Solar connections of geoeffective magnetic structures

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and high-speed solar wind streams (HSS) are two solar phenomena that produce large-scale structures in the interplanetary (IP) medium. CMEs evolve into interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs) and the HSS result in corotating interaction regions (CIRs) when they interact with preceding slow solar wind. This paper summarizes the properties of these structures and describes their geoeffectiveness. The primary focus is on the intense storms of solar cycle 23 because this is the first solar cycle during which simultaneous, extensive, and uniform data on solar, IP, and geospace phenomena exist. After presenting illustrative examples of coronal holes and CMEs, I discuss the internal structure of ICMEs, in particular the magnetic clouds (MCs). I then discuss how the magnetic field and speed correlate in the sheath and cloud portions of ICMEs. CME speed measured near the Sun also has significant correlations with the speed and magnetic field strengths measured at 1 AU. The dependence of storm intensity on MC, sheath, and CME properties is discussed pointing to the close connection between solar and IP phenomena. I compare the delay time between MC arrival at 1 AU and the peak time of storms for the cloud and sheath portions and show that the internal structure of MCs leads to the variations in the observed delay times. Finally, we examine the variation of solar-source latitudes of IP structures as a function of the solar cycle and find that they have to be very close to the disk center.     

Role of the Russell–McPherron effect in the acceleration of relativistic electrons

While it is well known that high fluxes of relativistic electrons in the Earth's radiation belts are associated with high-speed solar wind and its heightened geoeffectiveness, less known is the fact that the Russell–McPherron (R–M) effect strongly controls whether or not a given high-speed stream is geoffective. To test whether it then follows that the R–M effect also strongly controls fluxes of relativistic electrons, we perform a superposed epoch analysis across corotating interaction regions (CIR) keyed on the interfaces between slow and fast wind. A total of 394 stream interfaces were identified in the years 1994–2006. Equinoctial interfaces were separated into four classes based on the R–M effect, that is, whether the solar wind on either side of the interface was either (geo)effective (E) or ineffective (I) depending on season and the polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Four classes of interface identified as II, IE, EI, and EE are possible. The classes IE and EI correspond to CIRs with polarity changes indicating passage through the heliospheric current sheet. To characterize the behavior of solar wind and magnetospheric variables, we produced maps of dynamic cumulative probability distribution functions (cdfs) as a function of time over 10-day intervals centered on the interfaces. These reveal that effective high-speed streams have geomagnetic activity nearly twice as strong as ineffective streams and electron fluxes a factor of 12 higher. In addition they show that an effective low-speed stream increases the flux of relativistic electrons before the interface so that an effective to ineffective transition results in lower fluxes after the interface. We conclude that the R–M effect plays a major role in organizing and sustaining a sequence of physical processes responsible for the acceleration of relativistic electrons.     

Relativistic electron losses related to EMIC waves during CIR and CME storms

The losses of radiation belt electrons to the atmosphere due to wave–particle interactions with electromagnetic ion-cyclotron (EMIC) waves during corotating interaction region (CIR) storms compared to coronal mass ejections (CME) storms is investigated. Geomagnetic storms with extended ‘recovery’ phases due to large-amplitude Alfvén waves in the solar wind are associated with relativistic electron flux enhancements in the outer radiation belt. The corotating solar wind streams following a CIR in the solar wind contain large-amplitude Alfvén waves, but also some CME storms with high-speed solar wind can have large-amplitude Alfvén waves and extended ‘recovery’ phases. During both CIR and CME storms the ring current protons are enhanced. In the anisotropic proton zone the protons are unstable for EMIC wave growth. Atmospheric losses of relativistic electrons due to weak to moderate pitch angle scattering by EMIC waves is observed inside the whole anisotropic proton zone. During storms with extended ‘recovery’ phases we observe higher atmospheric loss of relativistic electrons than in storms with fast recovery phases. As the EMIC waves exist in storms with both extended and short recovery phases, the increased loss of relativistic electrons reflects the enhanced source of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt during extended recovery phase storms. The region with the most unstable protons and intense EMIC wave generation, seen as a narrow spike in the proton precipitation, is spatially coincident with the largest loss of relativistic electrons. This region can be observed at all MLTs and is closely connected with the spatial shape of the plasmapause as revealed by simultaneous observations by the IMAGE and the NOAA spacecraft. The observations in and near the atmospheric loss cone show that the CIR and CME storms with extended ‘recovery’ phases produce high atmospheric losses of relativistic electrons, as these storms accelerate electrons to relativistic energies. The CME storm with short recovery phase gives low losses of relativistic electrons due to a reduced level of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt.     

