Large-scale structure of the interplanetary medium

We propose that the coronal source longitude and latitude of solar wind plasma can be estimated within 10°. Previous writers have argued that the solar wind in the ecliptic should originate near the equator and that a quasi-radial hypervelocity (QRH) approximation (constant radial flow) is valid beyond the magnetohydrodynamic critical points. We demonstrate that an extension of the QRH approximation (as if the solar wind flowed radially with constant velocity from the center of the Sun) yields a proper estimate of the high coronal source location at the release zone where the solar wind makes its transition to radial interplanetary flow. This extrapolated QRH (or EQRH) approximation succeeds because the two main corrections to this source estimate, coronal corotation and interplanetary acceleration, tend to cancel (the former correcting the source location eastward, the latter westward). Although this ideal spiral approximation was first suggested by Snyder and Neugebauer (1966), only recently has it been demonstrated that it relates a wide range of interplanetary plasma, magnetic field and energetic particle data to observed coronal magnetic structure. We estimate quantitatively the error in the EQRH approximation by comparison with steady-state streamlines predicted by azimuthally independent and dependent theoretical solutions to the steady-state plasma equations. We find the error in both cases 10° in longitude and therefore suggest that the EQRH approximation offers the means to relate observed solar initial conditions in the release zone directly to interplanetary measurements. If, in addition, the EQRH approximation also leads to agreement with low coronal structure, then there should be a straightforward correspondence to otherwise unobservable high coronal structure.     

Large-scale three-dimensional structure of the interplanetary magnetic field

Analysis of observations of the white-light corona performed aboard OSO-7 is evidence for the existence of coronal ribbon-structures, which may be observed on the limb as coronal streamers. It is shown that prolongation of these structures into interplanetary space forms a curved surface; intersection of this surface is accompanied by a change of polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field, which existed in May–July 1973; and its connection with several phenomena in the solar atmosphere, has been found.     

Micro-scale structures in the interplanetary medium

This report describes and analyses the following micro-scale (.01 AU) structures which were found in combined interplanetary magnetic field and plasma data obtained by the deep-space probe, Pioneer-6: (1) Several types of simultaneous discontinuities in the magnetic field and plasma parameters; (2) at least one clear example of a transitional region (D-sheet) associated with a plasma discontinuity; (3) other D-sheets which give evidence of magnetic-field annihilation; (4) inhomogeneous isothermal regions in which the square of the magnetic-field intensity is proportional to the density; (5) periodic variations in the magnetic-field intensity which are associated with discontinuities in the bulk speed. It is suggested that small velocity discontinuities play a fundamental role in reducing stresses in the interplanetary medium, and that large-velocity discontinuities may give rise to waves and turbulence.NAS-NRC Postdoctoral Resident Research Associate.     

Sector boundary occurrences in the interplanetary medium

The analysis of the mean frequency of occurrence of the sector boundaries of the interplanetary magnetic field within successive Bartels rotations have revealed sporadic periodicities of 14 and 28 Bartels rotations which correspond to yearly and biennial variations. In addition, the differences of the five moving average time series of the sector boundary occurrences from the mean frequency sector boundary occurrences show significant periodicities of 6 and 4 Bartels rotations.We have pointed out that an analytical expression which contains periodic terms of 28, 14, 6, and 4 Bartels rotations can approximate in a high accuracy level the observed values of the mean frequency of the sector boundary occurrences. Similar conclusions can be derived if we analyse sector boundary occurrences in a monthly calendar instead of a 27-days Bartels rotation one.     

Energetic solar electrons in the interplanetary medium

ISEE-3 measurements extending down to 2 keV energy have provided a new perspective on energetic solar electrons in the interplanetary medium. Impulsive solar electron events are observed, on average, several times a day near solar maximum, with 40% detected only below 15 keV. The electron energy spectra have a nearly power-law shape extending smoothly down to 2 keV, indicating that the origin of these events is high in the corona. These coronal flare-like events often produced ³He-rich particle events.In large solar flares which accelerate electrons and ions to relativistic energies, the electron spectrum appears to be modified by a second acceleration which results in a double power-law shape above 10 keV with a break near 100 keV and flattening from 10–100 keV. Large flares result in long-lived (many days) streams of outflowing electrons which dominate the interplanetary fluxes at low energies. Even in the absence of solar activity, significant fluxes of low energy electrons flow out from the Sun.Solar type-III radio bursts are produced by the escaping 2–10² keV electrons through a beam-plasma instability. The detailed ISEE-3 measurements show that electron plasma waves are generated by the bump-on-tail distribution created by the faster electrons running ahead of the slower ones. These plasma waves appear to be converted into radio emission by nonlinear wave-wave interactions.     

