Topology of currents in the high-latitude magnetosphere and magnetospheric response to variations in solar wind parameters

We consider a number of new approaches that arise when the topology of currents in the high-latitude magnetosphere is investigated. We note that the high correlation between magnetospheric processes and solar wind parameters is a well-known feature of the magnetospheric dynamics. The proposed explanations of the observed dependences run into difficulties related to the high level of observed turbulence in the magnetosheath and inside the magnetosphere. The topology of the high-latitude magnetosphere in the transition region from dipole magnetic field lines to those extending into the tail is also poorly known. We consider the topology of transverse magnetospheric currents using satellite measurements of the plasma pressure distribution. The currents of the nearest plasma sheet are shown to be closed inside the magnetosphere. The generation of field-aligned currents in Iijima and Potemra region currents 1 and large-scale magnetospheric convection are discussed.     

Multiple Flux Rope Events at the High-Latitude Magnetopause: Cluster/Rapid Observation on 26 January, 2001

Cluster measurements of the cusp and high latitude magnetopause boundary on 26 January, 2001 confirm that the cusp is a dynamic region full of energetic charged particles and turbulence. An energetic ion layer at high-latitudes beyond and adjacent to the duskside magnetopause exists when the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) has a southward orientation. Multiple energetic ion flux bursts were observed in the energetic ion layer. Each energetic ion flux burst was closely related to a magnetic flux rope. The axes of the flux ropes lie in the direction pointing duskward/tailward and somewhat upward. An intense axis-aligned current flows inside the ropes, with the current density reaching ∼10⁻⁸ A/m². The main components of the energetic ions are protons, helium and CNO ions, which originate from the magnetosphere, flowing out into the magnetosheath along the axis of the flux ropes. The velocity of the magnetosheath thermal plasma relative to the deHoffman-Teller (DHT) frame is found to be basically along the axis of the flux ropes also, but towards the magnetosphere. These flux ropes seem to be produced somewhere away via magnetic reconnection and move at similar DHT velocities passing over the spacecraft. These observations further confirm that the high-latitude magnetopause boundary region plays an important role in the solar wind-magnetopause coupling.     

Exact solutions of magnetohydrodynamics for describing different structural disturbances in solar wind

We use analytical methods of magnetohydrodynamics to describe the behavior of cosmic plasma. This approach makes it possible to describe different structural fields of disturbances in solar wind: shock waves, direction discontinuities, magnetic clouds and magnetic holes, and their interaction with each other and with the Earth’s magnetosphere. We note that the wave problems of solar–terrestrial physics can be efficiently solved by the methods designed for solving classical problems of mathematical physics. We find that the generalized Riemann solution particularly simplifies the consideration of secondary waves in the magnetosheath and makes it possible to describe in detail the classical solutions of boundary value problems. We consider the appearance of a fast compression wave in the Earth’s magnetosheath, which is reflected from the magnetosphere and can nonlinearly overturn to generate a back shock wave. We propose a new mechanism for the formation of a plateau with protons of increased density and a magnetic field trough in the magnetosheath due to slow secondary shock waves. Most of our findings are confirmed by direct observations conducted on spacecrafts (WIND, ACE, Geotail, Voyager-2, SDO and others).     

MHD model of magnetosheath flow: comparison with AMPTE/IRM observations on 24 October, 1985

