2D and 3D MHD simulations of disk accretion by rotating magnetized stars: Search for variability

We performed 2D and full 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of disk accretion to a rotating star with an aligned or misaligned dipole magnetic field. We investigated the rotational equilibrium state and derived from simulations the ratio between two main frequencies: the spin frequency of the star and the orbital frequency at the inner radius of the disk. In 3D simulations we observed different features related to the non-axisymmetry of the magnetospheric flow. These features may be responsible for high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). Variability at much lower frequencies may be connected with restructuring of the magnetic flux threading the inner regions of the disk. Such variability is specifically strong at the propeller stage of evolution.     

Formation of relativistic jets by collapsing stars to black holes

Formation of relativistic jets in the magnetosphere of collapsing stars is considered. These jets will be formed in the polar caps of magnetosphere of collapsing star, where the stellar magnetic field increases during the collapse and the charged particles are accelerated. The jets will generate non-thermal radiation. The analysis of dynamics and emission of particles in the stellar magnetosphere under collapse shows that collapsing stars can be powerful sources of relativistic jets.     

Plasma convection model and generation of longitudinal currents in the earth's magnetosphere

The aim of this paper is to investigate processes in the magnetosphere and in particular the problems of the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetic field to produce large-scale convection, electric fields and longitudinal currents in the magnetosphere. The investigation is carried out in the frame of magnetic hydrodynamics. The reason for such an approach can be found in /1/. When calculating the transfer coefficients, the Böhm approximation is used, i.e. it is considered that the plasma in the near-equatorial part of the magnetosphere (quasiplanar geometry is used in the problem for simplification) is sufficiently turbulent that the condition ωτ ≈ 1 is valid (ω is the Larmor frequency of electrons, τ is effective time between two Quasi-collisions). The main subjects of investigation in this paper are the input near the equatorial boundary layer and the plasma layer of the magnetosphere tail.     

修正的动力盘模型与三维模拟螺旋桨滑流比较

比较用于研究螺旋桨滑流对机翼影响的4种数值模拟方法,即未进行修正的动力盘数值模拟、修正的片条理论应用于动力盘模型的数值模拟、有旋转的修正的片条理论应用于动力盘模型的数值模拟及定常三维实体螺旋桨数值模拟求解RANS(Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes)方程.以某半径为1.008 m三叶螺旋桨在转速为2 575 r/min,飞行速度为 66.889 m/s 工况下螺旋桨后的轴向和环向诱导系数作为评估依据进行比较,结果表明:修正的动力盘模型和三维实体模型数值模拟能预测螺旋滑流区内的流动情况,而三维实体模型能更多地反映流动细节,但是会增加计算成本,表明动力盘模型可以替代三维实体螺旋桨进行数值模拟.     

有限β等离子体中密度和磁场不均匀驱动的动理学Alfven波

在分析有限β等离子体中的密度、磁场不均匀引起的漂移波不稳定性的基础上，剖析了漂移波不稳定性对动理学Alfven波激发的作用．动理学理论能正确地处理有限拉莫半径效应和波粒共振相互作用，本文根据带电粒子在电磁场中的运动特性，采用Vlasov方程描述离子运动，运用漂移动理学方程对电子运动进行描述．密度不均匀和磁场不均匀对产生漂移不稳定性的对比分析表明：在有限β等离子体中，密度不均匀比磁场不均匀更易激发漂移不稳定性，且密度不均匀激发漂移不稳定性中的能量转换和转移更为强烈．这种能量的转换为动理学Alfven波的激发提供了物理基础．所得数值解表明：动理学Alfven波在磁层中能广泛地被激发产生，特别是在磁层空间的极尖区、磁层顶和等离子体片边界层等具有明显的不均匀性区域中更容易被激发产生．本文的研究结果进一步表明动理学Alfven波对磁层空间中能量传输具有重要作用．     