On observing mass ejections in the interplanetary medium

Scattering of radio waves by density fluctuations in the solar wind leads to rapid variation in the intensity of compact radio sources. This phenomenon, known as Interplanetary Scintillation (IPS), provides a simple method to study interplanetary activity in the inner heliosphere. During the solar maximum of cycle 22, we carried out extensive, high-time-resolution IPS observations of fast moving interplanetary plasma clouds (IPCs). The observations were done using the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) and covered the region between 0.2 AU and 0.8 AU around the Sun. We detected 33 IPCs having velocities of 600 to 1400 km s–1. A two-component model of scattering by time-varying solar wind was developed to analyse these IPCs. The model enabled us to estimate the mass, energy and geometry of each disturbance and to associate them with solar-geomagnetic activity.Detailed analysis suggests that these IPCs were interplanetary signatures of massive and energetic Solar Mass Ejections (SMEs). The SMEs were found to have average mass and kinetic energy of 5.3×1016 g, 2.4×1032 ergs. The average span and width of the SME was found to be 42° and 8×106 km. Association of these disturbances with solar-geomagnetic activity shows that about 80% of them are associated with Long-Duration X-ray Events (LDXE) and Solar Mass Ejections (SMEs). Only 50% of the events were associated with geomagnetic activity. The present experiment has demonstrated that continuous IPS monitoring is an effective technique to detect mass ejections in the interplanetary medium and to study their evolution through the inner heliosphere.     

Deflection of coronal mass ejection in the interplanetary medium

A solar coronal mass ejection (CME) is a large-scale eruption of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun. It is believed to be the main source of strong interplanetary disturbances that may cause intense geomagnetic storms. However, not all front-side halo CMEs can encounter the Earth and produce geomagnetic storms. The longitude distribution of the Earth-encountered front-side halo CMEs (EFHCMEs) has not only an east–west (E–W) asymmetry  (Wang et al., 2002), but also depends on the EFHCMEs' transit speeds from the Sun to 1 AU. The faster the EFHCMEs are, the more westward does their distribution shift, and as a whole, the distribution shifts to the west. Combining the observational results and a simple kinetic analysis, we believe that such E–W asymmetry appearing in the source longitude distribution is due to the deflection of CMEs' propagation in the interplanetary medium. Under the effect of the Parker spiral magnetic field, a fast CME will be blocked by the background solar wind ahead and deflected to the east, whereas a slow CME will be pushed by the following background solar wind and deflected to the west. The deflection angle may be estimated according to the CMEs' transit speed by using a kinetic model. It is shown that slow CMEs can be deflected more easily than fast ones. This is consistent with the observational results obtained by Zhang et al. (2003), that all four Earth-encountered limb CMEs originated from the east. On the other hand, since the most of the EFHCMEs are fast events, the range of the longitude distribution given by the theoretical model is E40°,W70°, which is well consistent with the observational results (E40°,W75°).     

Effects of the interplanetary magnetic field on the magnetotail structure: Large-scale changes of the plasma sheet during magnetospheric substorms

The effects of the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) on the structure of the distant magnetotail are studied by superposing a uniform magnetic field on a magnetospheric model. It is shown that a southward component of the IMF alone can reduce the closed field region in the magnetotail, while a northward turning of the IMF can produce a new closed field region. It is suggested that these two effects can explain thinning and thickening, respectively, of the plasma sheet during magnetospheric substorms without invoking internal instabilities.     