We compare numerical results obtained from a steady-state MHD model of solar wind flow past the terrestrial magnetosphere with documented observations made by the AMPTE/IRM spacecraft on 24 October, 1985, during an inbound crossing of the magnetosheath. Observations indicate that steady conditions prevailed during this about 4 hour-long crossing. The magnetic shear at spacecraft entry into the magnetosphere was 15°. A steady density decrease and a concomitant magnetic field pile-up were observed during the 40 min interval just preceding the magnetopause crossing. In this plasma depletion layer (1) the plasma beta dropped to values below unity; (2) the flow speed tangential to the magnetopause was enhanced; and (3) the local magnetic field and velocity vectors became increasingly more orthogonal to each other as the magnetopause was approached (Phan et al., 1994). We model parameter variations along a spacecraft orbit approximating that of AMPTE/IRM, which was at slightly southern GSE latitudes and about 1.5 h postnoon Local Time. We model the magnetopause as a tangential discontinuity, as suggested by the observations, and take as input solar wind parameters those measured by AMPTE/IRM just prior to its bow shock crossing. We find that computed field and plasma profiles across the magnetosheath and plasma depletion layer match all observations closely. Theoretical predictions on stagnation line flow near this low-shear magnetopause are confirmed by the experimental findings. Our theory does not give, and the data on this pass do not show, any localized density enhancements in the inner magnetosheath region just outside the plasma depletion layer.     

Coupling processes at the magnetopause

This review covers several aspects of magnetopause research during the two-year period from mid-1991 to mid-1993. It focusses upon three topics which received renewed attention: the structure of the steady-state magnetopause, the origin of the transient events which are superimposed upon it, and the cause of transient signatures observed by high-latitude dayside ground magnetometers. Case and statistical studies defined the relatively unknown characteristics of the magnetosheath plasma layers lying outside the magnetopause, while theoretical studies provided alternative explanations for the presence of magnetosheath plasma within the LLBL. Evidence was presented for a steady transition from magnetosheath to magnetospheric plasma parameters. Detailed studies described the plasma, energetic particle, and magnetic field characteristics of transient events in the outer dayside magnetosphere, and multipoint studies provided important new information concerning the ionospheric response to sudden changes in solar wind parameters. This review emphasizes the competing explanations which have been advanced to explain these phenomena.     

Cluster Observes the High-Altitude CUSP Region

This paper gives an overview of Cluster observations in the high-altitude cusp region of the magnetosphere. The low and mid-altitude cusps have been extensively studied previously with a number of low-altitude satellites, but only little is known about the distant part of the magnetospheric cusps. During the spring-time, the trajectory of the Cluster fleet is well placed for dayside, high-altitude magnetosphere investigations due to its highly eccentric polar orbit. Wide coverage of the region has resulted and, depending on the magnetic dipole tilt and the solar wind conditions, the spacecraft are susceptible to encounter: the plasma mantle, the high-altitude cusp, the dayside magnetosphere (i.e. dayside plasma sheet) and the distant exterior cusp diamagnetic cavity. The spacecraft either exit into the magnetosheath through the dayside magnetopause or through the exterior cusp–magnetosheath interface. This paper is based on Cluster observations made during three high-altitude passes. These were chosen because they occurred during different solar wind conditions and different inter-spacecraft separations. In addition, the dynamic nature of the cusp allowed all the aforementioned regions to be sampled with different order, duration and characteristics. The analysis deals with observations of: (1) both spatial and temporal structures at high-altitudes in the cusp and plasma mantle, (2) signatures of possible steady reconnection, flux transfer events (FTE) and plasma transfer events (PTE), (3) intermittent cold (<100 eV) plasma acceleration associated with both plasma penetration and boundary motions, (4) energetic ions (5–40 keV) in the exterior cusp diamagnetic cavity and (5) the global structure of the exterior cusp and its direct interface with the magnetosheath. The analysis is primarily focused on ion and magnetic field measurements. By use of these recent multi-spacecraft Cluster observations we illustrate the current topics under debate pertaining to the solar wind–magnetosphere interaction, for which this region is known to be of major importance.     

