高速流前端磁场B_z分量的变化

等离子体片高速流在磁层活动中起着重要作用,其形成机制以及与背景等离子体的相互作用日益引起关注.本文利用搭载于Cluster四颗卫星上的磁场和等离子体观测仪器,对2001和2002两年发生在磁尾等离子体片中高速流事件期间的磁场变化进行了统计研究.结果表明,在高速流前端,伴随着等离子体整体速度的增加,绝大多数高速流前端磁场的B_z分量经常出现先短暂减小然后剧烈增大的现象,符合以往利用Geotail卫星观测数据获得的统计特性.然而个例研究发现B_z的下降与上升常常是不对称的,且B_z分量下降的程度并不是总能达到反向的程度,说明这种变化特征并不一定是存在磁结构的表现.我们认为更多时候这种磁场的变化特征是高速流挤压背景等离子体磁场造成的,是相互作用的结果.当偶极化锋面形成后,由类似间断面的磁场界面反射的热离子产生抗磁效应,可能对B_z下降形成部分贡献,而B_z增加则是高速流携带磁通量堆积的效果.     

Ray Structure of the Coronal Streamer Belt and Its Manifestation as Sharp Large Peaks of Solar Wind Plasma Density at the Earth''''s Orbit

The white-light corona calibrated data with processing level L1 from the LASCO-C2/SOHO instrument, and data from the Wind spacecraft with one-hour and one-minute time resolution on quasi-stationary slow (v between 300-450 km/s at the Earth's orbit) the Solar Wind (SW) parameters in the absence of sporadic SW streams are examined. Within distances from the Sun's center less than R in the range of 20-30 Rs, (Rs, the solar radius), slow wind is known as the streamer belt, and at larger distances it is called the He-liospheric Plasma Sheet (HPS). It is shown that the streamer belt comprises a sequence of pairs of rays. In general, ray brightnesses in each pair can differ, and the magnetic field is oppositely directed in them. The neutral line of the radial magnetic field of the Sun runs along the belt between the rays of each of the pairs. The area in which the streamer belt intersects the ecliptic plane and which lies at the central meridian, will be recorded at the earth's orbit with a time delay of 5-6 days, in the form of one or several peaks with Nmax> 10cm-3. Furthermore, the simplest density profile of the portion of the HCS has the form of two peaks of a different or identical amplitude . The such a profile is observed in cases where the angle of intersection of the streamer belt with the ecliptic plane near the Sun is sufficiently large, i.e. close to 90°. The two-ray structure of the cross-section of the streamer-belt moves from the Sun to the Earth, it retains not only the angular size of the peaks but also the relative density variations, and the position of the neutral line (sector boundary) in between. At the Earth's orbit the ray structure of the streamer belt provides the source for sharp (i.e. with steep fronts of a duration of a few minutes or shorter) solar wind plasma density peaks (of a duration of several hours) with maximum values Nmax> 10cm-3.     

磁扰动和磁静时近地等离子体片中脉冲电场的分布

Geotail卫星的电场数据被用于分析近地磁尾等离子体片中电场在磁扰动(Dst<-25nT)和磁静时(Dst>-25 nT的统计分布.结果表明,伴随着地向高速离子流,在X>-16Re以内区域出现强电场(高达 5-8 mV/m).磁扰动期间强电场的幅值较磁静时大,并且出现在更靠近地球的位置.较强和较靠近地球的强电场与磁扰动时更薄的等离子体片和更接近地球的等离子体片内边界相联系.观测结果意味着磁扰动期间的亚暴可能更有效地将高能粒子注射到环电流中.这对磁暴和亚暴的关系问题的解决有重要意义.     

金星磁尾大尺度等离子体涡流

已有研究发现金星磁尾的太阳风氢离子(H⁺)和金星电离层氧离子(O⁺)存在大尺度涡流结构, 该涡流从磁尾望向星球是逆时针的. 为了确定该涡流的存在性, 利用金星快车等离子体和高能原子分析仪(Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms on Venus, ASPERA-4)的Fedorov矫正数据, 分别在金星公转轨道坐标系(VSO)和太阳风电场坐标系(VSE)下对磁尾等离子体流进行了统计分析. 结果显示, 在VSO和VSE坐标系中都存在太阳风H⁺和金星O⁺的顺时针涡流结构. 但是从已有的研究结果看, 无论等离子体涡流是逆时针还是顺时针, 其产生的磁场都与已知磁尾磁场结构不相符; 考虑到金星和火星空间环境的相似性及火星磁尾太阳风H⁺并不存在完整等离子体涡流的情况, 认为金星磁尾可能并不存在大尺度等离子体涡流. 金星的等离子体特征需要未来更多卫星观测研究.     

