CME Theory and Models

This chapter provides an overview of current efforts in the theory and modeling of CMEs. Five key areas are discussed: (1) CME initiation; (2) CME evolution and propagation; (3) the structure of interplanetary CMEs derived from flux rope modeling; (4) CME shock formation in the inner corona; and (5) particle acceleration and transport at CME driven shocks. In the section on CME initiation three contemporary models are highlighted. Two of these focus on how energy stored in the coronal magnetic field can be released violently to drive CMEs. The third model assumes that CMEs can be directly driven by currents from below the photosphere. CMEs evolve considerably as they expand from the magnetically dominated lower corona into the advectively dominated solar wind. The section on evolution and propagation presents two approaches to the problem. One is primarily analytical and focuses on the key physical processes involved. The other is primarily numerical and illustrates the complexity of possible interactions between the CME and the ambient medium. The section on flux rope fitting reviews the accuracy and reliability of various methods. The section on shock formation considers the effect of the rapid decrease in the magnetic field and plasma density with height. Finally, in the section on particle acceleration and transport, some recent developments in the theory of diffusive particle acceleration at CME shocks are discussed. These include efforts to combine self-consistently the process of particle acceleration in the vicinity of the shock with the subsequent escape and transport of particles to distant regions.     

Global ena Image Simulations

The energetic neutral atom (ENA) images obtained by the ISEE and POLAR satellites pointed the way toward global imaging of the magnetospheric plasmas. The Imager for Magnetopause to Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) is the first mission to dedicate multiple neutral atom imagers: HENA, MENA and LENA, to monitor the ion distributions in high-, medium- and low-energy ranges, respectively. Since the start of science operation, HENA, MENA and LENA have been continuously sending down images of the ring current, ionospheric outflow, and magnetosheath enhancements from high pressure solar wind. To unfold multiple-dimensional (equal or greater than 3) plasma distributions from 2-dimensional images is not a trivial task. Comparison with simulated ENA images from a modeled ion distribution provides an important basis for interpretation of features in the observed images. Another approach is to develop image inversion methods to extract ion information from ENA images. Simulation studies have successfully reproduced and explained energetic ion drift dynamics, the transition from open to closed drift paths, and the magnetosheath response to extreme solar wind conditions. On the other hand, HENA has observed storm-time ion enhancement on the nightside toward dawn that differs from simple concepts but can be explained using more sophisticated models. LENA images from perigee passes reveal unexpected characteristics that now can be interpreted as evidence for a transient superthermal exospheric component that is gravitationally-influenced if not bound. In this paper, we will report ENA simulations performed during several IMAGE observed events. These simulations provide insight and explanations to the ENA features that were not readily understandable previously.     

Observing the Sun at 20–650 MHz at Thermopylae with Artemis

Fine structure of type IV radio solar bursts with a great variety and complexity often give much information in different ways and enable estimation of various coronal characteristics. In this work, we expose our new method for fine structure revealing and separation of two basic kinds of type IV fine structure, as fibers and pulsations. We also estimate frequency drift of fibers from dynamic spectra, clean from continuous background, with a prototype method using 2-D Fourier transform and we estimate periodicities of fibers as well as pulsations with continuous wavelet transform. Working with the last method we found periodicities close to 3 min umbral oscillations and 5 min global solar oscillations.     

WHISPER, A RESONANCE SOUNDER AND WAVE ANALYSER: PERFORMANCES AND PERSPECTIVES FOR THE CLUSTER MISSION

The WHISPER sounder on the Cluster spacecraft is primarily designed to provide an absolute measurement of the total plasma density within the range 0.2–80 cm^-3. This is achieved by means of a resonance sounding technique which has already proved successful in the regions to be explored. The wave analysis function of the instrument is provided by FFT calculation. Compared with the swept frequency wave analysis of previous sounders, this technique has several new capabilities. In particular, when used for natural wave measurements (which cover here the 2–80 kHz range), it offers a flexible trade-off between time and frequency resolutions. In the basic nominal operational mode, the density is measured every 28 s, the frequency and time resolution for the wave measurements are about 600 Hz and 2.2 s, respectively. Better resolutions can be obtained, especially when the spacecraft telemetry is in burst mode. Special attention has been paid to the coordination of WHISPER operations with the wave instruments, as well as with the low-energy particle counters. When operated from the multi-spacecraft Cluster, the WHISPER instrument is expected to contribute in particular to the study of plasma waves in the electron foreshock and solar wind, to investigations about small-scale structures via density and high-frequency emission signatures, and to the analysis of the non-thermal continuum in the magnetosphere.     