2001年1月26日高纬磁层顶通量管事件的观测研究

2001年1月26日11:10～11:40UT, ClusterⅡ卫星簇位于午后高纬磁鞘边界层和磁鞘区,此 时行星际磁场Bz为南向. 本文对在此期间观测到的多次磁通量管事件作了详细的研究 ,获得一系列的新发现：（1）高纬磁鞘边界层磁通量管的出现具有准周期性,周期约为78s ,比目前已知的磁层顶向阳面FTE的平均周期（8～11min）小得多. （2）这些通量管都具有 强的核心磁场;其主轴多数在磁场最小变化方向,少数在中间变化方向,有些无法用PAA判 定其方向（需要用电流管PAA确定）,这与卫星穿越通量管的相对路径有关. （3）每个事件 都存在很好的HT参考系,在HT参考系中这些通量管是准定常态结构;所有通量管都沿磁层顶 表面运动,速度方向大体相同,都来自晨侧下方. 通量管的径向尺度为1～2RE, 与通 常的FTE通量管相当. （4）起源于磁层的强能离子大体上沿着管轴方向由磁层向磁鞘运动; 起源于太阳风的热等离子体沿管轴向磁层传输. 通量管为太阳风等离子体向磁层输运和磁层 粒子向行星际空间逃逸提供了通道. （5）每个通量管事件都伴随有晨昏电场的反转,该电 场为对流电场.     

Structure of the low-latitude magnetopause: MAGION-4 observations

The aims of this paper are (1) briefly to describe the plasma devices onboard the MAGION-4 satellite, launched on 3 August 1995, of the INTER-BALL project, and (2) to discuss first observations made near the magnetopause region. During the presented boundary crossings the MAGION–4 observed quasi-periodic pulses of magnetosheath-like plasma in a region of low plasma density. This region is located just earthwards of the magnetopause and is populated by a plasma which, except for the density, has the same parameters as in the magnetosheath. Deeper in the magnetosphere, the encounter of a layer of hot electrons and high-energy ions was interpreted as low-latitude boundary layer.     

Magnetosheath Interaction with the High Latitude Magnetopause

We present both statistical and case studies of magnetosheath interaction with the high-latitude magnetopause on the basis of Interball-1 and other ISTP spacecraft data. We discuss those data along with recently published results on the topology of cusp-magnetosheath transition and the roles of nonlinear disturbances in mass and energy transfer across the high-latitude magnetopause. For sunward dipole tilts, a cusp throat is magnetically open for direct interaction with the incident flow that results in the creation of a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) over an indented magnetopause and downstream of the cusp. For antisunward tilts, the cusp throat is closed by a smooth magnetopause; demagnetized ‘plasma balls’ (with scale ∼ few R_E, an occurrence rate of ∼25% and trapped energetic particles) present a major magnetosheath plasma channel just inside the cusp. The flow interacts with the ‘plasma balls’ via reflected waves, which trigger a chaotization of up to 40% of the upstream kinetic energy. These waves propagate upstream of the TBL and initiate amplification of the existing magnetosheath waves and their cascade-like decays during downstream passage throughout the TBL. The most striking feature of the nonlinear interaction is the appearance of magnetosonic jets, accelerated up to an Alfvenic Mach number of 3. The characteristic impulsive local momentum loss is followed by decelerated Alfvenic flows and modulated by the TBL waves; momentum balance is conserved only on time scales of the Alfvenic flows (1/f_A ∼12 min). Wave trains at f_A∼1.3 mHz are capable of synchronizing interactions throughout the outer and inner boundary layers. The sonic/Alfvenic flows, bounded by current sheets, control the TBL spectral shape and result in non-Gaussian statistical characteristics of the disturbances, indicating the fluctuation intermittency. We suggest that the multi-scale TBL processes play at least a comparable role to that of macro-reconnection (remote from or in the cusp) in solar wind energy transformation and population of the magnetosphere by the magnetosheath plasma. Secondary micro-reconnection constitutes a necessary chain at the small-scale (∼ion gyroradius) edge of the TBL cascades. The thick TBL transforms the flow energy, including deceleration and heating of the flow in the open throat, ‘plasma ball’ and the region downstream of the cusp.     

