Magnetotail dipolarization fronts and particle acceleration: A review

In this paper, the particle acceleration processes around magnetotail dipolarization fronts(DFs) were reviewed. We summarize the spacecraft observations(including Cluster, THEMIS, MMS) and numerical simulations(including MHD, testparticle, hybrid, LSK, PIC) of these processes. Specifically, we(1) introduce the properties of DFs at MHD scale, ion scale, and electron scale,(2) review the properties of suprathermal electrons with particular focus on the pitch-angle distributions,(3)define the particle-acceleration process and distinguish it from the particle-heating process,(4) identify the particle-acceleration process from spacecraft measurements of energy fluxes, and(5) quantify the acceleration efficiency and compare it with other processes in the magnetosphere(e.g., magnetic reconnection and radiation-belt acceleration processes). We focus on both the acceleration of electrons and ions(including light ions and heavy ions). Regarding electron acceleration, we introduce Fermi,betatron, and non-adiabatic acceleration mechanisms;regarding ion acceleration, we present Fermi, betatron, reflection, resonance, and non-adiabatic acceleration mechanisms. We also discuss the unsolved problems and open questions relevant to this topic, and suggest directions for future studies.     

磁场偶极化过程中磁尾离子加速:Ⅱ上行离子速度和能量的变化

根据采用动力学方程对亚暴期间磁尾磁场向偶极形弛豫过程中离子分布函数的模拟结果 ,研究了磁尾来自电离层的O+,H+和He+离子的速度及能量随时间的变化 .主要结果为 :（1 ）离子的加速及能量变化主要发生在磁场偶极化过程的中期 ,对应的地心距离位于- 1 2RE到 - 8RE 之间 ;（2 ）垂直于磁场方向上离子加速及能量变化较快 ,平行方向上较慢 ;（3）轻离子较重离子加速及能量变化快 ,磁场偶极化终结 ,3种离子的能量均可增加 2 0 0倍左右 ;（4）初始能量较高时 ,离子加速及能量变化较快 ,离子最终获得的能量较大 .理论计算的磁尾离子能量在磁场偶极化过程终了可达 1 0 2 keV的量级 ,这与观测结果一致 .     

磁尾中交换不稳定性所产生偶极化锋面的动力学特性研究

本文利用考虑了Hall效应和有限Larmor半径（FLR）效应的磁流体数值模拟研究了在离子惯性长度/离子Larmor半径尺度内偶极化锋面的动力学特性.偶极化锋面由磁尾近地区域中由于热压尾向梯度和磁场曲率力不平衡所引起的交换不稳定性自洽产生.数值研究表明,偶极化锋面是切向间断,在相对该锋面结构静止的参考系中等离子体穿过偶极化锋面的法向速度为零.Hall效应主要影响与偶极化锋面的切平面相正交的电场,使得锋面切向电流增大,同时产生锋面结构不对称.研究表明离子在Larmor半径尺度产生的FLR效应可导致锋面结构的大尺度漂移运动.由FLR效应产生的离子磁化流速在偶极化锋面的日下点处指向昏向,锋面后区域的速度晨向分量增长,从而导致整个锋面结构向晨向漂移.     

Stagnant low-energy ions in the near cusp region observed by Cluster

Measuring the low-energy ions in the Earth's magnetotail lobes is difficult, because a spacecraft becomes positively charged in a sunlit and tenuous plasma environment. Recent studies have introduced a new method, making use of the positive electric potential on the Cluster spacecraft, to measure the low-energy ions(less than a few tens of electronvolts) in the polar caps/magnetotail lobes in the years 2001–2010. With the measured velocities, we are able to study the trajectories of these low-energy ions. Particle tracing has been used in previous studies, confirming that ions of ionospheric origin are the dominant contributor to the ion population in the Earth's magnetotail lobes. In this work, we continue to study the source of low-energy ions measured in the lobes. We found that not all of the low-energy ions in the lobes come directly from the ionosphere. Particle tracing infers that some of the low-energy ions start to move tailward from the cusp/near-cusp region with a zero parallel velocity. In the following, we refer to these low-energy ions as stagnant low-energy ions. On the other hand, the in situ measurements by Cluster show a population of low-energy ions in the cusp/near-cusp region with pitch angles near 90°(i.e., no significant parallel velocity).The locations of stagnant low-energy ions are determined by particle tracing and in situ measurements. Similar ion energies and spatial distributions determined by these two methods confirm the presence of the stagnant low-energy ion population.     