Density of discontinuities in the heliosphere

The spatial distribution of MHD discontinuities in the solar wind has been studied, based on the long time observations by the magnetometer onboard Ulysses. We emphasize the critical importance of the method whereby events are selected; some previous work is critically reviewed in this respect. Our analysis supports earlier observations that the density of discontinuities decreases with increasing distance from the Sun. It is suggested, however, that the distribution of the discontinuity normals should be revised, retaining only those discontinuities for further study that have reliable normals. This study shows that the vast majority of well defined discontinuities has a small magnetic field component parallel to the discontinuity normal. Given the large number of discontinuities in the Ulysses data set there is a statistically sufficient number for further study. It is also shown in this paper that for the subset of well defined discontinuities the determination of the normal vector using Minimum Variance Analysis and the cross-product technique are equally valid.     

MHD simulation of magnetic field configuration above the active region NOAA 10365

The current sheet (CS) creation before a flare in the vicinity of a singular line above the active region NOAA 10365 is shown in numerical experiments. Such a way the possibility of energy accumulation for a solar flare is demonstrated. These data and results of observation confirm the electrodynamical solar flare model that explains solar flares and CME appearance during CS disruption. The model explains also all phenomena observed in flares. For correct reproduction of the real boundary conditions the magnetic flux between spots should be taken into account. The full system of 3D MHD equations are solved using the PERESVET code. For setting the boundary conditions the method of photospheric magnetic maps is used. Such a method permits to take into account all evolution of photospherical magnetic field during several days before the flare.     

Summary of the workshop on gamma-ray burst afterglows at the 34th COSPAR meeting

A summary is given of the presentations at the COSPAR workshop on γ-ray bursts with some personal commentary on the contributions, the SN/GRB connection, and on the role of magnetic fields in γ-ray bursts and their afterglows. Of special interest were the accumulated arguments for strong collimation and associated reduction in the total required energy for γ-ray bursts. Significant discussion was also devoted to the issues associated with iron and metal lines in X-ray spectra. It is important to note that some of the afterglows seem to require ambient densities 1 g cm⁻³, rather incompatible with a massive star environment. Of associated difficulty is the fact that few, if any, afterglows seem consistent with the r⁻² wind expected for a massive star model. There are reasons to think that if γ-ray bursts are associated with supernovae they are of Type Ic. This suggests that any wind present might be rich in carbon and oxygen, not hydrogen or helium. If γ-ray bursts are narrowly collimated, then the burst is only probing a small portion of any wind, perhaps just that time-dependent and isotropic structure directly along the rotation axis. The characteristics of “hypernovae” may be the result of orientation effects in a mildly inhomogeneous set of progenitors, rather than requiring an excessive total energy or luminosity. The recent event GRB 021004 provided a rich photometric and spectroscopic record and perhaps the most direct evidence yet for the association of a specific γ-ray burst with a massive star progenitor. If the magnetic field plays a significant role in launching a relativistic γ-ray burst jet from within a collapsing star, then the magnetic field may also play a role in the propagation, collimation, and stability of that jet within and beyond the star. The magneto-rotational instability (MRI) can operate under conditions of moderate rotation. This means that the MRI will be at work generating strong fields exponentially rapidly even as the disk of material begins to form and makes a transition from a non-Keplerian to quasi-Keplerian flow in the collapsar and related models.     

Influence of different atmospheric models and seeing effects on the nonlinear calibration

This paper describes a technique intended to improve calibration of vector magnetograms achieved by the spectral line Fei 5324.19 Å which was first described in detail by Hagyard and Kineke [Hagyard, M.J., Kineke, J.I., Improved method for calibrating filter vector magnetographs, Solar Phys., 158, 11–28, 1995.]. The technique attempts to compensate for nonlinear behavior of the measured linear and circular polarizations of the line as functions of inclination angle and field strength. This method depends on different atmospheric models. To the three different atmospheric models, the VAL-C quiet photosphere model, the Ding and Fang penumbra model and Allen umbral model, the circular polarization signal is directly linearly proportional to the longitudinal field strength in the range of 800 G, 1000 G and 1300 G, respectively. For the transverse field, however, this linear relationship holds over much smaller ranges which are 200 G, 300 G and 200 G. The improved method improves the accuracy in calibrating the polarization signals over a wide range of field strengths and inclination angles. With the seeing effects decreasing in the magnetic observation, the longitudinal fields and the transverse ones are underestimated. The differences in the zero-iterative longitudinal and transverse field are relatively minor, but differences in the multi-iterative longitudinal and transverse field can be as high as 260 G and 500 G. The improved calibration method is more sensitive to the seeing effects variation than the former calibration method.     

