On electromagnetic phenomena in Mercury’s magnetosphere

Mercury has a small but intriguing magnetosphere. In this brief review, we discuss some similarities and differences between Mercury’s and Earth’s magnetospheres. In particular, we discuss how electric and magnetic field measurements can be used as a diagnostic tool to improve our understanding of the dynamics of Mercury’s magnetosphere. These points are of interest to the upcoming ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury.     

Are small-scale field-aligned currents and magnetosheath-like particle precipitation signatures of the same low-altitude cusp?

We examined some 75 observations from the low-altitude Earth orbiting DMSP, Ørsted and CHAMP satellites which were taken in the region of the nominal cusp. Our objective was to determine whether the actually observed cusp locations as inferred from magnetosheath-like particle precipitation (“particle cusp”) and intense small-scale magnetic field variations (“current cusp”), respectively, were identical and were consistent with the statistically expected latitude of the cusp derived from a huge number of charged particle spectrograms (“statistical cusp”).     

亚暴起始地磁指数判断的统计研究

利用2004年地磁西向电急流 AL指数, 亚暴电急流AE指数和场向电流AF指数来确定亚暴起始, 并与2004年亚暴极光起始进行对比. 研究发现, 如果以极光亚暴起始为时间零点, 亚暴的西向电急流AL起始和电急流AE起始主要分布于-5~+6 min的时间范围内, 但在-9~+9 min的时间范围内也有个别事例. 场向电流 AF 起始分布较宽, 可以分布于-8~+7 min的时间范围内. 平均西向电急流AL起始, 电急流AE起始和场向电流AF起始分别为0.5, 0.5, -0.1min. 通常西向电急流AL起始与极光起始同时的概率最高, 而多数情况下电急流AE起始和场向电流AF起始提前极光起始1min. 这些地面磁场指数确定的亚暴起始分布, 随着亚暴强度的增大(即最小AL指数减少, 最大AE指数增大, 最大AF指数增大)而向极光亚暴起始靠近. 对于5个超级亚暴来说, 其西向电急流AL起始和电急流AE起始都发生在极光起始之前. 这些结果说明对于大亚暴, 电急流的增加要早于极光爆发.      

低纬Pc3脉动和电离层电流体系

假设在低纬地区有一根磁力线振荡,从基本方程出发,推算出地面各点的磁场扰动情况,模拟低纬Pc3脉动。对比低纬地区Pc3脉动的观测结果,可以看出用这种理论数值模拟的结果基本上与观测事实相符,用它可以初步解释低纬Pc3脉动的频率特性和偏振特点。     

大尺度场向电流的控制因素

将ＩＳＥＥ－１和ＩＳＥＥ－２飞般测量的地球内磁层场向电流作为行星际磁场与极区地磁活动水平（由ＡＬ表征）的函数。发现大约７５％的场向电流发生在行星际磁场南向时,其余２５％发生在行星际磁场由南向转到北向的半小时内。而且,发生在ＡＬ〈－１５０ｎＴ的场向电流也大约是７５％。场向电流的强度和密度随行星际磁场南向分量及ＡＬ的负值增加而增大。由此而得出结论,内磁层场向电流的产生主要是由行星际磁场控制的,是太阳风     

The mid-latitude field-aligned disturbances and their effect on differential GPS and VLBI

For the first time we propose a method for detecting the mid-latitude field-aligned disturbances (FADs) prolated on the magnetic field. The method is based on GPS detection of isolated ionosphere disturbances and analysis of the angle between the “GPS satellite-receiver” line-of-sight and the local magnetic field vector, for which maximum (minimum) of aperiodic variation of the total electron content (TEC) is registered.     

The generator system of field-aligned currents during the April 06, 2000, superstorm

Using ground-based magnetometer data of the April 6–7, 2000, superstorm, we obtained maps of ionospheric and field-aligned currents (FACs). Based on these, we deduced the electrical circuit of the disturbed magnetosphere/ionosphere and a conceptual model of its magnetospheric generators, which supply both hemispheres. This model implies that the generator system creates primarily the Region-1 FACs of Iijima and Potemra at both hemispheres, while the Region-2 and Region-0 FACs form by spreading of the Region-1 currents through the ionosphere. This conclusion is supported by observations.     

The solar wind control of the equatorial ionosphere dynamics during geomagnetic storms

The interplanetary magnetic field, geomagnetic variations, virtual ionosphere height h′F, and the critical frequency foF2 data during the geomagnetic storms are studied to demonstrate relationships between these phenomena. We study 5-min ionospheric variations using the first Western Pacific Ionosphere Campaign (1998–1999) observations, 5-min interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and 5-min auroral electrojets data during a moderate geomagnetic storm. These data allowed us to demonstrate that the auroral and the equatorial ionospheric phenomena are developed practically simultaneously. Hourly average of the ionospheric foF2 and h′F variations at near equatorial stations during a similar storm show the same behavior. We suppose this is due to interaction between electric fields of the auroral and the equatorial ionosphere during geomagnetic storms. It is shown that the low-latitude ionosphere dynamics during these moderate storms was defined by the southward direction of the B_z-component of the interplanetary magnetic field. A southward IMF produces the Region I and Region II field-aligned currents (FAC) and polar electrojet current systems. We assume that the short-term ionospheric variations during geomagnetic storms can be explained mainly by the electric field of the FAC. The electric fields of the field-aligned currents can penetrate throughout the mid-latitude ionosphere to the equator and may serve as a coupling agent between the auroral and the equatorial ionosphere.     

磁暴期间甚低纬哨声的导管传播

对磁暴期间甚低纬哨声导管传播的机理进行了初步的讨论，根据暴时低纬哨声的特点，认为暴时出现的扩展哨、多跳回波是沿东向扰动电场导致的场列电离增强路径传播的。对在东向电场影响下低纬Ｆ层的数值模拟表明，东向电场导致的场列电离增强结构有利于哨声的捕获和传播。     

场向电流随亚暴位相的变化

利用ISEE1和2卫星测量的磁场数据,计算了电离层中的场向电流。依据每个场向电流事件所伴随的亚暴位相,分别计算了一区和二区场向电流强度、密度及电流片厚度在亚暴成长相、膨胀相和恢复相的平均值及中间值。其结果,从成长相到膨胀相,一区和二区场向电流的强度和密度增加,从膨胀相到恢复相,其值减小。平均说来,一区的电流强度约是二区的1.4倍。电流片厚度的变化在上述期间内与电流强度及密度的变化趋势相反。