等离子体片中能量离子的空间分布--Cluster/RAPID观测数据分析

本文根据Cluster卫星上的粒子成像质谱仪（RAPID）探测器在穿越地球等离子体片过程中的观测数据,统计研究了等离子体片中能量离子能量密度的空间分布（氢离子能量范围从40keV到1500keV,氦离子和氧离子从10keV到1500keV）,并且给出了离子能量密度在不同地磁活动时期随GSE Z向分布的剖面.研究表明能量离子的能量密度以及能量密度的梯度与地磁活动指数Kp之间存在近似线性的关系.观测结果表明形成这种分布变化的主要原因是在地磁活动期间在电流片附近离子能量密度的增加,特别是其中的重离子成分增加更为显著.本文通过一个简化的电流片模型的数值计算,定性地研究了形成能量离子空间分布的机理.计算表明重离子在电流片中可以获得更多的能量,电流片加速可能是形成能量密度分布变化的一种可能的机制.     

Cluster探测到磁尾等离子体注入的特征

利用Cluster卫星2001～2004年磁尾运行期间RAPID仪器的数据,确定了115例磁尾等离子体注入事件,借助时序叠加法统计研究磁尾等离子体注入现象的特征.注入事件主要分布于磁地方时夜晚20时至凌晨04时.与同步轨道区观测到的粒子注入事件类似,可以将磁尾粒子注入事件分成五类：（1）只有离子注入;（2）离子先于电子注入;（3）离子和电子同时注入;（4）电子先于离子注入;（5）只有电子注入.磁尾粒子注入时,质子（能量范围0～40 keV）的温度和数密度同时显著增加,沿地球径向的传播速度也明显增大.统计分析磁尾注入期间同时观测到的晨昏对流电场,发现电场可分为两类：（A）注入后电场突然增大,电场强度为正;（B）注入后电场突然增大,电场强度为负.利用磁层磁场（T89c）和电场（Volland-Stern）模型模拟粒子注入后赤道面的电漂移速度矢量,模拟结果与统计结果基本一致,表明晨昏对流电场引起的电漂移是驱动磁尾（-18R_EE）等离子体沿地球径向注入的机制之一.     

电离层上行O+离子沿不同经度处的磁力线向磁层的传输

根据解析求解引导中心近似的动力学方程得到的离子分布函数 ,研究了不同Kp指数条件下起源于不同电离层区域的上行O⁺离子通量密度沿不同经度处的磁力线的定态分布 ,并研究了上行O⁺离子向不同磁层区域传输的特性 .主要结果为 :（ 1 ）起源于向阳面极光带外侧及更低纬区的电离层离子基本上传输到向阳面磁层区 ;起源于背阳面极光带及更低纬区的电离层离子基本上传输到背阳面磁尾等离子体片区和闭合磁力线区 ;起源于极盖区及向阳面极光带内侧的电离层离子基本上传输到等离子体幔区和磁瓣区 .（ 2 ）上行离子主要分布在近地空间 ,其通量密度相对于地心距离呈负梯度 .（ 3）地磁活动指数Kp 增高时上行离子进入磁层的概率增大 ,因而上行离子起动力学作用的地球空间范围增大 .所得结果可解释有关地顶的观测特征 ,理论估算的上行离子在磁尾的通量密度与观测结果相符合.     

垂直无碰撞激波的离子加速机制

利用一维全粒子模拟得到的垂直无碰撞激波的位形,通过试验粒子方法研究了不同初始能量粒子的激波加速机制.将与激波相互作用的离子分成反射和直接穿过两类,发现只有被激波反射的离子可被激波明显加速,其中初始能量较小的反射离子通过激波冲浪机制加速,而初始能量较大的离子通过激波漂移加速机制加速.同时激波厚度还对离子被加速过程有重要影响.     