Input Parameters for Models of Energetic Electrons Fluxes at the Geostationary Orbit

The results of cross-correlation analysis between electrons fluxes (with energies of > 0.6MeV, > 2.0 MeV and > 4.0MeV), geomagnetic indices and solar wind parameters are shown in the paper. It is determined that the electron fluxes are controlled not only by the geomagnetic indices, but also by the solar wind parameters, and the solar wind velocity demonstrates the best relation with the electron fluxes. Numerical value of the relation efficiency of external parameters with the highly energetic electrons fluxes shows a periodicity. It is presented here the preliminary results of daily averaged electrons fluxes forecast for a day ahead on the basis of the model of neuron networks.     

脉冲等离子推力器羽流实验研究初探

脉冲等离子体推力器(Pulsed Plasma Thrusters,PPTs)具有体积小、结构简单、推力小、比冲高等特点,非常适用于目前正广泛开展研究的小型航天器的姿轨控系统,是电推进领域的研究热点之一。开展对PPTs羽流特性的研究是了解PPTs工作机理、分析其推力作用规律和探索性能提升方法的重要途径,本文对PPTs进行了概述,综述并分析了PPTs的羽流特点、研究现状,对实验中涉及到的羽流测量参数及方法进行了概括,对相关的等离子体诊断方法进行了重点介绍。     

The response of the ionosphere over Ilorin to some geomagnetic storms

The effects of some geomagnetic storms on the F2 layer peak parameters over Ilorin, Nigeria (Lat. 8:53°N, Long. 4.5°E, dip angle, −2.96°) have been investigated. Our results showed that the highest intensity of the noon bite-out occurred during the March equinox and lowest during the June Solstice on quiet days. Quiet day NmF2 disturbances which appeared as a pre-storm enhancement, but not related to the magnetic storm event that followed were observed at this station. These enhancements were attributed to the modification of the equatorial electric field as a result of injection of the Auroral electric field to the low and equatorial ionosphere. For disturbed conditions, the morphology of the NmF2 on quiet days is altered. Daytime and nighttime NmF2 and hmF2 enhancements were recorded at this station. Decreases in NmF2 were also observed during the recovery periods, most of which appeared during the post-noon period, except the storm event of May 28–29. On the average, enhancements in NmF2 (i.e. Positive phases) are the prominent features of this station. Observations from this study also indicate that Dst, Ap and Kp which have been the most widely used indices in academic research in describing the behavior of geomagnetic storms, are not sufficient for storm time analysis in the equatorial and low latitude ionosphere.     

Two-spacecraft observations of reconnection at the magnetopause: Model results and data comparison

We revisit an example of “quasi-steady” magnetic reconnection at the dayside magnetopause on February 11, 1998, observed by Equator-S and Geotail at the dawnside magnetopause. Phan et al. [Phan, T.D. et al., 2000. Extended magnetic reconnection at the Earth’s magnetopause from detection of bi-directional jets. Nature 404, 848–850.] reported oppositely directed jets at these spacecrafts and inferred a length of the reconnection line of about 38R_E. Pinnock et al. [Pinnock, M., Chisham, G., Coleman, I.J., Freeman, M.P., Hairston, M., Villain, J.-P., 2003. The location and rate of dayside reconnection during an interval of southward interplanetary magnetic field. Ann. Geophys. 21, 1467–1482.] used measurements from SuperDARN radars to show that the reconnection electric field was variable. Here we complement this work by obtaining snapshots of the reconnection electric field from the in situ observations. To do this, we apply a reconstruction method based on a model of compressible Petschek-type magnetic reconnection. This independent method uses magnetic field observations as input data to calculate the reconnection electric field. We obtain average values of E_rec in the range of 0.4–2.4 mV/m. Further we infer a distance perpendicular to the reconnection line of 0.4–0.6R_E. The model results are compared with the two studies mentioned above. It thus appears that while the transfer of momentum for this event is indeed large-scale, the actual rate depends on the time it is measured.     

