Magnetic reconnection in solar flares and corresponding radio bursts

The 2D MHD model of the flare magnetic reconnection shows that a reconnection activity, changes of the magnetic field topology and generation of waves are connected. It is found that after the phase of a quasi-stationary reconnection in the extended current sheet above the flare arcade the tearing mode instability produces the plasmoids which then can interact and generate MHD waves. Results of particle-in-cell simulations of the tearing processes, which accelerate electrons, are mentioned. Then all these processes are discussed from the point of view of possible radio emissions. While shocks can contribute to the type II radio burst, the superthermal electrons trapped in plasmoids can generate so called drifting pulsating structures. Furthermore, regions with the MHD turbulence may manifest themselves as the lace or dm-spike bursts.     

Numerical simulation of three-dimensional reconnection due to the instability of collisionless current sheets

Based on analytical calculations we have currently argued that spontaneous reconnection through thin collisionless current sheets is an essentially three-dimensional (3 D) process (Büchner, 1996 a, b). Since 3 D kinetic PIC codes have become available, the three dimensional nature of the collisionless current sheet decay are now illustrated by numerical simulations (Büchner and Kuska, 1996; Pritchett and Coroniti, 1996; Zhu and Winglee, 1996). While the latter two claim a coupling to a longer wavelength kink mode as a main factor, destabilizing thin current sheets in 3 D, our simulations have revealed that even shorter scale perturbations in the current direction suffice to destabilize thin sheets very quickly. Since past simulation runs, however, were limited to mass ratios near unity, the influence of the electrons was not treated adequately. We have now investigated the stability of thin collisionless current sheets including 64 times lighter negatively charged particles. We can now show that while the two-dimensional tearing instability slows down for M = M_p/m_e = 64, the three-dimensional current sheet decay is a much faster process — practically as fast as the mass ratio M = 1 3 D sheet decay, even without kinking the sheet. We further conclude that, unlike the two-dimensional tearing instability, the three-dimensional decay of thin current sheets is not controlled by the electrons. For a sheet width comparable with the ion inertial length, we also recovered signatures of the Hall effect as predicted by Vasyliunas (1975) in the mass ratio M = 64 case. The ion inertial length seems to be the critical scale at which the sheet starts to decay.     

Electron temperature anisotropy effects on tearing mode in ion-scale current sheets

Recent two-dimensional (2-D) particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations have shown that there is a critical thickness of a current sheet, above which no significant saturation amplitude of the 2-D tearing (TI) mode can be expected. Here, we have introduced the initial electron temperature anisotropy (α_e0 = T_e⊥/T_e|| > 1), which is known to raise significantly the linear growth rates, and inspected if α_e0 > 1 can change the saturation level of the TI in a super-critical current sheet. Varying α_e0 and D (D: the current sheet half-thickness) systematically, we have found that while α_e0 boosts up the linear growth rate in both sub- and super-critical current sheets, macroscopic effects are obtained only in sub-critical current sheets, that is, energy transfer from the fastest growing short wavelength modes to longer wavelength modes are available only in the sub-critical regime. Since the critical thickness is a fraction of the ion inertial length, the tearing mode assisted by the electron temperature anisotropy alone, despite its significant boost in the linear growth rate, cannot be the agent for reconnection triggering in a current sheet of ion-scale thickness.     

等离子体彗尾动力学的数值研究

本文基于可压缩磁流体动力学模型,数值研究了尾瓣巾具有超Alfven速流动的等离子体彗尾的动力学特征。结果表明,等离子体片和尾瓣之间的剪切等离子体流动将会激发流动撕裂模不稳定性,引起彗尾等离子体片中发生磁场重联,形成磁岛和高密度的等离子体团。进而模拟了太阳风引起的局部驱动力对等离子体彗尾中磁场重联的影响,其特征时间远大于流动撕裂模。我们认为一些观测到的等离子体彗尾中的四块和彗尾截断事件可能主要与彗尾中剪切等离子体流动所引起的流动撕裂模不稳定性有关。      

Collisionless reconnection in the magnetotail

Recent developments regarding collisionless reconnection in current sheets with a finite normal magnetic field component (B_z) are reviewed. In 2-D x, z configurations the ion tearing mode is stabilized by the electron compressibility. When the y dependence is included, cross-field current instabilities can be excited. Of these, the drift kink mode appears to be particularly important. 3-D electromagnetic particle simulations indicate that this mode can act as the precursor to the growth of tearing modes and subsequent reconnection.     