基于CARISMA地磁台链观测的IPDP事件的统计分析

亚暴期间磁尾等离子体片离子注入内磁层能够激发电磁离子回旋(EMIC)波.对应于这种EMIC波,地面磁力仪可观测到周期逐渐减小的地磁脉动(IPDP).利用GOES卫星数据,地磁指数和加拿大CARISMA地磁台站的数据,我们研究了IPDP事件的产生与亚暴磁尾注入的关系.同时利用CARISMA地磁台链中的MCMU和MSTK两个台站,从2005年4月到2014年5月期间的观测数据,统计分析了亚暴期间的IPDP事件,研究了IPDP事件的出现率关于季节和磁地方时的分布特征.我们总共获得128个两个台站同时观测的IPDP事件.该类事件关于季节分布的发生率,冬季最小,为13.28%,春季最大,为32.81%,结果表明IPDP事件关于季节分布的发生率受到电离层电导率及亚暴发生率的影响.两个台站同时观测到的IPDP事件最大出现率出现在15—18 MLT(磁地方时),结果表明IPDP事件主要由亚暴期间产生的能量离子注入内磁层,西向漂移遇到等离子体层羽状结构(Plume)区的高密度等离子体所激发.     

磁场偶极化过程中磁尾的电离层离子加速:Ⅰ离子分布函数的演化

采用动力学方程,对亚暴期间磁尾磁场向偶极形弛豫过程中离子分布函数的演化进行了模拟研究,主要结果为：（１）初始时刻分布函数为相对于速度呈指数下降的离子束,在随时间变化过程中,逐渐变为相对于速度（包括平行和垂直速度）的单峰结构,且单峰在速度空间的位置随时间的变化而向高速方向移动;（２）在速度空间中平行于磁场方向上单峰向高速方向移动得较慢,在垂直方向上移动得较快;（３）轻离子分布函数峰值的位置较重离子随时间的变化向高速方向移动较快。（４）初始能量较高时,离子分布函数的单峰位置向高速方向移动较快。（５）离子团在磁场偶极化过程中表现为一束地向流．本文还对上行离子受感应电场的加速进行了讨论．     

高能电子爆发与绕月卫星表面电位大幅下降的联动效应

"嫦娥"一号、二号绕月飞行经历地球磁尾边界层区域时,分别在2007年11月26日—2008年2月5日和2010年10月3日—2011年2月28日,发现了15次月球轨道0.1~2 MeV电子急剧增加(Bursts of 0.1~2 MeV Energetic Electrons,BEE),卫星周围等离子体离子加速的现象.统计研究表明,这类现象发生在稳定太阳风和弱行星际磁场条件下,且无显著空间环境扰动事件发生时,离子的加速滞后于高能电子爆发,离子能量的变化与高能电子通量的时间演化正相关,地球磁鞘内侧或边界层过渡区域是该类现象的高发区,离子能量增加时卫星表面电位大幅下降可达负几千伏.为了研究高能电子爆发与绕月卫星表面电位变化的关系及其对月球表面电位的影响,本文用电流平衡法建立绕月卫星和月球表面充电模型,并假设能量电子(2eV~2 MeV)满足幂律谱的分布,模拟急剧增加的能量电子对卫星和月球表面电位的影响.模拟结果表明,能量电子急剧增加使得绕月卫星和月球表面电位大幅下降;能量电子总流量1011 cm-2时,绕月卫星和月球表面充电电位可达负上千伏;月球充电到大的负电位的时间仅为卫星充电时间的1/10.鉴于高能电子急剧增加事件的高发生率(~125次/年),能量电子急剧增加使得绕月卫星表面电位大幅下降的发生率应大于实测等离子体离子加速现象的发生率(~25次/年).     

晨昏起伏电场对中性片离子的随机加热

本文从哈密顿原理出发,讨论磁尾中性片中粒子受晨昏起伏电场的影响问题,并把它归结于讨论标准映射的性质.中性片本身是非线性系统,外加起伏场会导致其进入混沌状态.本文计算了进入该状态的临界电场E_c以及不同E下的粒子轨迹.计算表明,观测到的晨昏电场可以使离子进入混沌状态,但远小于电子的临界场值.这样离子运动是随机的,电子运动是规则的.仅对离子的随机加热可能是导致中性片中离子温度高于电子温度的原因.     