Dependence of the 27-day variation of cosmic rays on the global magnetic field of the Sun

We show that the higher range of the heliolongitudinal asymmetry of the solar wind speed in the positive polarity period (A > 0) than in the negative polarity period (A < 0) is one of the important reasons of the larger amplitudes of the 27-day variation of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity in the period of 1995–1997 (A > 0) than in 1985–1987 (A < 0). Subsequently, different ranges of the heliolongitudinal asymmetry of the solar wind speed jointly with equally important corresponding drift effect are general causes of the polarity dependence of the amplitudes of the 27-day variation of the GCR intensity. At the same time, we show that the polarity dependence is feeble for the last unusual minimum epoch of solar activity 2007–2009 (A < 0); the amplitude of the 27-day variation of the GCR intensity shows only a tendency of the polarity dependence. We present a three dimensional (3-D) model of the 27-day variation of GCR based on the Parker’s transport equation. In the 3-D model is implemented a longitudinal variation of the solar wind speed reproducing in situ measurements and corresponding divergence-free interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) derived from the Maxwell’s equations. We show that results of the proposed 3-D modeling of the 27-day variation of GCR intensity for different polarities of the solar magnetic cycle are in good agreement with the neutron monitors experimental data. To reach a compatibility of the theoretical modeling with observations for the last minimum epoch of solar activity 2007–2009 (A < 0) a parallel diffusion coefficient was increased by ∼40%.     

Calculating the simultaneous effect of ion dynamics and oscillating electric fields on Stark profiles

We calculate hydrogen line shapes resulting from the simultaneous Stark effect of the plasma microfield and an oscillating electric field. Like laboratory plasmas, many kinds of space plasmas are affected by oscillating electric fields with a magnitude similar to that of the microfield. Here we focus on conditions where we expect that the effect of ion dynamics and oscillating electric are both significant. The combined effect of their dynamics on the quantum emitter is retained by a computer simulation coupled to a numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation. Our calculations are applied for conditions and transitions where significant changes in the line shape allow for a diagnostic of the plasma and oscillating field.     

First evidence of anisotropy of GPS phase slips caused by the mid-latitude field-aligned ionospheric irregularities

The mid-latitude field-aligned irregularity (FAI) along the magnetic field line is a common phenomenon in the ionosphere. However, few data reveal the field-aligned ionospheric irregularities. They are insufficient to identify FAIs effects so far, particularly effect on global positioning system (GPS) signals. In this paper, the mid-latitude FAIs by line-of-sight angular scanning relative to the local magnetic field vector are investigated using the denser GPS network observations in Japan. It has been the first found that total GPS L2 phase slips over Japan, during the recovery phase of the 12 Feb 2000 geomagnetic storm were caused by GPS signal scattering on FAIs both for the lines-of-sight aligned to the magnetic field line (the field of aligned scattering, FALS) and across the magnetic field line (the field of across scattering, FACS). The FALS results are also in a good agreement with the data of the magnetic field orientation control of GPS occultation observations of equatorial scintillation during thorough low earth orbit (LEO) satellites measurements, e.g. Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C (SAC-C). The role of large-angle scattering almost along the normal to the magnetic field line in GPS scintillation is determined by attenuation of the irregularity anisotropy factor as compared with the other factors.     

Earthquake induced dynamics at the ionosphere in presence of magnetic storm

The modifications induced in the dynamics of the ionosphere by the major Japan earthquake (EQ) of March 11, 2011 (epicenter at 38.322°N, 142.369°E, M = 8.9) in presence of a magnetic storm are examined by mapping latitudinal variations of F-layer ionization density (NmF2) from 22 stations covering the epicenter zone. The changes forced into the Total Electron Content (TEC) by the major EQ in the magnetic storm ambiance are also examined from the GPS data collected at Guwahati (26° 10′ N, 91° 45’ E), situated in the major fault system of East Asia. The contributions of pre-seismic electric field as well as of magnetic storm time electric field in the observed density variations are brought into the ambit of discussion. The influence of lower atmosphere in shaping TEC features during the study case is highlighted. The effects of solar activity on density variations during such complex ambiances are also addressed.     

