Bursts of geomagnetic pulsations in the frequency range 0.2-5 Hz excited by large changes of the solar wind pressure

We present the results of studying the magnetospheres’s response to sharp changes of the solar wind flow (pressure) based on observations of variations of the ions flux of the solar wind onboard the Inreball-1 satellite and of geomagnetic pulsations (the data of two mid-latitude observatories and one auroral observatory are used). It is demonstrated that, when changes of flow runs into the magnetosphere, in some cases short (duration ~ < 5 min) bursts of geomagnetic pulsations are excited in the frequency range Δf~ 0.2–5 Hz. The bursts of two types are observed: noise bursts without frequency changes and wide-band ones with changing frequency during the burst. A comparison is made of various properties of these bursts generated by pressure changes at constant velocity of the solar wind and by pressure changes on the fronts of interplanetary shock waves at different directions of the vertical component of the interplanetary magnetic field.     

Statistical study of interplanetary condition effect on geomagnetic storms

Based on the archive OMNI data for the period 1976–2000 an analysis has been made of 798 geomagnetic storms with D _st < −50 nT and their interplanetary sources-large-scale types of the solar wind: CIR (145 magnetic storms), Sheath (96), magnetic clouds MC (62), and Ejecta (161). The remaining 334 magnetic storms have no well-defined sources. For the analysis, we applied the double method of superposed epoch analysis in which the instants of the magnetic storm beginning and minimum of D _st index are taken as reference times. The well-known fact that, independent of the interplanetary source type, the magnetic storm begins in 1–2 h after a southward turn of the IMF (B _z < 0) and both the end of the main phase of a storm and the beginning of its recovery phase are observed in 1–2 h after disappearance of the southward component of the IMF is confirmed. Also confirmed is the result obtained previously that the most efficient generation of magnetic storms is observed for Sheath before MC. On the average parameters B _z and E _y slightly vary between the beginning and end of the main phase of storms (minimum of D _st and D _st ^* indices), while D _st and D _st ^* indices decrease monotonically proportionally to integral of B _z and E _y over time. Such a behavior of the indices indicates that the used double method of superposed epoch analysis can be successfully applied in order to study dynamics of the parameters on the main phase of magnetic storms having different duration.     

Effect of large and sharp changes of solar wind dynamic pressure on the earths’s magnetosphere: analysis of several events

The magnetosphere and ionosphere response to arrival of large changes of the solar wind dynamic pressure with sharp fronts to the Earth is considered. It is shown that, under an effect of an impulse of solar wind pressure, the magnetic field at a geosynchronous orbit changes: it grows with increasing solar wind pressure and decreases, when the solar wind pressure drops. Energetic particle fluxes also change: on the dayside of the magnetosphere the fluxes grow with arrival of an impulse of solar wind dynamic pressure, and on the nightside the response of energetic particle fluxes depends on the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) direction. Under the condition of negative Bz-component of the IMF on the nightside of the magnetosphere, injections of energetic electron fluxes can be observed. It is shown, that large and fast increase of solar wind pressure, accompanied by a weakly negative Bz-component of the IMF, can result in particless’ precipitation on the dayside of the auroral oval, and in the development of a pseudobreakup or substorm on the nightside of the oval. The auroral oval dynamics shows that after passage of an impulse of solar wind dynamic pressure the auroral activity weakens. In other words, the impulse of solar wind pressure in the presence of weakly negative IMF can not only cause the pseudobreakup/substorm development, but control this development as well.     

Concentration of ions in the topside ionosphere as measured onboard the <Emphasis Type=Italic>DEMETER</Emphasis> satellite: Morphology and dependence on solar and geomagnetic activity

Variations in concentration of ions H⁺, He⁺, and O⁺ are studied at a height of about 700 km using the data of continuous observations onboard the DEMETER satellite at the decline and in the minimum of solar activity from 2004 to 2008. Latitudinal distributions, seasonal behavior, and irregular variations in ion concentrations and their dependence on solar and geomagnetic activity are considered. Within this altitude range, for the first time an analysis is performed of the dataset of many-year continuous observations in both hemispheres from the equatorial to subauroral latitudes. This made it possible to describe the seasonal and irregular variations of the concentrations of main ion species with better time and spatial resolution than in the available empirical models. The dependence of concentrations of three types of ions on solar and geomagnetic activity is studied at time scales from several days to several years, and it is shown that the anti-phase change in concentrations of O⁺ and light ions known from publications is partly a result of mutual dependence of solar and geomagnetic activity and is observed only at time scales beginning from several months. At time scales from several days to several weeks, variations in the concentration of O⁺ and light ions are governed mainly by solar and geomagnetic activity, respectively.     