伴随着高速流的磁尾电流片拍动观测研究

磁尾电流片在磁尾动力学过程中起着重要作用.卫星观测表明磁尾电流片经常处于拍动状态.但磁尾电流片拍动的特性和产生机制至今仍然没有被完全弄清楚.本文主要利用欧洲空间局Cluster卫星数据,研究一个伴随高速离子流的电流片拍动事件.该电流片拍动事件具有很强的周期性.拍动的周期约是2min,磁场振荡幅度约为20nT.能量电子和离子的通量具有周期性增强和减弱的特征.电流密度X和Y分量也具有周期性的振荡,并且振荡周期与磁场振荡周期一致.通过对粒子流速矢量与电流矢量的分析,发现粒子运动具有涡旋的特征.因此可以推断,该磁尾电流片的拍动不是由磁尾等离子体片高速流产生的,而是与局地等离子体不稳定性有关.     

亚暴事件中磁尾多重等离子体团的数值研究（Ⅰ）

GEOTAIL卫星于1994年1月15日亚暴期间，在深磁尾（x＝96R_E）观测到多重等离子体团及与之相对应的高能离子爆，作者以宁静磁尾平衡位形为初态，考虑介质的可压缩性，数值研究亚暴期间磁尾动力学过程．计算结果展现了等离子体团间歇性形成及其运动发展过程．体现了强亚暴事件中储存于碰尾的能量，通过多重等离子体团的排放而逐渐释放的进程．数值结果还表明：持续施加于边界上的晨昏电场及由此引发的驱动重联是导致等离子体团准周期形成的主要因素．此外，作者还考察尾瓣内任一点磁场强度及其分量随时间的演化，它与行进压缩区（TCRs）的观测特征基本相符．     

Dynamics of the ring current–magnetotail currents relationships during geomagnetic storms of different intensity

The results of studying the intensity of fluxes of 30–80 keV ions from the data of measurements of the NOAA (POES) sun-synchronous satellites during geomagnetic storms of different intensity are presented. For 15 geomagnetic storms with |Dst|_max from ~37 to ~422 nT, the storm-time maximum ion fluxes in the near-equatorial region (trapped particles) and at high latitudes (precipitating particles) have been considered. It is shown that the maximum fluxes of trapped particles, which are considered a ring-current proxy, increase with the storm power. In this case, if a smooth growth of fluxes is recorded for storms with |Dst|_max < 250 nT in the near-equatorial region, a significantly steeper growth of fluxes of trapped particles is observed when storm power increases during storms with |Dst|_max > 250 nT. This may be evidence of both an increasing of the contribution of the ring current relative to magnetotail currents to the development of high-intensity storms and to a nonlinear link between the ring current and ion fluxes at low altitudes in the near-equatorial region. Despite large variations in fluxes of precipitating particles in the polar region above the boundary of isotropization, a decreasing tendency, as a whole, in fluxes of these particles is observed with increasing the storm intensity. This is the evidence of the effect of saturation of magnetotail currents and of an increase in the relative role of the ring current during strong magnetic storms.     

Accelerated ions observed in the plasma sheet boundary layer: Beams or streams?

We present an analysis of two crossings of the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) in Earth’s magnetotail by a quartet of Cluster satellites, accomplished both in the absolutely quiet geomagnetic interval and in the restoration period between two substorms. It is found that in the quiet period, field-aligned electric currents were not observed in the PSBL, in spite of presence in this region of high-velocity ions moving toward Earth along the magnetic field lines at velocities of ∼1400 km/s. This means that in the given event, ions and electrons moved together; i.e., high-velocity ions were a part of the accelerated plasma flow. In the disturbed period, the Cluster satellites detected a system of two oppositely directed field-aligned currents, which can be associated with the presence of the X line rather close to the Earth. Owing to multipoint Cluster observations, we managed to estimate the spatial size of a current structure (along the normal to the PSBL surface), which was equal, for a current flowing toward Earth along the high-latitude PSBL boundary, to about 1600 km, which is comparable with the value of the inertial radius of ions. This agrees with the scenario of spatial separation of charges and formation of the Hall system of currents in the magnetic reconnection region. The duration of observation of the given current structure was ∼12 min., which points to the quasi-steady-state character of reconnection.     