Effects of the Sun on the Earth's environment

Solar disturbances are observed to have significant effects in near-Earth space. Over the past half-century of observation, a relatively clear picture has developed of how and why the typical solar wind — as well as the most extreme solar events — drive geospace responses. It is clear that magnetospheric substorms, geomagnetic storms (both recurrent and aperiodic events), and even certain atmospheric chemical changes have their origins in the solar–terrestrial coupling arena. High-speed solar wind streams and fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can often have strong interplanetary shock waves and southward magnetic fields which can initiate strong storm responses. We demonstrate in this review that available modern space-observing platforms and ground facilities allow us to trace drivers from the Sun to the Earth's atmosphere. This allows us to assess quantitatively the energy transport that occurs throughout the Sun–Earth system during both typical and extreme conditions. Hence, we are continuously improving our understanding of “space weather” and its effects on human society.     

不同起源地磁扰动期间极光沉降能量的统计研究

尽管对极光沉降能量(HP)的研究已经开展很久,但是关于不同行星际扰动源对HP影响的研究仍然很少.本文基于2001—2008年NOAA极轨卫星数据,对三类不同扰动源,即盔状冕流共转相互作用区(CIRs)、伪冕流CIRs和行星际日冕物质抛射(ICMEs)驱动的中等磁暴期间HP的变化进行时序叠加统计分析,讨论了相关太阳风背景参数、地磁活动强度以及耦合函数的有效性;研究了三类磁暴事件期间HP的南北半球不对称性.结果表明,在磁暴之前盔状冕流CIR磁暴的HP明显低于伪冕流CIR磁暴和ICME磁暴,盔状冕流"磁暴前的平静期"与Newell耦合函数关系密切,而与Russell-McPherron效应关系较小.盔状冕流CIR磁暴主相HP高于伪冕流CIR磁暴和ICME磁暴,可能与盔状冕流相应行星际|B_z|和太阳风数密度均较高有关.此外,在Kp≤4时,冬夏季半球HP的差别随着Kp增加而增加,相应的变化规律符合电导率反馈机制的预测;在Kp>4时,盔状冕流磁暴和ICME磁暴冬季半球的HP大于夏季半球的,伪冕流磁暴事件夏季半球的HP大于冬季半球的或与冬季半球的相近.     

Contribution of global Pc5 oscillations to magnetic disturbance during geomagnetic storms

The contribution of global magnetospheric oscillations to magnetic disturbance during magnetospheric storms is studied. The bases of magnetic data from the INTERMAGNET global network in combination with the interplanetary and intramagnetospheric measurements of the magnetic field and plasma and the sets of the Kp, Dst, and AE indices are used for this purpose. The most favorable conditions in the solar wind and magnetosphere for generation of global Pc5 have been revealed. The contribution of these oscillations to the variations in the magnetic disturbance level, characterized by the AE index, has been estimated. The findings confirm that magnetospheric MHD oscillations participate in the processes of energy income from the solar wind and energy dissipation in the magnetosphere.     

The quadrupole as a source of energetic particles: III. Outer radiation belt and MeV electrons

The observation that high speed solar wind streams are correlated with outer radiation belt electrons requires a transducer to convert this mechanical energy to hot electrons. We hypothesize that the high latitude cusp is the ideal location for this acceleration region. We support this hypothesis with two arguments: a forward model to show that the cusp can theoretically accelerate electrons to MeV energies which then are transported to the radiation belts; and, a backward model that deduces a cusp source based on empirical properties of the radiation belt MeV electrons. Accordingly, in the first half we apply the trapping properties of the static equinoctal cusp to deduce the dynamical response of interplanetary transients; in the second half we analyze several peculiar statistics of MeV electron correlations with solar wind as the response of a non-linear, multi-parameter dependence on the solar wind driver. Our model would permit the formulation of more physically accurate MeV electron predictors, which we demonstrate by connecting physical explanations to several empirical predictors recently published.     