High-frequency slowly drifting structures in the November 25, 2000 and April 15, 2001 solar flares

Three slowly drifting structures observed during the November 25, 2000 and April 15, 2001 solar flares arepresented. Their relationship to the hard X-ray emission is shown. While the April 15, 2001 X14.4 flare started with the high-frequency drifting structure associated with a plasmoid ejection observed by TRACE in the 171 Å line, the November 25, 2000 event commenced with two drifting structures in two different frequency ranges; the high-frequency one consists of fast positively drifting features with rapid frequency variations of their high-frequency boundary. Due to fast drifting features the slowly drifting structures are interpreted in the flare model with a sequence of fast electron beams accelerated in the current sheet below the ejected plasmoid. Drifting structures in the November 25, 2000 flare are explained by beams injected into the plasmoid and, at the same time, by beams propagating downwards against the evaporation or termination shocks.     

双带耀斑磁重联过程的数值研究

本文用多步隐格式求解包含电阻的磁流体力学方程组, 对双带耀斑的主相作数值模拟, 清晰地展示了中性片区由撕裂模线性重联向准稳态重联的过渡以及后随耀斑环的产生和等离子体团的喷发过程.对于在能量方程中计及和忽略焦耳加热两种情况, 分别作了计算.结果表明, 计及焦耳加热时, 电流片中等离子体的温度显著增加(是初始温度的2—3倍), 但等离子体的运动速度却变化不大.两种情况的计算结果均表明:等离子体的运动速度低于声速, 因此不会形成快激波.计及焦耳加热的计算结果显示了两个新的特征:其一是中性片高密度等离子体的受热膨胀, 增大了电流片的有效厚度, 它使重联速率降低, 并逐渐趋于饱和, 其二是同时形成上升和沉降等离子体团, 后者与耀斑环碰撞, 并合并于后随耀斑环内.      

The Io-control of Jupiter's decametric radiation: The Alfvén wave model

Geometrical considerations based on a conical sheet model of the observed DAM sources show that DAM is generated on field lines in the active longitude sector φ ～ 200 ± 90°. We show how Io excites Alfvén waves and calculate the propagation of these waves through the inhomogenous torus and magnetosphere. The power flux at high latitudes is largest at two longitudes which are seen as the B₁, B₂, A and C sources. We also discuss the parallel electric field accompanying the Alfvén wave pulses and show that at high latitudes electrons can be accelerated to energies in excess of 1000 eV. It is suggested that these current carrying electrons excite ion-cyclotron, upper and lower-hybrid electrostatic waves which may all play crucial roles in the generation of DAM.     

The evolution of a complex solar radio burst corresponding to special configuration of microwave sources

A complex radio burst associated with periodic (∼1 and 6 min) pulsations and several kinds fine structures, e.g., normal- and reverse-drifting type III bursts, zebra patterns, and slowly drifting structure was observed with the radio spectrometers (1.0–2.0, 2.6–3.8, 5.2–7.6, and 0.65–1.5 GHz) at the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) in Beijing and Yunnan on 19 October 2001. In combination with the images of 17 and 34 GHz from NoRH and the magnetograms from MDI we reveal the existence and evolution of preexisting and new emerging sources, and find the horseshoe-shaped structure of microwave sources intensity during the late phase of the burst. Through the detailed comparison of the evolution of each source with the time profiles of radio bursts corresponding to these sources we indicate that the intimate correlation between the microwave sources evolution and the generation of the radio burst associated fine structures. Some fine structures can be considered as the MHD turbulence and plasma emission mechanism, based on the anisotropic beam instability and hybrid waves generations. From the characteristics of observations we may presume that the coronal magnetic structures should contain an extended coronal loop system and multiple discrete electrons acceleration/injection sites. The mechanisms of this complex radio burst are deal with the incoherent gyrosynchrotron emission from the trapped electrons and the coherent plasma emission from the non trapped electrons.     

Radiation from relativistic shocks in turbulent magnetic fields

Using our new 3-D relativistic particle-in-cell (PIC) code parallelized with MPI, we investigated long-term particle acceleration associated with a relativistic electron–positron jet propagating in an unmagnetized ambient electron–positron plasma. The simulations were performed using a much longer simulation system than our previous simulations in order to investigate the full nonlinear stage of the Weibel instability and its particle acceleration mechanism. Cold jet electrons are thermalized and ambient electrons are accelerated in the resulting shocks. Acceleration of ambient electrons leads to a maximum ambient electron density three times larger than the original value as predicted by hydrodynamic shock compression. In the jet (reverse) shock behind the bow (forward) shock the strongest electromagnetic fields are generated. These fields may lead to time dependent afterglow emission. In order to calculate radiation from first principles that goes beyond the standard synchrotron model used in astrophysical objects we have used PIC simulations. Initially we calculated radiation from electrons propagating in a uniform parallel magnetic field to verify the technique. We then used the technique to calculate emission from electrons in a small simulation system. From these simulations we obtained spectra which are consistent with those generated from electrons propagating in turbulent magnetic fields with red noise. This turbulent magnetic field is similar to the magnetic field generated at an early nonlinear stage of the Weibel instability. A fully developed shock within a larger simulation system may generate a jitter/synchrotron spectrum.     