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     

Impulsive plasma waves observed by DE-1 in the magnetosphere

Impulsive plasma waves (1–9 kHz) with durations less than 100 msec have been found in DE-1 wide-band electric field data (650 Hz – 40 kHz) received at Kashima, Japan. The waves are associated with a strong narrow-band ELF hiss, and were observed at geocentric distances from 3.1 to 4.9 Re (earth's radius) in the low-latitude nightside magnetosphere. Local electron densities and plasmapause locations estimated suggest that the waves were observed outside the nightside plasmapause. The waves are discussed in terms of Landau resonant trapping of magnetospheric electrons by the associated whistler-mode ELF hiss.     

The low energy plasma in the Uranian magnetosphere

The Plasma Science experiment on Voyager 2 detected a magnetosphere filled with a tenuous plasma, rotating with the planet. Temperatures of the plasma, composed of protons and electrons, ranged from 10 eV to ∼1 keV. The sources of these protons and electrons are probably the ionosphere of Uranus or the extended neutral hydrogen cloud surrounding the planet. As at Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn, there is an extended magnetotail with a central plasma sheet. Although similar in global structure to the magnetospheres of these planets, the large angle between the rotation and magnetic axes of the planet and the orientation of the rotation axis with respect to the solar wind flow make the Uranian magnetosphere unique.     

Modeling the broadband persistent emission of magnetars

In this paper, we discuss our first attempts to model the broadband persistent emission of magnetars within a self-consistent, physical scenario. We present the predictions of a synthetic model that we calculated with a new Monte Carlo 3D radiative code. The basic idea is that soft thermal photons (e.g. emitted by the star surface) can experience resonant cyclotron upscattering by a population of relativistic electrons treated in the twisted magnetosphere. Our code is specifically tailored to work in the ultra-magnetized regime; polarization and QED effects are consistently accounted for, as well different configurations for the magnetosphere. We discuss the predicted spectral properties in the 0.1–1000 keV range, the polarization properties, and we present the model application to a sample of magnetars soft X-ray spectra.     

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。      

Laboratory experiments and space phenomena

Two types of convection were observed in the laboratory model of the magnetosphere: viscous convection and convection due to field lines common to both the magnetosphere and artificial solar wind. With a southward field component in the solar wind, convection from the Sun is observed in the polar cap, while with a large northward component, convection is directed toward the Sun. Merging of the field lines occurs in the cleft. With the southward component, a visor appears in front of the magnetosphere boundary. The decay of the visor into small magnetic structure is observed. The formation of an induced magnetosphere with a magnetic tail is shown in the experiments of the simulated conditions near non-magnetic bodies with a plasma shell (Venus, comets). A combined induced-intrinsic magnetosphere also was investigated.     

Interaction of Titan's atmosphere with Saturn's magnetosphere

The Voyager 1 measurements made during the Titan flyby reveal that Saturn's rotating magnetospheric plasma interacts directly with Titan's neutral atmosphere and ionosphere. This results from the lack of an intrinsic magnetic field at Titan. The interaction induces a magnetosphere which deflects the flowing plasma around Titan and forms a plasma wake downstream. Within the tail of the induced magnetosphere, ions of ionospheric origin flow away from Titan. Just outside Titan's magnetosphere, a substantial ion-exosphere forms from an extensive hydrogen-nitrogen exosphere. The exospheric ions are picked up and carried downstream into the wake by the plasma flowing around Titan. Mass loading produced by the addition of exospheric ions slows the wake plasma down considerably in the vicinity of the magnetopause.     