Relationship of the Van Allen radiation belts to solar wind drivers

Discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts by instrumentation flown on Explorer 1 in 1958 was the first major discovery of the Space Age. A view of the belts as distinct inner and outer zones of energetic particles with different sources was modified by observations made during the Cycle 22 maximum in solar activity in 1989–1991, the first approaching the activity level of the International Geophysical Year of 1957–1958. The dynamic variability of outer zone electrons was measured by the NASA–Air Force Combined Radiation Release and Effects Satellite launched in July 1990. This variability is caused by distinct types of heliospheric structure which vary with the solar cycle. The largest fluxes averaged over a solar rotation occur during the declining phase from solar maximum, when high-speed streams and co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) dominate the inner heliosphere, leading to recurrent storms. Intense episodic events driven by high-speed interplanetary shocks launched by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) prevail around solar maximum when CMEs occur most frequently. Only about half of moderate storms, defined by intensity of the ring current, lead to an overall flux increase, emphasizing the need to quantify loss as well as source processes; both increase when the magnetosphere is strongly driven. Three distinct types of acceleration are described in this review: prompt and diffusive radial transport, which increases energy while conserving the first invariant, and local acceleration by waves, which change the first invariant. The latter also produce pitch angle diffusion and loss, as does outward radial transport, especially when the magnetosphere is compressed. The effect of a dynamic magnetosphere boundary on radiation belt electrons is described in the context of MHD-test particle simulations driven by measured solar wind input.     

Solar-wind–magnetosphere coupling,including relativistic electron energization,during high-speed streams

High geomagnetic activity occurs continuously during high-speed solar wind streams, and fluxes of relativistic electrons observed at geosynchronous orbit enhance significantly. High-speed streams are preceded by solar wind compression regions, during which time there are large losses of relativistic electrons from geosynchronous orbit. Weak to moderate geomagnetic storms often occur during the passage of these compression regions; however, we find that the phenomena that occur during the ensuing high-speed streams do not depend on whether or not a preceding storm develops. Large-amplitude Alfvén waves occur within the high-speed solar wind streams, which are expected to lead to intermittent intervals of significantly enhanced magnetospheric convection and to thus also lead to repetitive substorms due to repetitively occurring reductions in the strength of convection. We find that such repetitive substorms are clearly discernible in the LANL geosynchronous energetic particle data during high-speed stream intervals. Global auroral images are found to show unambiguously that these events are indeed classical substorms, leading us to conclude that substorms are an important contributor to the enhanced geomagnetic activity during high-speed streams. We used the onsets of these substorms as indicators of preceding periods of enhanced convection and of reductions in convection, and we have used ground-based chorus observations from the VELOX instrument at Halley station as an indicator of magnetospheric chorus intensities. These data show evidence that it is the periods of enhanced convection that precede substorm expansions, and not the expansions themselves, that lead to the enhanced dawn-side chorus wave intensity that has been postulated to cause the energization of relativistic electrons. If this inference is correct, and if it is chorus that energizes the relativistic electrons, then high-speed solar wind streams lead to relativistic electron flux enhancements because the embedded large-amplitude Alfvén waves give multi-day periods of intermittent significantly enhanced convection.     

Classification of space-weather complexes based on solar source type,characteristics of plasma flow,and geomagnetic perturbation induced by it

The space-weather complexes including characteristics of solar streams (parameters of the solar wind, components of the interplanetary magnetic-field vector) and temporal quantitative estimates of their geomagnetic effects (Dst index) are classified. Comparative and neural-network methods for this classification are developed. As a result of numerical neural-network experiments, types of solar streams responsible for generation of geomagnetic perturbations with different intensities are established. It is confirmed that, on the basis of the selected space weather complexes, it is possible to refine the influence of these streams on the electromagnetic state of the magnetic sphere and, hence, improve the accuracy of predictions of this state.     