大功率高频无线电波对赤道E区双流不稳定性的影响--PIC静电粒子模拟研究

地面入射的大功率高频无线电波(泵波)和电离层等离子体之间的参数相互作用，能够引起静电波的激发，在一定条件下，产生不稳定性．本文用PIC静电粒子模拟方法，研究泵波与赤道电离层E区等离子体的相互作用．研究结果表明，泵波能够控制双流不稳定性的发生，在不同条件下，泵波对双流不稳定性起着稳定与不稳作用，模拟结果定性地与理论研究结果相符合，这为我们对不规则体产生的地面人工控制提供了依据．     

成形极限曲线（FLC）的新概念

失稳理论是FLC的理论基础。文章论述了FLC理论研究中存在的问题。指出:一般出厂板的表面状况不会影响板料的集中失稳;板内损伤平面应变时最严重。双拉时,板内损伤的积累、发展,导致应力状态向平面应变漂移;拉压时,载荷失稳后引起的双拉,也会导致平面应变。因此平面应变状态的出现是板料集中失稳的共同原因。在此基础上提出了建立FLC的统一的模型。     

The effect of the longitudinal propagating waves on the electron acceleration in the reconnecting current sheet

Based upon the most efficient electron acceleration near the midplane of 3D non-neutral driven reconnecting current sheet (RCS) and the electrostatic wave excitation by the drift Maxwellian distribution of electrons in Vlasov simulation, we assume that the electrostatic waves mainly propagate opposite to the reconnecting electric field and investigated how these waves affect the electron acceleration. The main results are: (1) when the electron’s velocity equals to the phase speed of the waves, they will be trapped and have the different accelerating characteristics from the untrapped electrons through solving the momentum equations of electrons analytically; (2) the test particle simulations further prove that the number of the energetic electrons decreases with the increasing intensity of unstable waves, and the distribution of the energetic electrons takes on the double power-law.     

1980年7月14日耀斑和磁流浮现模型

本文利用云南天文台耀斑H_α巡视观测、活动区白光照相及速度场资料,结合SMM的X射线资料和北京天文台的射电观测资料,对1980年7月14日日面3B级大耀斑进行了综合研究。对照耀斑过程的磁流浮现(EMF)模型,我们分析了活动区的形态变化特征,估算了耀斑释放的磁能、耀斑过程的特征时间及耀斑爆发时加速的电子总数和加速电子的平均能量。结果表明:(1)耀斑过程的EMF模型与观测结果基本符合,可以认为EMF模型能够较好地说明耀斑的物理过程。(2)根据对速度场资料及耀斑产生位置的分析,初步认为电流片可能位于速度中性线与磁中性线的交点处及其附近,或速度中性线与暗条的交点处及其附近[3]。(3)观测和计算表明,硬x射线爆是由电流片中加速的高能非热电子所产生,而软X射线爆则由耀斑区的高温等离子体的热轫致辐射所产生。      

周期性多电流片系统中涡旋诱发重联过程的相互作用

运用二维可压缩磁流体动力学(MHD)模拟方法考察了周期性多电流片系统中涡旋诱发重联(VIR)过程的发展演化.结果表明,相邻电流片中的VIR过程发生相互作用,相距越近,作用越强烈.反对称和对称波模VIR过程的线性增长率随电流片间距的减小而分别增大和降低.当电流片间距小于某临界值时,反对称波模VIR完全被抑制.相对于对称波模VIR,反对称波模VIR过程对空间多电流片系统的发展会发挥更大作用.      

