On the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of structured plasma layers in the magnetosphere

The hydromagnetic Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability problem is studied for a three-layered system analytically by arriving at the marginal instability condition. As the magnetic field directions are taken to vary in the three regions, both the angle and finite thickness effects are seen on the instability criterion. When the relative flow speed of the plasmas on the two sides of the interfaces separating the inner and the surrounding layers is U < U_c, where U_c is the critical speed, the system is stable both for symmetric and asymmetric perturbations. However, unlike the case of the interface bounded by two semiinfinite media, U_c is no longer the minimum critical speed above which the system will be unstable for all wavenumbers; another critical speed U^* > U_c is introduced due to the finiteness of the system. When U_c < U < U^*, the instability can set in either through the symmetric or asymmetric mode, depending on the ratio of the plasma parameters and angle between the magnetic field directions across the boundaries. The instability arises for a finite range of wavenumbers, thus giving rise to the upper and lower cut-off frequencies for the spectra of hydromagnetic surface waves generated by the K-H instability mechanism. When U > U^*, both the modes are unstable for short wavelengths. The results are finally used to explain some observational features of the dependence of hydromagnetic energy spectra in the magnetosphere on the interplanetary parameters.     

On the role of the motion of the photospheric footpoints of the magnetic field lines

By means of a simple relation between the velocity v of the fluid particle and the velocity v_f of the photospheric footpoint of the magnetic field line v_z and B_z being respectively the components of v and the magnetic field B normal to the photospheric surface, it is shown formally that through the phtospheric surface the transport of all the quantities attributed to the magnetic field, such as the magnetic flux, the magnetic energy and the helicity, is independent of v_z, and v_f is the only kinematical quantity on which the transport depends. In addition, in the neighborhood of the neutral line the velocity v_l of the moving curve of constant B_z is found to be equal approximately to the component of v or v_f in the direction of v_l. Since v_l can be measured or extimated, so can the components of v and v_f near the neutral line.     

Kp index correlations with solar-wind parameters during the first and second stages of a recurrent geomagnetic storm

The dependence of geomagnetic activity during a recurrent magnetic storm on the solar-wind magnetic field and plasma parameters has been studied. According to variations of solar-wind magnetic field strength B, a recurrent magnetic storm is divided into two stages: the first proceeding during the peak of B, and the second proceeding after the return of B to quiet level. The K_p index vs solar-wind parameters scattering diagrams for stages I and II differ significantly. In particular, the random scattering for stage I is much larger than for stage II. It was found that for stage I the K_p index correlates with B, with the sign and value of northsouth field component B_z and with the magnitude ΔB of field fluctuations, the situation being similar to that during sporadic magnetic storms, though the scale of the event is smaller. For stage II, the K_p index does not correlate with B, but strongly correlates with ΔB and weaker—with B_z. So geomagnetic activity at stage II is supported mainly by solar-wind magnetic field fluctuations. The dependence of the K_p index on plasma parameters (concentration of protons n, bulk velocity v and temperature T) is weak for both stages.     

Coupling modes of hydromagnetic oscillations in non-uniform, finite pressure plasmas: Two-fluids model

Within a framework of the two-fluids approximation, basic modes constituting hydromagnetic coupling oscillations in non-uniform, finite-β plasmas are examined. It is shown that the oscillations consist of a coupling between a localized mode and a propagating one, and a strong peak appears at a resonance point. In the case of isothermal plasma (T_e = T_i), there are two localized modes, the Alfvén (or drift Alfvén) and the ion drift modes, and a propagating mode being known as the fast magnetosonic wave. Coupling oscillations associated with the Alfvén mode exhibit a nearly incompressible character, whereas those with the ion drift mode are compressional and diamagnetic. Furthermore, the slow magnetosonic wave also couples with the localized mode in the case of T_e > T_i. Based on characteristics of these oscillations, the origin of geomagnetic pulsations is discussed in connection with the distribution of plasma parameters in the outer magnetosphere.     

Theory of instantaneous triple-probe method for direct-display of plasma parameters in a low density flowing collisionless plasma

An exact theory is developed for a triple-probe in an orbit-motion-limited flowing collisionless plasma, i.e. when the charged particle mean free path ? Debye length ? probe radius, and the electron thermal velocity ? probe speed ? ion thermal velocity. Formulae for determining electron temperature and electron density are given for both spherical and cylindrical probes. Analytical results show that the effect of ion temperature on measurements of plasma parameters is small when the probe speed is large.     