ULF wave indices to characterize the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction and relativistic electron dynamics

To quantify the level of low-frequency wave activity of the magnetosphere and IMF, a set of the ULF wave power indices has been introduced. We demonstrate that the ULF activity global level can be very useful in space weather related problems. The application of the interplanetary index to an analysis of auroral activity driving has shown that a turbulent IMF drives auroral activity more strongly than the laminar solar wind does. The enhancements of relativistic electrons at the geosynchronous orbit are known not to be directly related to the intensity of magnetic storms. We found that the electron dynamics correlated well with long-lasting intervals of elevated ground ULF wave index. This fact confirms the importance of magnetospheric ULF turbulence in energizing electrons up to relativistic energies. The time-integrated ULF index demonstrates a significantly higher correlation with electron fluxes, which implies the occurrence of a cumulative effect in the electron energization.     

Dependence of geomagnetic activity during magnetic storms on the solar wind parameters for different types of streams: 2. Main phase of storm

The paper analyses the development of the main phase of magnetic storms with Dst ≤ −50 nT, the interplanetary source of which consists of eight types of solar wind streams: magnetic clouds (MC, 17 storms); corotating interaction regions (CIR, 49 storms); Ejecta (50 storms); compressed region (Sheath) before Ejecta Sh_E (34 storms); the Sheath before a magnetic cloud Sh_MC (6 storms); all Sheath before all ICME, Sh_E + Sh_MC (40 storms); all ICME, MC + Ejecta (67 storms); and an indeterminate type of stream IND (34 storms).     

Diagnostics of the magnetosphere based on the outer belt relativistic electrons and penetration of solar protons: A review

The present-day state of the studies of the outer radiation belt relativistic electrons and the boundary of the solar proton penetration into the magnetosphere during magnetic storms is briefly reviewed. The main attention is paid to the results from studying the interrelation between these structural formations and other magnetospheric plasma structures. It has been indicated that the relationship between the position of the maximum of belt of relativistic electrons injected during magnetic storms (L _max) and the magnetic storm amplitude (|Dst|_max = 2.75 × 10⁴/L _max⁴) can be used to predict the extreme latitudinal position of such magnetospheric plasma formations as a trapped radiation region boundary, the nighttime equatorial boundary of the auroral oval, and westward electrojet center during a storm. Using the examples of still rare studies of the solar proton boundary dynamics in the magnetosphere based on the simultaneous measurements on several polar satellites, it has been demonstrated that a change in the geomagnetic field topology during magnetic storms can be diagnosed.     

Probing the magnetic topology of coronal mass ejections by means of Ulysses/HI-SCALE energetic particle observations

In this work, solar flare energetic particle fluxes (E_e 42 keV) observed by the HI-SCALE instrument onboard Ulysses, a spacecraft that is probing the heliosphere in 3-D, are utilized as diagnostics of the large-scale structure and topology of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) embedded within two well-identified interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) structures. On the basis of the energetic solar flare particle observations firm conclusions are drawn on whether the detected ICMEs have been detached from the solar corona or are still magnetically anchored to it when they arrive at 2.5 AU. From the development of the angular distributions of the particle intensities, we have inferred that portions of the ICMEs studied consisted of both open and closed magnetic field lines. Both ICMEs present a filamentary structure comprising magnetic filaments with distinct electron anisotropy characteristics. Subsequently, we studied the evolution of the anisotropies of the energetic electrons along the magnetic field loop-like structure of one ICME and computed the characteristic decay time of the anisotropy which is a measure of the amount of scattering that the trapped electron population underwent after injection at the Sun.     

2007-2012年Dstmin≤-50nT的中等以上地磁暴的行星际源统计

地磁暴的行星际源研究是了解及预报地磁暴的关键因素之一.本文研究了2007-2012年间的所有Dst_min ≤-50 nT的中等以上地磁暴,建立了这些地磁暴及其行星际源的列表.在这6年中,共发生了51次Dst_min≤-50 nT的中等以上地磁暴,其中9次为Dst_min≤-100 nT的强地磁暴事件.对比上一活动周相同时间段发现,在这段太阳活动极低的时间,地磁暴的数目显著减少.对这些地磁暴行星际源的分析表明,65%的中等以上地磁暴由与日冕物质抛射相关的行星际结构引起,31%的地磁暴由共转相互作用区引起,这与以前的结果一致.特别的,在这个太阳活动极低时期内,共转相互作用区没有引起Dst_min≤-100 nT的强地磁暴,同时,日冕物质抛射相关结构也没有引起Dst_min≤-200 nT的超强地磁暴.以上结果表明极低太阳活动同时导致了共转相互作用区和日冕物质抛射地磁效应的减弱.进一步,分析不同太阳活动期间地磁暴的行星际源发现:在太阳活动低年(2007-2009年),共转相互作用区是引起地磁暴的主要原因; 而在太阳活动上升期和高年(2010-2013年),大部分(75%,30/40)的中等以上地磁暴均由日冕物质抛射相关结构引起.     