2001年3月2日磁通量传输事件特性的研究

2001年3月2日11:00 至11:15 UT 期间,Cluster Ⅱ在南半球极尖区晨侧附近磁鞘内探测到3个通量传输事件（简称FTEs）. 本文利用Cluster Ⅱ星簇4颗卫星观测到的磁场和等离子体资料研究了这些通量传输事件的磁场形态和粒子特征. 并利用它们探测到的空间磁场梯度资料由安培定律直接求出星簇所在区域的电流分布. 结果指出：（1）BY占优势的行星际磁场结构在磁层顶的重联可以在极尖区附近发生;（2）FTEs通量管形成初期内外总压差和磁箍缩应力不一定平衡,达到平衡有一发展过程;（3）FTEs通量管截面在L M平面内的线度约为1.89RE;（4）FTEs通量管中等离子体主要沿轴向场方向流动,整个通量管以慢于背景等离子体的速度沿磁层顶向南向尾运动;（5）FTEs通量管中不仅有轴向电流,也存在环向电流. 轴向电流基本沿轴向磁场方向流动. 轴向和环向电流在管内均呈体分布,因而轴向电流产生的环向磁场接近管心时不断减小到零,而环向电流生成的轴向场则不断增大到极值;（6）在通量管的磁鞘部分观测到磁层能量粒子流量的增强,这表明通量管通过磁层顶将磁鞘和磁层内部连通起来了.     

Near-earth plasma formations that generate world echo signals

World echo (signals with a delay of 1–60 s), originating during decametric radiosounding of conducting regions in the Earth’s gas shell, is considered in the context of the possible presence of plasma objects, which function as delay lines with small loss and distortions, in the near-Earth space. Macro-scale irregularities with a decreased local relative density in the ionosphere, magnetosphere, and more distant regions of the near-Earth space, are considered as such lines. In this case it is assumed that decametric signals propagate orthogonally to the local electron density gradient in a macro-scale plasma formation.     

Some sources of plasma inhomogeneities in the solar wind in front of the Earth’s magnetosphere

The origination of various plasma inhomogeneities in the magnetosheath in front of the Earth’s magnetosphere is analyzed within classical magnetohydrodynamics. The effect of directional discontinuities or tangential and rotational discontinuities of the solar wind on plasma is studied. The origination of inhomogeneities of the type of secondary MHD waves in the magnetosheath is shown; the former equalize plasma parameters when restoring the stationary state. The effect of a rotational discontinuity on the bow shock–Earth’s magnetosphere system is of special interest, with distinguishing of plasma inhomogeneities of the plateau type observed in the near-Earth space.     

火星磁鞘中小尺度磁洞发生率的观测

小尺度磁洞是一种尺度通常小于质子回旋半径的磁结构,其特征是该结构内的磁场强度相对于周围环境存在一个显著的减弱.这种结构可能与能量转换和粒子加速、磁场重联和动力学尺度上的湍流密切相关.最近,小尺度磁洞在金星和火星磁鞘中被报道.利用美国航天局MAVEN(Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN)卫星4个月的观测数据,本文统计分析了火星磁鞘中的小尺度磁洞的发生率.统计结果表明,小尺度磁洞主要出现在环境磁场强度在4≤B≤12 nT,等离子体的速度在250~450 km·s^-1,密度在3≤N≤12 cm^-3范围.在这个参数范围内,小尺度磁洞在背景太阳风流速相对更快、背景磁场相对更弱的时候发生率更高,且相对集中在背景密度在6~9 cm^-3之间.此外,靠近火星磁鞘中心的小尺度磁洞的发生率要高于磁鞘两侧,这意味着火星磁鞘可能是小尺度磁洞的一个源区.

     

Density and magnetic field fluctuations observed by ISEE 1–2 in the quiet magnetosheath