Origin of energetic ions in the polar cusp inferred from ion composition measurements by the Viking satellite

The magnetospheric ion composition spectrometer MICS on the Swedish Viking satellite provided measurements of the ion composition in the energy range 10.1 keV/e\leqE/Q\leq326.0 keV/e. Data obtained during orbit 842 were used to investigate the ion distribution in the northern polar cusp and its vicinity. The satellite traversed the outer ring current, boundary region, cusp proper and plasma mantle during its poleward movement. H⁺ and He⁺⁺ ions were encountered in all of these regions. He⁺ ions were present only in the ring current. The number of O⁺ and O⁺⁺ ions was very small. Heavy high-charge state ions typical for the solar wind were observed for the first time, most of them in the poleward part of the boundary region and in the cusp proper. The H⁺ ions exhibited two periods with high intensities. One of them, called the BR/CP event, appeared at energies up to 50 keV. It started at the equatorward limit of the boundary region and continued into the cusp proper. Energy spectra indicate a ring current origin for the BR/CP event. Pitch angle distributions show downward streaming of H⁺ ions at its equatorward limit and upward streaming on the poleward side. This event is interpreted as the result of pitch angle scattering of ring current ions by fluctuations in the magnetopause current layer in combination with poleward convection. The other of the two periods with high H⁺ ion intensities, called the accelerated ion event, was superimposed on the BR/CP event. It was restricted to energies \leq15 keV and occurred in the poleward part of the boundary region. This event is regarded as the high-energy tail of magnetosheath ions that were accelerated while penetrating into the magnetosphere. The cusp region thus contains ions of magnetospheric as well as of magnetosheath origin. The appearance of the ions depends, in addition to the ion source, on the magnetic field configuration and dynamic processes inside and close to the cusp.     

TC-1卫星在近地磁尾观测到的持续尾向流、等离子体片变薄和偶极化过程

2004年7月14日TC-1卫星在近地磁尾(-9.3Re,-5.4Re,1.2Re)附近观测到了伴随有持续尾向流的等离体片变薄和偶极化过程.尾向流持续时间为32分钟.偶极化过程中磁场By分量没有明显变化.在偶极化过程发生两分钟之后,地面台站观测到的Pi2脉动.ACE卫星的观测表明行星际磁场有弱的南向行星际磁场（-2nT）,持续时间约55分钟.Imagine卫星在电离层区域没有观测到极光出现.和伴随有极光增亮的亚暴过程相比,南向行星际磁场明显较弱,且持续时间短.TC-1卫星和ACE卫星的联合观测表明尾部释能有大有小,并非达到某值才能发生.但能量小时,不能够引起极光亚暴.其次南向行星际磁场有可能与近地磁尾尾向流有密切关系.     

The effects of IMF and convection on thermal ion outflow in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling

We study the influence of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and convection electric field on the rate and destination of polar wind and other thermal (low-energy) ion outflows, and its resulting effects on magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling, using single-particle trajectory simulations in conjunction with ion velocity distribution measurements on Akebono and IMF and ionospheric convection data. We find that the ions preferentially feed the dusk sector of the plasma sheet when the IMF is duskward (B_y>0), and are more evenly distributed in the plasma sheet when the IMF is dawnward. The flow of oxygen ions originating from the noon or dusk sectors of the polar cap has a higher probability of reaching the magnetosphere and beyond compared with that from the dawn or midnight sectors, due to the increased centrifugal acceleration associated with the larger magnetic field curvature near noon and the increased convection electric field in the dusk sector. The flow is enhanced and confined to lower L-shells at times of strongly southward IMF, compared with that at times of northward IMF. The outflow rate to both the plasma sheet and the magnetotail correlates strongly with the ion temperature. As a result, the IMF and the convection electric fields affect both the overall magnitude and the detailed distribution of mass transfer from the ionosphere to the magnetosphere in magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling.     

Complexity,magnetic field topology,criticality, and metastability in magnetotail dynamics

Recently, it has been shown that certain features of magnetotail dynamics in response to solar wind changes may resemble the behavior of a complex system near a dynamical critical state (Chang, Phys. Plasmas 6 (1999) 4137; Consolini and Chang, Space Sci. Rev. 95 (2001) 309), and of topological phase transitions (Chang, Phys. Scr. (2001), 80). Moreover, the impulsive part of the magnetotail response seems to be well described by cellular automata and other simulation models displaying criticality.Here, the relevance of the magnetic field topological disorder will be discussed in connection with observed complexity and near-criticality, showing how the impulsive character of the magnetotail response could be viewed as fluctuation-induced topological transitions among metastable configurations of magnetic field topology.