地球附近第23太阳活动周磁云和非磁云ICME的对比统计

行星际日冕物质抛射（ICME）,作为影响地球空间天气的重要源头之一,根据其磁场结构特点可分为磁云（MC）和非磁云ICME两个子集.本文对第23周的磁云和非磁云ICME结构及其地磁效应进行对比统计研究.第23周ICME事件总数为317个,其中磁云占ICME比例为33.75%,非磁云ICME占66.25%.统计结果表明,非磁云ICME数与太阳黑子数呈现出非常好的正相关性,而磁云与太阳黑子数的这种相关性并不明显.相反,磁云占ICME的比率与太阳黑子数呈现出一定的反相关性.对磁云与非磁云ICME引起的地磁暴的比较研究表明：磁云及其鞘区引发的地磁暴平均水平要高于非磁云ICME及其鞘区.磁云和非磁云ICME的磁场强度、南向磁场强度和传播速度整体上都随地磁暴水平提升而增加.对磁云与非磁云ICME参数的进一步对比分析表明,磁云及其鞘区的平均磁场强度和南向磁场分量平均值都明显要比非磁云ICME的大;而二者的等离子体温度、密度和速度平均值相差并不明显.     

An annual and a semiannual variation of the upper air density

Summary The fluctuation of the acceleration are analysed for several satellites. For the density variations three predominant influences can be distinguished: 1) The varying solar short ultra-violet radiation; 2) The day-night-effect; 3) An annual variation. The latter suggests a significant interaction of the terrestrial upper atmosphere with the interplanetary matter. The annual variation gives some evidence for an interstellar wind due to the solar motion in the local stellar system.     

1998年4-5月地球同步轨道MeV电子通量增强事件

采用GOES9卫星观测的能量大于2MeV和大于4MeV电子通量和行星际飞船ACE太阳风参数的高时间分辨率资料,以及磁暴指数Dst资料,分析了1998年4-5月期间地球同步轨道电子通量增强事件的时间和能量响应特征及其与行星际太阳风参数、磁暴和亚暴等扰动条件的对应关系.结果表明,地球同步轨道相对论性（MeV）电子通量增强事件有明显的周日变化,中午极大和午夜极小.4月22日和5月5日开始的两次大事件中,能量大于2MeV电子通量中午极大值上升到最大值的时间尺度分别约为4天和1天,中午极大值高于背景水平的持续时间分别为13天（4月22日-5月4日）和16天（5月4日-20日）以上.每次MeV电子通量增强事件的能量范围不完全相同.两次大事件的上升段都对应于磁暴的恢复相,与太阳风动压脉冲、高速流脉冲和负Bz分量关系密切.     

Correlation between the Earth’s outer radiation belt dynamics and solar wind parameters at the solar minimum according to EMP instrument data onboard the CORONAS-Photon satellite

The study of variations in the electron flux in the outer Earth radiation belt (ERB) and their correlations with solar processes is one of the important problems in the experiment with the Electron-M-Peska instrument onboard the CORONAS-Photon solar observatory. Data on relativistic and subrelativistic electron fluxes obtained by the Electron-M-Peska in 2009 have been used to study the outer ERB dynamics at the solar minimum. Increases in outer ERB relativistic electron fluxes, observed at an height of 550 km after weak magnetic disturbances induced by high-velocity solar wind arriving to the Earth, have been analyzed. The geomagnetic disturbances induced by the high-velocity solar wind and that resulted in electron flux variations were insignificant: there were no considerable storms and substorms during that period; however, several polar ground-based stations observed an increase in wave activity. An assumption has been made that the wave activity caused the variations in relativistic electron fluxes.