We analyse the fluctuations of the electron density and of the magnetic field in the Earth’s magnetosheath to identify the waves observed below the proton gyrofrequency. We consider two quiet magnetosheath crossings i.e. 2 days characterized by small-amplitude waves, for which the solar wind dynamic pressure was low. On 2 August 1978 the spacecraft were in the outer magnetosheath. We compare the properties of the observed narrow-band waves with those of the unstable linear wave modes calculated for an homogeneous plasma with Maxwellian electron and bi-Maxwellian (anisotropic) proton and alpha particle distributions. The Alfvén ion cyclotron (AIC) mode appears to be dominant in the data, but there are also density fluctuations nearly in phase with the magnetic fluctuations parallel to the magnetic field. Such a phase relation can be explained neither by the presence of a proton or helium AIC mode nor by the presence of a fast mode in a bi-Maxwellian plasma. We invoke the presence of the helium cut-off mode which is marginally stable in a bi-Maxwellian plasma with <alpha> particles: the observed phase relation could be due to a hybrid mode (proton AIC + helium cut-off) generated by a non-Maxwellian or a non-gyrotropic part of the ion distribution functions in the upstream magnetosheath. On 2 September 1981 the properties of the fluctuations observed in the middle of the magnetosheath can be explained by pure AIC waves generated by protons which have reached a bi-Maxwellian equilibrium. For a given wave mode, the phase difference between B _\Vert and the density is sensitive to the shape of the ion and electron distribution functions: it can be a diagnosis tool for natural and simulated plasmas.     

火星磁鞘区反射拾起氧离子事件分析

火星逃逸层中性成分经光致电离、电荷交换和电子碰撞产生新生离子,新生离子随即被太阳风和火星磁鞘电磁场拾起,称为"拾起"离子.已有观测表明拾起氧离子（O+）在朝向火星沉降途中会被反射,但发生反射的空间位置和反射机制尚不十分明确.若反射离子持续进入探测器,将为我们追踪反射发生的空间位置提供重要机遇.本文将报道这样一个观测实例,2016年9月25日04：18：30—04：24：54 UT期间,火星大气和挥发物演化任务（Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN,MAVEN）运行在-E半球（对流电场E指向火星）的磁鞘区,轨道高度逐渐降低,持续观测到背离火星运动的O+（103~104 eV）束流,即正在反射的拾起O+.反射拾起O+大致可分为两部分：相空间密度较高、能量较低的部分是由磁鞘拾起O+被反射后形成;相空间密度较低、能量较高的部分则源于太阳风拾起O+发生反射后形成.我们推断反射发生在感应磁层边界附近的强磁场区域.     

The INTERBALL-Tail ELECTRON experiment: initial results on the low-latitude boundary layer of the dawn magnetosphere

The Toulouse electron spectrometer flown on the Russian project INTERBALL-Tail performs electron measurements from 10 to 26 000 eV over a 4 solid angle in a satellite rotation period. The INTERBALL-Tail probe was launched on 3 August 1995 together with a subsatellite into a 65° inclination orbit with an apogee of about 30 R_E. The INTERBALL mission also includes a polar spacecraft launched in August 1996 for correlated studies of the outer magnetosphere and of the auroral regions. We present new observations concerning the low-latitude boundary layers (LLBL) of the magnetosphere obtained near the dawn magnetic meridian. LLBL are encountered at the interface between two plasma regimes, the magnetosheath and the dayside extension of the plasma sheet. Unexpectedly, the radial extent of the region where LLBL electrons can be sporadically detected as plasma clouds can reach up to 5 R_E inside the magnetopause. The LLBL core electrons have an average energy of the order of 100 eV and are systematically field-aligned and counterstreaming. As a trend, the temperature of the LLBL electrons increases with decreasing distance to Earth. Along the satellite orbit, the apparent time of occurrence of LLBL electrons can vary from about 5 to 20 min from one pass to another. An initial first comparison between electron-and magnetic-field measurements indicates that the LLBL clouds coincide with a strong increase in the magnetic field (by up to a factor of 2). The resulting strong magnetic field gradient can explain why the plasma-sheet electron flux in the keV range is strongly depressed in LLBL occurrence regions (up to a factor of 10). We also show that LLBL electron encounters are related to field-aligned current structures and that wide LLBL correspond to northward interplanetary magnetic field. Evidence for LLBL/plasma-sheet electron leakage into the magnetosheath during southward IMF is also presented.     