磁层电场仪前端信号处理电路研究

针对磁层稀薄等离子体环境中的电场测量,设计了一种电场仪前端信号处理电路方案.双探针电场仪通过向等离子体输出驱动电流,测量两探针间的电位差,从而测量空间电场的探测仪器.在磁层稀薄等离子体环境下,等离子体阻抗较高,电场仪探针将工作在较高的工作电压上.若探针电压接近或超过电路耐压值,则可能会影响探测结果,甚至损坏电场仪.本文结合低偏置电流的电压跟随方案和反馈悬浮电源控制方案,解决了稀薄等离子体环境中电场测量的弱电流采样和高动态电位处理问题,并采用低噪声元件和特殊电路设计,控制电路噪声.测试结果显示,本方案可使探针适应±100V的悬浮电位,实现150kHz带宽的电场信号测量,且噪声小于14nV·mHz-1/2,满足目前空间电场仪测量精度需求.      

Magnetospheric structure and high-energy photon emission of radio pulsars

Some elementary aspects of particle acceleration and flow along the polar field lines of an isolated, rotating magnetized neutron star are described. Semi-quantitaive consequences of these ideas for the emission of high energy gamma rays and their relation to gamma ray observations of radio pulsars are outlined. A global model of the magnetosphere in which these polar flows can occur is described briefly.     

关于磁层中磁力线几何结构的研究

磁层磁场的几何结构是空间物理中的重要研究内容.本文采用曲率半径分析方法,结合Cluster立体探测的相关知识和背景,利用Cluster立体探测的优势,通过对Cluster 2001年的立体探测数据的研究,分析了磁层各区域的磁力线结构,包括背阳面、Cusp区以及昏侧,得出各区域中磁力线的曲率半径大小,曲率矢量以及磁力线密切面的法线矢量的方向.利用这些参量直接确定出该区域中磁力线的空间几何构型,进而揭示了该区域磁场的三维立体结构.所得结果也验证了曲率半径分析方法的正确性.在科学探测数据完备的情况下,将这一研究方法应用到磁层中其他所有区域,可以得到整个磁层的详细三维结构模型,这具有重要的科学意义.      

The revised eccentric binary model for X Persei (4U 0352 + 30)

The eccentric binary model for X Persei is discussed with a view to most recent determination of mass, radius and mass loss rate. The existence of such a system depends critically on the value of viscosity in the outer layers of the star and, in the case where viscosity is induced by shear turbolence, on the axial rotational velocity. The parameters of the binary system are derived in the most favourable case.     

The magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn and their lessons for the Earth

The study of planetary magnetospheres allows us to understand processes occurring in the Earth’s magnetosphere by showing us how these processes respond under different conditions. We illustrate lessons learned about the control of the size of the magnetosphere by the dynamic pressure of the solar wind; how cold plasma is lost from magnetospheres; how free energy is generated to produce ion cyclotron waves; the role of fast neutrals in a planetary magnetosphere; the interchange instability; and reconnection in a magnetodisk. Not all information flow is from Jupiter and Saturn to Earth; some flows the other way.     

On the formation of auroral arcs

A new mechanism for auroral arc formation is presented. The characteristic linear shape of auroral arcs is determined by magnetically connected plasma clouds in the distant equatorial magnetosphere. These clouds originate as high speed plasma beams in the magnetotail and in the solar wind. It is found that the free energy for driving an auroral arc can be provided by the difference of pressure between the cloud and the ambient plasma.     

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.     

Controlling factors of Region 2 field-aligned current and its relationship to the ring current: Model results

One essential component of magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling is the closure of the ring current through Region 2 field-aligned current (FAC). Using the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM), which includes magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling by solving the kinetic equation of ring current particles and the closure of the electric currents between the two regions, we have investigated the effects of high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity, plasma sheet density and different magnetic field models on the development of Region 2 field-aligned currents, and the relationship between R2 FACs and the ring current. It is shown that an increase in high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity or plasma sheet density generally results in an increase in Region 2 FACs’ intensity, but R2 FACs display different local time and latitudinal distributions for changes in each parameter due to the different mechanisms involved. Our simulation results show that the magnetic field configuration of the inner magnetosphere is also an important factor in the development of Region 2 field-aligned current. More numerical experiments and observational results are needed in further our understanding of the complex relationship of the two current systems.