the magnetosheath are strongly controlled by IMF orientation with respect to the bow shock normal. The amplitude of the magnetic field magnitude and direction variations behind quasi-parallel bow shock are larger than those behind quasi-perpendicular bow shock. Almost purely compressional waves are found in quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath.     

The evolution of mirror type magnetic fluctuations in the magnetosheath based on multipoint observations

Two orbits were selected in January–February 2006 when the separation between the Cluster spacecraft was large and mirror type magnetic field fluctuations were observed by all spacecraft in different regions of the terrestrial magnetosheath. Minimum variance analysis was applied to find the mirror type fluctuations, and the amplitude of the fluctuations was determined individually. Mirror mode structures are moving along the streamlines frozen in the plasma. A model was developed for the calculation of plasma flowtime from the bow shock to the observation point. The growth rate of the field strength perturbations was estimated by comparing the amplitudes of fluctuations observed simultaneously at distant locations (∼10,000 km) based on the assumption that δB ∼ exp(γt). The obtained growth rate values were about an order of magnitude smaller than those provided by linear models and they decreased in the inner regions of the magnetosheath, indicating some saturation in the growth of the waves when proceeding towards the magnetopause. The results of these two case studies suggest that mirror type fluctuations originate from the compression region downstream of the quasi-perpendicular bow shock, and the growth of the fluctuations cannot be described by linear approximations.     

两冕流间CME事件数值模拟的改进

通过偶极子场和六极子场适当叠加，改进猜解磁场，使猜解磁场在太阳南北极符号相反，然后采用理想磁流体力学方程组(MHD)，由猜解磁场与太阳风流动相互作用计算出稳态自洽解，得到定性上与观测比较接近的具有两个冕流的背景结构．在两个冕流间采用具有同心圆磁场位形的触发模型触发CME事件，研究CME的日冕传播特征．模拟结果表明，CME被约束在两冕流间传播，CME闭磁场位形和磁云横截面磁场位形相似，可以解释1AU处观测磁云的部分特征；在CME附近，存在压力和Lorentz力起主要作用的区域，这可以为分析1AU处CME事件的观测数据提供帮助．