New aspects of whistler waves driven by an electron beam studied by a 3-D electromagnetic code

We have restudied electron beam driven whistler waves with a 3-D electromagnetic particle code. In the initialisation of the beam-plasma system, “quiet start” conditions were approached by including the poloidal magnetic field due to the current carried by beam electrons streaming along a background magnetic field. The simulation results show electromagnetic whistler wave emissions and electrostatic beam modes like those observed in the Spacelab 2 electron beam experiment. It has been suggested in the past that the spatial bunching of beam electrons associated with the beam mode may directly generate whistler waves. However, the simulation results indicate several inconsistencies with this picture: (1) the parallel (to the background magnetic field) wavelength of the whistler wave is longer than that of the beam instability, (2) the parallel phase velocity of the whistler wave is smaller than that of the beam mode, and (3) whistler waves continue to be generated even after the beam mode space charge modulation looses its coherence. The complex structure of the whistler waves in the vicinity of the beam suggest that the transverse motion (gyration) of the beam and background electrons is involved in the generation of the whistler waves.     

无碰撞电流片哨声波不稳定性

通过数值求解文献[4]中物理模型A得到的一般形式的色散关系,讨论了无碰撞电流片低频波不稳定性问题.结果表明,哨声波能被无碰撞电流片直接激发.在中性片上(z/di=0),在较宽的波数范围内,斜哨声波是可以传播的,但它基本上是稳定的.在离子惯性区内(z/di<1,电子惯性区外),斜传播的哨声波是不稳定的.在离子惯性区边缘(z/di=1),斜传播的哨声波仍然是不稳定的,增长率更大,不稳定的波频率范围更高.此外,朝向中性片方向传播(kzdi<0)的哨声波比离开中性片方向传播(kzdi>0)的哨声波有更大的增长率.     

Broadband electrostatic noise and low-frequency waves in the Earth’s magnetosphere

Broadband electrostatic noise (BEN) is commonly observed in different regions of the Earth’s magnetosphere, eg., auroral region, plasma sheet boundary layer, etc. The frequency of these BENs lies in the range from lower hybrid to the local electron plasma frequency and sometimes even higher. Spacecraft observations suggest that the high and low-frequency parts of BEN appear to be two different wave modes. There is a well established theory for the high-frequency part which can be explained by electrostatic solitary waves, however, low-frequency part is yet to be fully understood. The linear theory of low-frequency waves is developed in a four-component magnetized plasma consisting of three types of electrons, namely cold background electron, warm electrons, warm electron beam and ions. The electrostatic dispersion relation is solved, both analytically and numerically. For the parameters relevant to the auroral region, our analysis predict excitation of electron acoustic waves in the frequency range of 17 Hz to 2.6 kHz with transverse wavelengths in range of (1–70) km. The results from this model may be applied to explain some features of the low-frequency part of the broadband electrostatic noise observed in other regions of the magnetosphere.     

Nonlinear development of MHD waves in coronal loops

The solar corona, modelled by a low β, resistive plasma slab sustains MHD wave propagations due to footpoint motions in the photosphere. The numerical simulation presents the evolution of MHD waves and the formation of current sheets. Steep gradients at the slab edges, which are signatures of resonance layers are observed. Singularities are removed by the inclusion of finite resistivity. The fast waves develop kink modes. As the plasma evolves the current sheets which provide heating at the edges fragment into two current sheets at each edge which in turn come closer when the twist is enhanced.     

On high-altitude electric fields in the auroral downward current region and their coupling to ionospheric electric fields

The downward field-aligned current region plays an active role in magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling processes associated with aurora. A quasi-static electric field structure with a downward parallel electric field forms at altitudes between 800 km and 5000 km, accelerating ionospheric electrons upward, away from the auroral ionosphere. Other phenomena including energetic ion conics, electron solitary waves, low-frequency wave activity, and plasma density cavities occur in this region, which also acts as a source region for VLF saucers. Results are presented from high-altitude Cluster observations with particular emphasis on the characteristics and dynamics of quasi-static electric field structures. These, extending up to altitudes of at least 4–5 Earth radii, appear commonly as monopolar or bipolar electric fields. The former occur at sharp boundaries, such as the polar cap boundary whereas the bipolar fields occur at softer boundaries within the plasma sheet. The temporal evolution of quasi-static electric field structures, as captured by the pearls-on-a-string configuration of the Cluster spacecraft, indicates that the formation of electric field structures and of ionospheric plasma density cavities are closely coupled processes. A related feature of the downward current is a broadening of the current sheet with time, possibly related to the depletion process. Preliminary studies of the coupling of electric fields in the downward current region, show that small-scale structures are typically decoupled from the ionosphere, similar to what has been found for the upward current region. However, exceptions are also found where small-scale electric fields couple perfectly between the ionosphere and Cluster altitudes. Recent FAST results indicate that the degree of coupling differs between sheet-like and curved structures, and that it is typically partial. The electric field coupling further depends on the current–voltage relationship, which is highly non-linear in the downward current region, and still unrevealed, as to its specific form.