Origin of organic matter in the protosolar nebula and in comets.

Comet organics are traced to their origin in interstellar space. Possible sources of comet organics from solar nebula chemistry are briefly discussed. The infrared spectra of interstellar dust are compared with spectra of solar (space) irradiated laboratory organic residues and with meteorites. The spectra compare very favorably. The atomic composition of first generation laboratory organic residues compares favorably with that of comet Halley organics if divided into appropriate "volatile" (less refractory) and "refractory" (more refractory) complex organics.     

Evolution of coronal mass ejection/shock system in interplanetary space

The evolution of coronal mass ejection/shock system is investigated by numerically solving the usual set of two-dimensional single-fluid polytropic magnetohydrodynamic equations from 1 R_s to 1 AU in the meridian plane. The simulation result reveals that the coronal mass ejection/shock system formed near the sun evolves into the magnetic cloud/shock system near the earth’s orbit through the following three phases: the initial formation, the dominant latitudinal expansion and the similar expansion.     

Fusion of distributed extended forgetting factor RLS state estimators

For single-target multisensor systems, two fusion methods are presented for distributed recursive state estimation of dynamic systems without knowledge of noise covariances. The estimator at every local sensor embeds the dynamics and the forgetting factor into the recursive least squares (RLS) method to remedy the lack of knowledge of noise statistics, developed before as the extended forgetting factor recursive least squares (EFRLS) estimator. It is proved that the two fusion methods are equivalent to the centralized EFRLS that uses all measurements from local sensors directly and their good performance is shown by simulation examples.     

Einstein X-ray observations of cataclysmic variables

Observations with the imaging X-ray detectors on the Einstein Observatory have led to a large increase in the number of low luminosity X-ray sources known to be associated with cataclysmic variable stars (CVs). The high sensitivity of the Einstein instrumentation has permitted study of their short timescale variability and spectra. The data are adding significantly to our knowledge of the accretion process in cataclysmic variables and forcing some revision in our ideas concerning the origin of the optical variability in these stars.     

GPS based IPS for ERP vehicles

GPS is an innovative technique for an electronic road pricing (ERP) system. By using GPS technology, ERP systems will be extremely efficient and cost-effective. This paper describes the next generation of ERP in Singapore and proposes a GPS based multisensor positioning system for ERP vehicles. Multisensor fusion algorithms are presented for the integration system. The integrated positioning system (IPS) developed in this paper makes it possible to realize GPS based ERP with a simple composition and low cost     

Movement of a material point in the gravity field of a homogeneous ring

A ring-like mass exerts a well computable gravitational attraction on a material point located along a straight line, being perpendicular to the plane of the ring in its centre. In the state of weightlessness, an oscillatory movement will develop owing to this effect. The period, T, of oscillation depends on the gravity constant, on the density and dimensions of the ring, as well as on the amplitude of the oscillation. Its exact computation can be based on the determination of the gravity potential function of the ring. The oscillation has the following form:

$\text{T=}\text{1}\text{√f√}\textcolor{red}{}\text{.I(r,R,z)}$

where f is the gravitational constant.

is the density of the ring, r and R are the radii of the ring, z is the distance of the turning point of the oscillation from the centre of the ring, while I/r,R,z/ is an improper integral which can be computed with any desired accuracy owing to the favourable function-theoretical character of the potential. We computed the oscillation period for various possible values of the parameters and obtained time data of an order of magnitude which falls into a well observable interval.The outlined conceptual experiment for the improved determination of the gravitational constant may present, of course, many technical difficulties and error sources /e.g. the path of the oscillating point is quite unstable owing to the extremely small acting forces, electric charges and also radiation pressure might be present, the gravity field would show a gradient on the spot of the experiment, etc./. Nevertheless, it seems to be worthwhile to consider carrying out such an experiment, using the possibilities offered by modern techniques in observing distances and time. For the path distortions caused by errors, we give a few estimates, but in case of realization of the experiment, a more detailed error analysis must be made.