Solar source of the interplanetary sector structure

The interplanetary sector structure observed by the IMP-1 satellite during three solar rotations in 1963–4 is compared with the photospheric magnetic field structure observed with the solar magnetograph at Mt. Wilson Observatory. The interplanetary sector structure was most prominent on the sun in latitudes between 10 °N and 20 °N, although the average heliographic latitude of the satellite was 3 1/2 °S. A superposed-epoch analysis of the calcium plage structure obtained from the Fraunhofer Institute daily maps of the sun is used to discuss the relation between the structure of the plages and the interplanetary sector structure. A possible explanation for the observations is discussed in terms of a North-South asymmetry in the flow of the solar wind. It is suggested that these observations favor the equinoctial hypothesis as compared with the axial hypothesis for the explanation of the semi-annual maxima in geomagnetic activity.     

Energy losses of galactic cosmic rays in the interplanetary medium

Using realistic models of cosmic-ray propagation in interplanetary space we present, for electrons, protons and helium nuclei of a given energy near Earth, calculations of their distribution in energy before entering the solar cavity and their mean energy loss. Interplanetary conditions appropriate for the epochs 1965 and 1969 have been used. Cosmic-ray energies in the range of 20 MeV/nucleon to 1000 MeV/nucleon have been considered.     

Type II solar radio events observed in the interplanetary medium

Fifteen type II solar radio events have been identified in the 2 MHz to 30 kHz frequency range by the radio astronomy experiment on the ISEE-3 satellite over the period from September 1978 to December 1979. These data provide the most comprehensive sample of type II radio bursts hitherto observed at kilometer wavelengths. Dynamic spectra of a number of events are presented. Where possible, the 15 events have been associated with an initiating flare, ground-based radio data, the passage of a shock at the spacecraft and the sudden commencement of a geomagnetic storm. The general characteristics of kilometric type II bursts are discussed.Research Associate, University of Maryland, U.S.A.     

Geomagnetic effects of interplanetary sector structure

In this paper the geomagnetic effects of the interplanetary magnetic sector structure are studied on the basis of some new criteria and working hypotheses.Thus, we assume that the recurrence of geomagnetic disturbances should be understood in a dynamical sense, in connection with the evolution of the full sector structure, and not necessarily as a 27-day recurrence. Accordingly, on the representation of the sector structure during 1968, as deduced by Wilcox and Colburn, we have defined four ‘main recurring lines’, which link the sector boundaries recurrent in successive solar rotations. The term ‘group of SC and SI events’, abbreviated as gr(SC + SI), introduced by us in previous works to designate the morphological grouping of the individual SC and SI events in collective events, is also used.It should be pointed out that the bulk of gr(SC + SI) events are either associated with sector boundaries, or recurrent in successive solar rotations. Part of these events reveal the existence of some ‘secondary recurring lines’, within the magnetic sectors.The above working hypotheses and observations have been checked by the superposed epoch analysis, performed for each main recurring line in part and for all the main recurring lines combined.The following parameters are analysed: the number of SC events, the number of collective events gr(SC + SI), the total number of SC and SI events and the geomagnetic activity index Kp.The main result of the superposed epoch analysis consists in the appearance of a sharp maximum for all the parameters considered on the day of sector boundary. This fact proves that the effects of the sector boundaries are important and general, in regard to all aspects of geomagnetic activity. Essentially these effects consist of the occurrence of gr(SC + SI) events and of a specific increase in the Kp index, when the sector boundaries pass by the magnetosphere. This suggests that the sector boundaries are accompanied by corotating shocks and magnetohydrodynamical turbulence.The high frequency in the occurrence of the SC events on the days of sector boundaries is also noticeable.Each main recurring line presents a certain ‘individuality’, expressed particularly by secondary specific maxima in all the parameters, corresponding to the ‘secondary recurring lines’. One suggests that these secondary recurring lines might be due to some corotating distortions within the magnetic sectors and might be related to the ‘subsector’ or ‘filaments’.The distribution of the geomagnetic disturbances near the sector boundaries depends on the direction of the field polarity change.All these results lead to the conclusion that most of the geomagnetic disturbances can be accounted for by the interaction between corotating distortions in the solar wind connected with the sector structure and the magnetosphere, the flare-induced disturbances representing statistically the secondary mechanism.     

