Steady magnetospheric convection: A review of recent results

Theoretical pressure balance arguments have implied that steady convection is hardly possible in the terrestrial magnetotail and that steady energy input necessarily generates a cyclic loading-unloading sequence, i.e., repetitive substorms. However, observations have revealed that enhanced solar wind energy input to the magnetospheric system may either lead to substorm activity or enhanced but steady convection. This topic is reviewed with emphasis on several recent case studies of the Steady Magnetospheric Convection (SMC) events. In these cases extensive data sets from both satellite and ground-based instruments from various magnetospheric and ionospheric regions were available.Accurate distinction of the spatial and temporal scales of the magnetospheric processes is vital for correct interpretation of the observations during SMC periods. We show that on the large scale, the magnetospheric configuration and plasma convection are stable during SMC events, but that both reveal considerable differences from their quiet-time assemblies. On a shorter time scale, there are numerous transient activations which are similar to those found during substorms, but which presumably originate from a more distant tail reconnection process, and map to the poleward boundary of the auroral oval. The available observations and the unresolved questions are summarized here.The tail magnetic field during SMC events resembles both substorm growth and recovery phases in the neartail and midtail, respectively, but this configuration may remain stable for up to ten hours. Based on observations and model results we discuss how the magnetospheric system avoids pressure balance problems when the plasma convects earthward.Finally, the importance of further coordinated studies of SMC events is emphasized. Such studies may shed more light on the substorm dynamics and help to verify quantitatively the theoretical models of the convecting magnetosphere.     

The Sun–Earth Connection in Time Scales from Years to Decades and Centuries

The Sun–Earth connection is studied using long-term measurements from the Sun and from the Earth. The auroral activity is shown to correlate to high accuracy with the smoothed sunspot numbers. Similarly, both geomagnetic activity and global surface temperature anomaly can be linked to cyclic changes in the solar activity. The interlinked variations in the solar magnetic activity and in the solar irradiance cause effects that can be observed both in the Earth's biosphere and in the electromagnetic environment. The long-term data sets suggest that the increase in geomagnetic activity and surface temperatures are related (at least partially) to longer-term solar variations, which probably include an increasing trend superposed with a cyclic behavior with a period of about 90 years.     

Energy requirement of magnetic reconnection during magnetospheric substorms

Methods are discussed to estimate energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere during substorm growth phases. Observational and modeling constraints are then used to assess quantitatively the total amount of energy stored in the magnetotail. The major avenues of energy dissipation are examined and the energy that is released in the form of plasma sheet heating, ionospheric Joule heating, plasmoids, and energetic particle production during substorms is assessed. Energy sources are evaluated to drive substorm evolution in a particularly well-observed case: stored tail-lobe energy is sufficient to drive observed substorm dissipation processes (by large margins). On the other hand, energy in the closed field lines of the plasma sheet is insufficient to supply the substorm energy. Hence, magnetic reconnection is required on energy grounds during well-observed substorm cases.     

How to address the accuracy of empirical magnetic field models?

Empirical magnetic field models are compared with high-altitude magnetic field measurements and results from an MHD simulation. Comparison of the T96 model and observations from GOES-8 and GOES-9 shows that if the observed solar wind and IMF parameters are used to compute the model field, the model field is more stretched than the observed field. On the other hand, if measurements made by one spacecraft are used to find the model parameters that give a best-fit field at that location, the RMS error can be reduced also at the other spacecraft four hours away in local time. Comparison of T96 model and MHD simulation results shows that the empirical models have a thinner current sheet than the MHD simulation, but that the lobe field values are quite similar to each other. Furthermore, a comparison of an event-oriented, modified T89 model and MHD simulation by Pulkkinen et al. [2000] reveals that if the empirical model is constructed by fitting to in-situ measurements, the resulting model is very similar to the MHD simulation magnetic field. These results indicate that an efficient method of utilizing the present-day empirical models is to select model parameters based on measurements from a few individual points.     

Statistical survey on sawtooth events,SMCs and isolated substorms

Solar wind driving can cause a variety of different responses in the magnetosphere. Strong and steady driving during geomagnetic storms may result in sawtooth events. Strong to moderate driving may be followed by either sawtooth events or steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) events. Lower solar wind energy input typically leads to the formation of isolated non-storm substorms. This study uses superposed epoch analysis to reveal the typical properties of these three event groups as well as their similarities and differences. We use IMF and solar wind parameters, as well as ground-based indices (AL, SYM-H, ASY-H, PCN) to examine the level of solar wind driving and its response in the magnetosphere. Our results show that sawtooth events are associated with the strongest ionospheric activity. The subgroups of events during constant solar wind _EY$E_Y$ show that the key difference between the events is the average solar wind speed. Particularly, the high activity during sawtooth events is driven by high solar wind speed, while the lowest average speed during the SMCs may explain the lack of substorm activity during the steady convection periods.     