On the joint robust estimation of parameters and variance

A method of joint estimation of the parameters and the variance σ² in the linear model is presented in this paper. The M-estimators with finite rejection points are adopted for estimating the parameters. In order to estimate the variance σ², the Grubbs statistics and the Kurtosis test statistics are adopted to test the residual sequence {;r_i};. And the sample variance of {;r_i}; after discarding the outliers is taken as the estimation of σ². This method of estimating σ² is less computational demanding and more accurate, compared with the well-known method which takes 1.483 med_i |r_i| as the estimation of σ. The breakdown point of the above estimation of σ² is more than 20%, while the brekdown point is less than 10%, if only the Grubbs statistics is used.     

Deactivation of N2A Σumolecules in the aurora

Recent rocket observations of the N₂ V-K (Vegard-Kaplan) system in the aurora have been reinterpreted using an atmospheric model based on mass spectrometer measurements in an aurora of similar intensity at the same time of year. In contrast to the original interpretation, we find that population by cascade from the C³Π_u and B³Π_g states in the A³Σ_u⁺v=0,1 levels, as calculated using recently measured electron excitation cross sections, accurately accounts for the observed relative emission rates (IV-K/12PG_0.0). In addition there is no need to change the production rate of A ³ Σ _u⁺ molecules relative to that of C³Π_uv=0 as a function of altitude in order to fit the profile of the deactivation probability to the atmospheric model. Quenching of A ³ Σ _u⁺ molecules at high altitudes is dominated by atomic oxygen. The rate constants for the v=0 and v=1 levels are 8 × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ sec⁻¹ and 1.7 × 10⁻¹⁰ cm³ sec⁻¹ respectively, as determined using the model atmosphere mentioned above. Recent observations with a helium cooled mass spectrometer suggest that conventional mass spectrometer measurements tend to underestimate the atomic oxygen relative concentration. The rate coefficients may therefore be too large by as much as a factor of 3. Below 130 Km we find that it is possible to account for the deactivation in bright auroras by invoking large nitric oxide concentrations, similar to those recently observed mass spectrometrically and using a rate constant of 8 × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ sec⁻¹ for both the v=1 levels. This rate constant is very nearly the same as that measured in the laboratory (7 × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ sec⁻¹). Molecular oxygen appears not to play a significant role in deactivating the lower A ³ Σ _u⁺ levels.     

Radial velocity observations and physical activities of the contact binary system SW lacertae

We present our 1984 radial velocity observations of the W UNa system SW Lac. These give a new spectroscopic mass ratio q_sp = 1.255 ±0.011. A joint solution of the velocity and light curves give the following revised absolute parameters: M₁ = 0.78 M, M₂ = 0.96M, R₁ = 0.91R, and R₂ = 1.00 R. Based on our new results, together with a detailed review of the period changes, probable mass transfer, mass loss, spot activity and other physical properties of SW Lac are discussed.     

Constraints on majoron models, neutrino masses and baryogenesis

We derive strong constraints on the Yukawa couplings and the vacuum expectation value in the singlet majoron model. The presence of a small gravitationally induced mass for the majoron can be used to set a constraint on its vacuum expectation value. If the singlet symmetry breaking scale is larger than the electroweak symmetry breaking scale, lepton number violating interactions in equilibrium with electroweak sphaleron interactions would destroy any prior baryon asymmetry. If the baryon asymmetry is not generated at the electroweak scale or later, strong bounds on the Yukawa couplings h 10⁻⁷ and VEVs v_s < v_EW are derived. We also carefully rederive baryogenesis bounds on neutrino masses, finding that in general they apply not to the masses themselves, but only to related parameters, and they are numerically somewhat less stringent than has previously been claimed.     

Whistler wave propagation in magnetospheric ducts (in the equatorial region)

An analytical theory of whistler wave propagation in axially symmetric field-aligned density ducts is developed. Both enhancements and rarefactions of the density (crests and troughs) are considered. Simple equations giving the dependence of the number of modes n upon the angular frequency ω are derived. From these results it follows that in density crests n decreases when ω approaches ω_c/2 for ω < ω_c/2. The limiting frequency of the wave trapping is calculated. An analytical investigation of wave attenuation in a density crest due to wave leakage is presented. An analysis of the whistler modes in density troughs for ω < ω_c/2, ω > ω_c/2, and ω → ω_c/2 shows that the number of modes is of the same order of magnitude in these three cases.     

440 keV proton precipitation at middle latitudes during the recovery phase of magnetic storms

Quasitrapped (H_min < 100 km) protons with energies E > 440 keV have been detected during magnetic storms by the IK-5 satellite in a narrow zone with a center at L = 3.0−3.2; this zone is well separated from the region of Isotropie fluxes at L > 4. Data for five moderate storms have been analysed in detail. It was found that the quasitrapped proton peaks appear during the recovery phase of magnetic storms and that the scattering of protons toward low mirror points takes place in all local time sectors. The relation between the observed precipitation of the E > 440 keV protons and the intraplasmaspheric precipitation of low-energy protons has been discussed in the light of the theory of generation of ion-cyclotron waves by the ring current and the theory of parasitic interaction of these waves with the radiation belt protons. A series of arguments indicates that the phenomenon under study is connected with the magnetopheric process which generates the SAR arcs.     