Specific features of the high-speed plasma stream cycles

The high-speed plasma streams in the solar wind are investigated during the solar cycles nos. 20–22 (1964–1996), separately on the two types of streams according to their solar origin: the HSPS produced by coronal holes (co-rotating) and the flare-generated, in keeping with the classification made in different catalogues. The analysis is performed taking into account the following high-speed stream parameters: the durations (in days), the maximum velocities, the velocity gradients and, the importance of the streams. The time variation of these parameters and the high-speed plasma streams occurrence rate show an 11-year periodicity with some differences between the solar cycles considered. A detailed analysis of the high-speed stream 11-year cycles is made by comparison with the “standard” cycles of the sunspot relative number (Wolf number). The different behaviour of the high-speed stream parameters between even and odd solar cycles could be due to the 22-year solar magnetic cycle. The increased activity of the high-speed plasma streams on the descendant phases of the cycles, regardless of their solar sources, proves the existence of some special local conditions of the solar plasma and the magnetic field on a large scale that allow the ejection of the high energy plasma streams. This fact has led us to the analysis the stream parameters during the different phases of the solar cycles (minimum, ascendant, maximum and, descendant) as well as during the polar magnetic field reversal intervals. The differences between the phases considered are pointed out. The solar cycles 20 and 22 reveal very similar dynamics of the flare-generated and also co-rotating stream parameters during the maximum, descendant and reversal intervals. This fact could be due to their position in a Hale Cycle (the first component of the 22-year solar magnetic cycle). The 21st solar cycle dominance of all co-rotating stream parameters against the 20th and 22nd solar cycle ones, during almost all phases, could be due to the same structure of a Hale Cycle – solar cycle 21 is the second component in a 22-year SC. During the reversal intervals, all high-speed stream parameters have comparable values with the ones of the maximum phases of the cycles even if this interval contains a small part of the descendant branch (solar cycles 20 and 22).     

Possible physical properties of the flow in the vicinity of the heliopause

An interface between the fully ionized hydrogen plasma of the solar wind (SW) and the partially ionized hydrogen gas flow of the local interstellar medium (LISM) is formed as a region where there is a strong interaction between these two flows. The interface is bounded by the solar wind termination shock (TS) and the LISM bow shock (BS) and is separated on two regions by the heliopause (HP) separating the solar wind and charged component of the LISM (plasma component below). The BS is formed due to the deceleration of the supersonic LISM flow relative to the solar system. Regions of the interface between the TS and HP and between the HP and BS were in literature named as the inner and outer heliosheaths, respectively. An investigation of the structure and physical properties of the heliosheath is at present especially interested due to the fact that Voyager-1 and Voyager-2 have crossed the TS in December 2004 (Burlaga, L.F., Ness, N.F., Acuna, M.Y., et al. Crossing the termination shock into the the heliosheath. Magnetic fields. Science 309, 2027–2029, 2005; Fisk, L.A. Journey into the unknown beyond. Science 309, 2016–2017, 2005; Decker, R.B., Krimigis, S.M., Roelof, E.C., et al. Voyager 1 in the foreshock, termination shock and heliosheath. Science 309, 2020–2024, 2005; Stone, E.C., Cummings, A.C., McDonald, F.B., et al. Voyager 1 explores the termination shock region and the heliosheath beyond. Science 309, 2017–2020, 2005) and in September 2007 (Jokipii, J.R. A shock for Voyager 2. Nature 454, 38–39, 2008; Gurnett, D.A., Kurth, W.S. Intense plasma waves at and near the solar wind termination shock. Nature 454, 78–80, 2008. doi: 10.1038/nature07023; Wang, L., Lin, R.P., Larson, D.E., Luhmann, J.G. Domination of heliosheath pressure by shock-accelerated pickup ions from observations of neutral atoms. Nature 454, 81–83, 2008. doi: 10.1038/nature07068.14; Burlaga, L.F., Ness, N.F., Acuna, M.H., et al. Magnetic fields at the solar wind termination shock. Nature 454, 75–77, 2008. doi: 10.1038/nature07029; Richardson, J.D., Kasper, J.C., Wang, C., et al. Cool heliosheath plasma and deceleration of the upstream solar wind at the termination shock. Nature 454, 63–66, 2008. doi: 10.1038/nature07024; Stone, E.C., Cummings, A.C., McDonald, F.B., et al. An asymmetric solar wind termination shock. Nature 454, 71–74, 2008. doi: 10.1038/nature07022; Decker, R.B., Krimigis, S.M., Roelof, E.C., et al. Mediation of the solar wind termination shock by non-thermal ions. Nature 454, 67–70, 2008. doi: 10.1038/nature 07030), respectively, and entered to the inner heliosheath.