Asymmetry of nonlinear interactions of solar MHD discontinuities with the bow shock

Oblique interaction between the solar fast shock wave, which is a typical nonstationary strong discontinuity in the interplanetary space, and the bow shock front upstream of an Earth-type planetary magnetosphere is studied. Attention has been paid to the qualitative and quantitative (with respect to the proton density distribution) dawn-dusk (or morning-evening) asymmetry of the discontinuities refracted into the magnetosheath, which originates in the ecliptic plane on different sides of the Sun-Earth line. The results under discussion have been corroborated experimentally by the gas-kinetic pattern of the bow-shock front and the WIND and ISEE 3 spacecraft measurements of the plasma density.     

Large-scale LF electromagnetic waves in the Earth’s magnetosheath

The model equations describing the dynamics of the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field in the dayside Earth’s magnetosheath have been studied. The large-scale flow structure near the critical point of the magnetosphere is determined in an approximation of the Chaplygin stagnation zone identified with the magnetosheath focal part. It has been indicated that magnetic gradient waves (MGWs), which represent a special branch of ULF electromagnetic oscillations of the magnetospheric resonator, can be generated in a magnetized plasma in the case when the magnetic field distribution is spatially inhomogeneous. The characteristic frequencies, periods, phase velocities, wavelengths, and amplitudes of MGW magnetic pulsations have been determined.     

Quiet-time Pc 5 pulsations in the Earth’s magnetotail: IMP-8, ISEE-1 and ISEE-3 simultaneous observations

Quasi-periodic Pc 5 pulsations have been reported inside and just outside the Earth’s magnetotail during intervals of low geomagnetic activity. In order to further define their characteristics and spatial extent, we present three case studies of simultaneous magnetic field and plasma observations by IMP-8, ISEE-1 (and ISEE-2 in one case) in the Earth’s magnetotail and ISEE-3 far upstream of the bow shock, during intervals in which the spacecraft were widely separated. In the first case study, similar pulsations are observed by IMP-8 at the dawn flank of the plasma sheet and by ISEE-1 near the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) near midnight local time. In the second case study, simultaneous pulsations are observed by IMP-8 in the dusk magnetosheath and by ISEE-1 and 2 in the dawn plasma sheet. In the third case study, simultaneous pulsations are observed in the north plasma sheet boundary layer and the south plasma sheet. We conclude that the pulsations occur simultaneously throughout much of the nightside magnetosphere and the surrounding magnetosheath, i.e. that they have a global character. Some additional findings are the following: (a) the observed pulsations are mixed mode compressional and transverse, where the compressional character is more apparent in the close vicinity of the plane Z_GSM=0; (b) the compressional pulsations of the magnetic field in the dusk magnetosheath show peaks that coincide (almost one-to-one) with similar peaks observed inside the dawn plasma sheet; (c) in the second case study the polarization sense of the magnetic field and the recurrent left-hand plasma vortices observed in the dawn plasma sheet are consistent with antisunward moving waves on the magneto-pause; (d) pulsation amplitudes are weaker in the PSBL(or lobe) as compared with those in the magneto-tail’s flanks, suggesting a decay with distance from the magnetopause; (e) the thickness of the plasma sheet (under extremely quiet conditions) is estimated to be \sim22 R_E at an average location of (X, Y)_GSM=(16, 17) R_E, whereas at midnight local time the thickness is \sim14 R_E. The detected pulsations are probably due to the pressure variations (recorded by ISEE-3) in the solar wind, and/or the Kelvin Helmholtz instability in the low-latitude boundary layer or the magnetopause due to a strongly northward IMF.     

低纬磁层边界区的可压缩性Kelvin-Helmholtz不稳定波

本文用“三层模式”探讨了低纬磁层边界区的可压缩Kelvin-Helmholtz不稳定波的特性。低纬边界层的存在降低了不稳定的阈值,几乎整个低纬边界区都是不稳定的。从内边界向磁层传输的能流和动量流都比双层模式增大,扰动磁场是椭圆偏振的。还讨论了低纬边界区该不稳定性的动力学效应及其与P_c4-5脉动的联系。