Nature of solar-cycle and heliomagnetic-polarity dependence of cosmic rays, inferred from their correlation with heliomagnetic spherical surface harmonics in the period 1976–1985

Correlation of cosmic-ray intensity (I) with the solar magnetic field expanded into the spherical surface harmonics, B_ns(n 9), by Hoeksema and Scherrer has been studied using the following regression equation:

, where are subgroups of B_ns classified in ascending order of n, and τ_i is the time lag of I behind correlation coefficient between the observed and simulated intensities (I_obs, I_sml) in the period 1976–1985 is 0.87 and considerably better than that derived from any single index of solar activity. The lag time τ₃ is greater than others, indicating that the higher order magnetic disturbances effective to the cosmic-ray modulation have a longer lifetime in space than the lower order disturbances. The rigidity spectrum of the cosmic-ray intensity variation responsible for A_I due to the dipole moment is harder than those for others (A₂,A₃), indicating that the lowest order (i.e. largest scale) magnetic disturbances can modulate cosmic rays more effectively than the higher order disturbances. As another result of the present analysis, it has been found that the intensity depends also on the polarity of the polar magnetic field of the Sun; the residual (I_obs−I_sml) of the simulation changes its sign from positive to negative with a time lag (0–5 Carrington rotation periods) behind the directional change of the solar magnetic dipole moment from northward to southward, and has a softer rigidity spectrum than A_iS. The dependence is consistent with the result having been obtained in the previous period, 1936–1976, by one (K.N.) of the present authors. The polarity dependence can be found also in the 22-year variation of the time lags obtained every solar cycle in the period 1936–1985. The theoretical interpretation of these polarity dependences is discussed on the basis of the diffusion-convection-drift model.     

Statistics of structure and rotation parameters of disk galaxies

Through an analysis of the optical and radio rotation curves of 57 galaxies, the following conclusions are drawn. 1) As we go from early-type to late-type along the Hubble sequence, dynamical quantities characterizing the structure and rotation show systematic variations. The bulge-to-disk mass-ratio decreases, the peak velocity V_m decreases, the period at the peak-velocity-point P_m increases, the peak-velocity-radius r_m shifts outward relative to the optical Holmberg radius r_H, the spiral arms become more loosely-wound and the galaxy flattens. 2) Within a given morphological type, the dispersion in each of the dynamical quantities is related to the mass, the more massive galaxies have larger V_m and r_m and small k (= V_m²/r_m) and β (= r_H/r_m.3) another important factor in influencing the dynamical state of a galaxy and, within a morphological type, the tidal galaxies have greater k and β and smaller r_m.     

Tripolar vortex in plasma flow

Strongly nonlinear processes in a two-component plasma with sheared flow, in the low-frequency limit, in comparison with the ion gyro frequency Ω_i, and for perturbations propagating perpendicularly to the ambient magnetic field are studied. In the linear domain such a system is prone to the development of instability of the Kelvin–Helmholtz type. In the nonlinear regime this instability can saturate into stationary travelling solutions of the form of vortex chains and tripolar vortices, which are found in this paper.     

Charged boson stars and vacuum instabilities

We consider charged boson stars and study their effect on the structure of the vacuum. For very compact particle like “stars”, with constituent mass m_* close to the Planck mass m_Pl, i.e. m²_* = O(m²_Pl), we argue that there is electric charge Z_c, which, primarily, is due to the formation of a pion condensate (Z_c 0.5⁻¹e, where is the fine structure constant and e is the electric charge of the positron). If the charge of the “star” is larger than Z_c we find numerical evidence for a complete screening indicating a limiting charge for a very compact object. There is also a less efficient competing charge screening mechanism due to spontaneous electron-positron pair creation in which case Z_c ⁻¹e. Astrophysical and cosmological abundances of charged compact boson stars are briefly discussed in terms of dark matter.     

Lithium depletion in the solar atmosphere

Using a complete non-local convection theory, we carried out the theoretical calculations of ⁷Li depletion of the solar convective envelope models with different convective parameters c₁ and c₂, and got a model of the solar convection zone consistent with the observed ⁷Li abundance and the depth of the solar convection zone determined by helioseismic techniques. The overshooting distance of effective non-local convective mixing of ⁷Li is very extensive, which is about 1.07H_P or 0.09R. However, the super-radiative temperature zone is much narrower, and it is only 0.20H_P or 0.016R.     