Near Earth Current Meander (Necm) Model of Substorms

We propose that the appropriate instability to trigger a substorm is a tailward meander (in the equatorial plane) of the strong current filament that develops during the growth phase. From this single assumption follows the entire sequence of events for a substorm. The main particle acceleration mechanism in the plasma sheet is curvature drift with a dawn-dusk electric field, leading to the production of auroral arcs. Eventually the curvature becomes so high that the ions cannot negotiate the sharp turn at the field-reversal region, locally, at a certain time. The particle motion becomes chaotic, causing a local outward meander of the cross-tail current. An induction electric field is produced by Lenz's law, E ^ind=–A/t. An outward meander with B _z>0 will cause E×B flow everywhere out from the disturbance; this reaction is a macroscopic instability which we designate the electromotive instability. The response of the plasma is through charge separation and a scalar potential, E ^es=–. Both types of electric fields have components parallel to B in a realistic magnetic field. For MHD theory to hold the net E must be small; this usually seems to happen (because MHD often does hold), but not always. Part of the response is the formation of field-aligned currents producing the well-known substorm current diversion. This is a direct result of a strong E ^ind (the cause) needed to overcome the mirror force of the current carriers; this enables charge separation to produce an opposing electrostatic field E ^es (the effect). Satellite data confirm the reality of a strong E in the plasma sheet by counter-streaming of electrons and ions, and by the inverse ion time dispersion, up to several 100 keV. The electron precipitation is associated with the westward traveling surge (WTS) and the ion with omega () bands, respectively. However, with zero curl, E ^es cannot modify the emf =Edl=–d^M/dt of the inductive electric field E ^ind (a property of vector fields); the charge separation that produces a reduction of E must enhance the transverse component E . The new plasma flow becomes a switch for access to the free energy of the stressed magnetotail. On the tailward side the dusk-dawn electric field with EJ<0 will cause tailward motion of the plasma and a plasmoid may be created; it will move in the direction of least magnetic pressure, tailward. On the earthward side the enhanced dawn-dusk induction electric field with EJ>0 will cause injection into the inner plasma sheet, repeatedly observed at moderate energies of 1–50 keV. This same electric field near the emerging X-line will accelerate particles non-adiabatically to moderate energies. With high magnetic moments in a weak magnetic field, electrons (ions) can benefit from gradient and curvature drift to attain high energies (by the ratio of the magnetic field magnitude) in seconds (minutes).     

Stationary Nose Structures of Protons in the Inner Magnetosphere: Observations by the ION Instrument onboard the Interball-2 Satellite and Modeling

Nose structures are objects formed by H⁺ particles penetrating into the inner magnetosphere [1, 2]. We present the results of experimental studies and numerical modeling of the nose structures. Statistical processing of the observations of nose structures in 1997 by the ION instrument onboard the Interball-2 satellite at heights of 10000–15000 km demonstrates that the probability of formation of the nose structures under quiet magnetic conditions (with current values K _p = 0–1) in the nighttime sector of the magnetosphere is 90%. The probability of observation of the nose structures in the daytime sector equals 50% at the current value K _p = 0–1, and the correlation between the observations of nose structures and K _p can be improved (up to 75%) if the K _p index is taken 6 h before the observed events. It is shown that nose structures are a characteristic feature not only of the substorm processes but also of quasi-stationary phenomena in the quiet magnetosphere. The nose structures observed in magnetically quiet periods are called stationary nose structures in this work. By modeling drift trajectories for protons, it is shown that the stationary nose structures are formed in all sectors of the MLT. The stationary nose structures observed by the ION instrument are modeled in the night, morning, and daytime sectors of the MLT. The relation between the stationary nose structures and ion spectral gaps is considered.     

Modeling geomagnetically induced currents in Hokkaido,Japan

In this paper a model for computing geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) from local geomagnetic field observations carried out in Hokkaido, Japan is constructed. The model is composed of system parameters mapping the horizontal geoelectric field to GIC and of 1D conductivity model. A rigorous model validation is used to show that the model reproduces the observed GIC with a very good accuracy.