Shock waves and type II radiobursts in the interplanetary medium

The planetary radio astronomy experiment on the Voyager spacecraft observed several type II solar radiobursts at frequencies below 1.3 MHz; these correspond to shock waves at distances between 20R and 1 AU from the Sun. We study the characteristics of these bursts and discuss the information that they give on shock waves in the interplanetary medium and on the origin of the high energy electrons which give rise to the radioemission. The relatively frequent occurence of type II bursts at large distances from the Sun favors the hypothesis of the emission by a longitudinal shockwave. The observed spectral characteristics reveal that the source of emission is restricted to only a small portion of the shock. From the relation between type II bursts, type III bursts and optical flares, we suggest that some of the type II bursts could be excited by type III burst fast electrons which catch up the shock and are then trapped.     

Radial gradients and anisotropies of cosmic rays in the interplanetary medium

Approximate equations which describe the behavior of cosmic rays in the interplanetary medium under suitable conditions are used to make comparisons between observations and theoretical predictions of radial gradients and radial anisotropies. In the high energy region there appear to be no inconsistencies between theory and observations. In the low energy region it is shown that theoretical predictions of the radial anisotropy expected from large radial gradients of the intensity are not inconsistent with observed radial anisotropies. However, in the latter case there are other inconsistencies, which suggest that some aspects of the observations or of the theory (or both) are unsatisfactory.NAS NASA Resident Postdoctoral Research Associate.     

Interaction of the lower thermosphere with the solid component of the interplanetary medium

We consider in this paper the motion of small meteoroids near to the Earth taking into account gravitation, acceleration and heating of particles in the upper atmosphere, and also the processes of thermal radiation, sputtering and evaporation.It is concluded that during an encounter of the Earth with a meteor stream a dust cloud can be formed only at very small geocentric velocities of the particles.We also carry out calculation of the ion-formation rate in the atmosphere due to the collision of ablated meteor atoms and air molecules reflected from a meteoroid with air molecules encountered. Meteor ionization makes the contribution necessary to the maintenance of the high E-region ionization. During annual meteor showers the rate of meteor ion-formation increases by not more than four times. Additional night sources of ionization of air molecules influence the relative number of atmospheric and meteor ions in the E-region. The contribution of the kinetic energy of meteor matter to the heating of the upper atmosphere is evaluated.     

Strong cylindrical magnetogasdynamic shock waves in a rotating interplanetary medium

Strong cylindrical magnetogasdynamic shock waves in rotating interplanetary medium has been studied and an analytic solution for their propagation has been obtained. Using characteristic method and considering the effect of Coriolis force, we have shown that magnetic field has significant effect on the velocity of the shock wave.     

Cosmic ray modulation produced by radial density gradients in the interplanetary medium

A new technique for the calculation of cosmic ray daily variations, given the radial number density gradient, is introduced. The technique is applied to selected gradients to account for the average, enhanced and asymmetrical diurnal variations and different Forbush decrease profiles. A small semidiurnal variation is predicted and it is concluded that the profiles of Forbush decreases are strongly dependent on the radial approach velocity of the shock.     

Spatial structure of transverse oscillations in the interplanetary magnetic field

The spatial structure of the transverse oscillations in the interplanetary magnetic field at 1 AU is studied by comparing the simultaneous observations by Explorer 33 and 35 satellites at the maximum separation of about 200R _E. The anisotropy characteristics of these oscillations suggest that the oscillations sampled are Alfvén waves. It is found that the size of the region of the wave coherence is related to the solar wind velocity; the size is 80R _E when the wind velocity is lower than 500 km s^–1 but becomes less than this when the wind velocity is higher. An inference is made that the solar atmospheric turbulence contributing to the faster solar wind is finer in scale than that associated with the slower wind.A postgraduate student at the Tokai University     

The structure of the interplanetary medium during the first stip interval (September–October 1975) and prerelease of energetic solar particles

An analysis of the interplanetary medium structure is made during STIP 1. (September–October, 1975). Using a simple extrapolation method a reconstruction of the stream lines is made which shows that the interplanetary space during this time period was very quiet. Such a behaviour is expected because this interval is close to the minimum of the solar cycle activity.The evolution of two fast solar wind streams, which dominated the interplanetary medium for very long time periods, is studied.A peculiar solar proton event, with onset time before the optical flare, is explained according to Elliot mechanism — i.e., that energetic particles are stored for a long time and released, sometimes, before the optical flare.These particles can be seen only when the interplanetary medium is very quiet, (without shock waves) and the flare very isolated.