On the asymmetric nature of micropulsations—I. the spectrum

This paper is based on the postulate that the natural electromagnetic radiation observed in the micropulsation band is accounted for by the eigenmodes of a resonant cavity in the Earth's outer atmosphere, just as the adjacent ELF part of the spectrum is explained by resonances in the Earth-ionosphere cavity. The inner edge of the plasma sheet (the Alfvén layer) forms an effective resonant cavity which we call the Alfvénsphere. Its complex medium is characterized by two parameters, effective conductivity, and effective Alfvén speed: its quasi-stationary states are specified by two state parameters, effective cavity size, and effective time scale for magnetospheric processes, and in principle, they can be evaluated from the power spectra of observed micropulsations. Because of the complex geometry of the cavity and the fact that the vector hydromagnetic wave equation for an asymmetric electric field is not simply separable in spherical and orthogonal dipole coordinates (and the spatial boundary value problem is virtually insoluble), a model is developed which contains the essential physics and admits of tractable equations. A coupling scheme is defined and discussed which permits one to study the eigenvalue equation under conditions of weak and strong coupling as well as the uncoupled case. Emphasis is placed on the most difficult weakly-coupled case because the results can be readily compared with the uncoupled case. The complex dispersion relation-ship is presented and complex eigenvalues are calculated. It is shown that for any mode (v, i, m), the fundamental (i = 1) appears at the highest latitude and the highest harmonic (i = i_max) appears at the lowest latitude. Further it is shown that the fundamental and harmonics are split into multiplet frequency states, clustered at different latitudes, and ordered at a particular latitude by the asymmetric label m. This property is used to explain beating and atitudinal and longitudinal variations in pearl pulsations. It is demonstrated that the east-west magnetic component of the perturbed magnetic field (for any mode) has two spatial resonances (logarithmic and asymmetric) and this feature can be used to derive and interpret the T cos²Θ = const law. This in turn suggests a method for ordering the east-west component power spectra for a station at any latitude below 70° N mag. in terms of v, and evaluating the corresponding phenomenological state parameters. The inescapable conclusion appears to be that there is no intrinsic difference between the ‘different’ classes of pulsations; they are simply the excited eigenmodes of the Alfvénsphere for different quasi-stationary states.     

Maximum likelihood estimation of the mean parallax and kinematic parameters of the Pleiades

A simultaneous, maximum-likelihood determination of the distance and kinematic parameters of the Pleiades is made. The results are: distance of the cluster d = 135.56 ± 0.72 pc, dispersion σ_d = 7.66 ± 0.80 pc; space velocity V = 25.94 ± 0.13 km/s, dispersion σ_v = 0.58 ± 0.09 km/s coordinates of the convergent point A = 101.95° ± 0.47°, D = −41.36° ± 0.29°.     

The velocity field and X-ray spectrum of the flare of 1981 May 13

The H velocity field at 0516 UT during the eruption of the X1.5/3B flare in the active region E58 N11 (Boulder 3106) on 1981 May 13, obtained with the horizontal solar spectrograph of Yunnan Observatory is given in this paper. A comparative analysis of the velocity field with the magnetic field shows that the velocity field is related to the gradient and neutral line of the magnetic field and the brightness of the flare maximum changes in the velocity field of ±15 km/s occurs at the location of greatest magnetic field gradient.

The neutral line of the magnetic field (h = 0) basically matches the zero velocity line (v = 0) between the two bright ribbons. But they do not match between the two bright knots where the filament is twisted and ascends. The spectral lines show the sloping morphology, from which we deduced the dynamical parameters of the twist of the rising filament.     

A survey of flux transfer events recorded by the UKS spacecraft magnetometer

The UKS spacecraft operated from August 1984 through to January 1985. During that time, it made multiple crossings of the magnetopause in local time sectors extending from mid-afternoon to just behind the dawn meridian. We have surveyed the magnetometer records from these magnetopause encounters and have compiled a catalogue of flux transfer events (FTEs using criteria identical to those employed by Rijnbeek et al. (1984, J. Geophys. Res. 89, 786) in their survey of ISEE spacecraft magnetometer data. Using the catalogue, we find that FTE occurrence determined from the UKS data set is substantially less than that detected using data from the early ISEE 1/2 spacecraft orbits. The UKS data set shows a correlation between FTE occurrence and southward external magnetic field, but there are several instances of passes in which no FTEs are detected but for which the external field was unam- biguousluy southward. The passes with the largest number of events are those for which the field outside the magnetopause has a large B_M component. We conclude that the lower latitude of the UKS encounters is responsible for the discrepancy with the ISEE occurrence. The most likely source region appears to be near the subsolar region.