Observations of auroral kilometric radio emission on the <Emphasis Type=Italic>Interball-1</Emphasis> satellite in the active Sun period 1999–2000

Results of almost two years (January 1999–October 2000) of continuous observations of auroral kilometric radio emission with the instrument AKR-X onboard the high-apogee satellite of the Earth Interball-1 are presented. The observations were conducted at the growth stage (in 1999) and in the maximum (2000) of solar activity within the 100–1500 kHz frequency band. The results of AKR detection in the vicinity of the maximum of its spectrum at a frequency of 252 kHz are presented. Both similarity (for example, the character of global directivity) and important differences from the AKR emission observed during the solar activity minimum [5] are found. Together with very high sporadicity, strong seasonal changes in the intensity are typical for the emission. It is completely absent in the spring-summer period in the Northern Hemisphere and is strongly suppressed in this period in the Southern Hemisphere. Probable nature of these features of AKR is discussed.     

Measurements of Energy of Cosmic-Ray Nuclei by Specific Energy Release at the Hadron Cascade Maximum

A method of measuring the particle energy in the range higher than 1 TeV based on detection of the maximum specific energy release in hadron cascades that develop in dense media is proposed and studied. This method makes it possible to improve the accuracy of energy measurements carried out with partial-absorption ionization calorimeters in the high-altitude studies of energy spectra of high-energy cosmic rays. The attainable accuracies of energy measurements are considered for light, intermediate, and heavy nuclei in iron and lead absorbers. The results of modeling are compared with the data of an experiment onboard the Kosmos-1713 satellite.     

A Method of Measuring Hydrogen Isotopes in Surface Layers of Planetary Soils by Spectroscopy of Recoil Protons in Alpha Particle Elastic Scattering

A theoretical and experimental feasibility study of possible determination of the hydrogen and deuterium concentrations in the surface layers of planetary bodies is presented. The method under study is the recoil proton and deuteron spectrometry of forward scattering in the course of elastic interaction of alpha particles with the nuclei of hydrogen isotopes. The spectra of recoil protons and deuterons were recorded using a prototype model of a hydrogen spectrometer, and these spectra were used to determine the hydrogen concentrations in the samples of different compositions.     

A Study of a Possible Method of Observing Solar Eclipses from Satellite Orbits

We study a possibility of observing the eclipses of the Sun by the Moon from satellite orbits. The scientific tasks planned to be solved onboard satellites are considered. The requirements for the observation of eclipses and for the appropriate satellite trajectories are formulated. A technique of the analysis and synthesis of such trajectories is developed, and some results of preliminary ballistic studies are presented. These results confirm the efficiency of observing the eclipses onboard satellites.     

INTERBALL-1 Observations of the Kilometric “Continuum” of the Earth's Magnetosphere

The electromagnetic radio-frequency emission of the inner region of the Earth's plasmasphere discovered recently by the GEOTAIL satellite [4] and referred to as the kilometric continuum was observed by the INTERBALL-1 satellite (1995–2000) in the 100–500 kHz band in the AKR-X experiment. During a period of low solar activity (1995–1997), this continuum was found leaving the inner plasmasphere at geocentric distances of 2–4R _E as isolated pencil-like (1°–6°) beams located in the magnetic equator plane. During a time of high solar activity (1999–2000), the occurrence of the emission was extremely rare (it was observed only at a considerable fall of this activity). If detected, at the same geocentric distances (2–4R _E) the continuum demonstrated a strongly variable and perturbed character, as well as a considerably larger extension of the beam over the geomagnetic latitude (10°–20° and more). In addition, quasi-periodic (QP) signals, similar to the observed QP emissions of Jupiter, were sometimes detected in this period. The probable nature of the observed features of the kilometric continuum is briefly discussed.     

Infrared spectroscopic characterization of organic matter associated with microbial bioalteration textures in basaltic glass

Microorganisms have been found to etch volcanic glass within volcaniclastic deposits from the Ontong Java Plateau, creating micron-sized tunnels and pits. The fossil record of such bioalteration textures is interpreted to extend back ～3.5 billion years to include meta-volcanic glass from ophiolites and Precambrian greenstone belts. Bioalteration features within glass clasts from Leg 192 of the Ocean Drilling Program were investigated through optical microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of petrographic thin sections. Extended depth of focus optical microscopic imaging was used to identify bioalteration tubules within the samples and later combined with FTIR spectroscopy to study the organic molecules present within tubule clusters. The tubule-rich areas are characterized by absorption bands indicative of aliphatic hydrocarbons, amides, esters, and carboxylic groups. FTIR analysis of the tubule-free areas in the cores of glass clasts indicated that they were free of organics. This study further constrains the nature of the carbon compounds preserved within the tubules and supports previous studies that suggest the tubules formed through microbial activity.