Solar Dynamo and Toroidal Field Instabilities

The possibility of non-axisymmetric (kink) instabilities of a toroidal field seated in the tachocline is much discussed in the literature. In this work, the basic properties of kink and quasi-interchange instabilities, produced by mixed toroidal and poloidal configuration, will be briefly reviewed. In particular, it will be shown that the unstable modes are strongly localized near the Equator and not near the Poles as often claimed in the literature. Based on the results of recent numerical simulations, it is argued that a non-zero helicity can already be produced at a non-linear level. A mean-field solar dynamo is then constructed with a positive α-effect in the overshoot layer localized near the Equator, and a meridional circulation with deep return flow. Finally, the possibility that the solar cycle is driven by an αΩ dynamo generated by the negative subsurface shear in the supergranulation layer will also be discussed.     

Unusual sodium nightglow behaviour and possible association with solar flares

During many nights in October and November 1970 unusual enhancements in sodium nightglow intensity were observed near Belfast. These are discussed in relation to other atmospheric parameters. It is suggested (after Kokin et al., 1971) that instabilities in the atmosphere triggered by a series of solar flares may be the cause, particularly as during this period temperatures in the stratosphere were found to be unstable.     

MHD waves and instabilities of a temperature-anisotropic plasma in the solar corona as a source of its heating

The MHD instabilities of a temperature-anisotropic coronal plasma are considered. We show that aperiodic mirror instabilities of slow MHD waves can develop under solar coronal conditions for weak magnetic fields (B < 1 G) and periodic ion-acoustic instabilities can develop for strong magnetic fields (B > 10 G). We have found the instability growth rates and estimated the temporal and spatial scales of development and decay of the periodic instability. We show that the instabilities under consideration can play a prominent role in the energy balance of the corona and may be considered as a large-scale energy source of the wave coronal heating mechanism.     

The Electron Firehose and Ordinary-Mode Instabilities in Space Plasmas

Self-generated wave fluctuations are particularly interesting in the solar wind and magnetospheric plasmas, where Coulomb collisions are rare and cannot explain the observed states of quasi-equilibrium. Linear theory predicts that firehose and ordinary-mode instabilities can develop under the same conditions, which makes it challenging to separate the role of these instabilities in conditioning the space-plasma properties. The hierarchy of these two instabilities is reconsidered here for nonstreaming plasmas with an electron-temperature anisotropy T _∥>T _⊥, where ∥ and ⊥ denote directions with respect to the local mean magnetic field. In addition to the previously reported comparative analysis, here the entire 3D wave-vector spectrum of the competing instabilities is investigated, with a focus on the oblique firehose instability and the relatively poorly known ordinary-mode instability. Results show a dominance of the oblique firehose instability with a threshold lower than the parallel firehose instability and lower than the ordinary-mode instability. For stronger anisotropies, the ordinary mode can grow faster, with maximum growth rates exceeding those of the oblique firehose instability. In contrast to previous studies that claimed a possible activity of the ordinary-mode in the low β [<?1] regimes, here it is rigorously shown that only the high β [>?1] regimes are susceptible to these instabilities.     

The State of Self-organized Criticality of the Sun during the Last Three Solar Cycles. II. Theoretical Model

The observed power-law distributions of solar-flare parameters can be interpreted in terms of a nonlinear dissipative system in a state of self-organized criticality (SOC). We present a universal analytical model of an SOC process that is governed by three conditions: i) a multiplicative or exponential growth phase, ii) a randomly interrupted termination of the growth phase, and iii) a linear decay phase. This basic concept approximately reproduces the observed frequency distributions. We generalize it to a randomized exponential growth model, which also includes a (log-normal) distribution of threshold energies before the instability starts, as well as randomized decay times, which can reproduce both the observed occurrence-frequency distributions and the scatter of correlated parameters more realistically. With this analytical model we can efficiently perform Monte-Carlo simulations of frequency distributions and parameter correlations of SOC processes, which are simpler and faster than the iterative simulations of cellular automaton models. Solar-cycle modulations of the power-law slopes of flare-frequency distributions can be used to diagnose the thresholds and growth rates of magnetic instabilities responsible for solar flares.     

An electrodynamic model of electric currents and magnetic fields in the dayside ionosphere of Venus

The electric current configuration induced in the ionosphere of Venus by the interaction of the solar wind has been calculated in previous papers (Cloutier and Daniell, Planet. Space Sci. 21, 463, 1973; Daniell and Cloutier. Planet. Space Sci.25, 621, 1977; Cloutier and Daniell, Planet. Space Sci.27, 1111, 1979) for average steady-state solar wind conditions and interplanetary magnetic field. This model is generalized to include the effects of (a) plasma depletion and magnetic field enhancement near the ionopause, (b) velocity-shear-induced MHD instabilities of the Kelvin-Helmholtz type within the ionosphere, and (c) variations in solar wind parameters and interplanetary magnetic field. It is shown that the magnetic field configuration resulting from the model varies in response to changes in solar wind and interplanetary field conditions, and that these variations produce magnetic field profiles in excellent agreement with those seen by the PIONEER-VENUS Orbiter. The formation of “flux-ropes” by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is shown to be a natural consequence of the model, with the spatial distribution and size of the flux-ropes determined by the magnetic Reynolds number.     

太阳风电子动力学不稳定性

电子是太阳风粒子中最为重要的组分之一,它可以通过多种机制对太阳风产生影响.太阳风中的电子通常具有温度各向异性和束流两种非热平衡分布特征,这些偏离热平衡分布的特征可以通过波粒相互作用激发电子不稳定性和等离子体波动,激发的等离子体波动又可以通过波粒相互作用调制太阳风粒子的分布,从而加热太阳风中的背景粒子.因此电子动力学不稳定性在太阳风的演化过程中扮演了极为重要的角色.详细介绍了太阳风中常见的电子动力学不稳定性,并基于等离子体动力论,详细介绍太阳风传播过程中所出现的各种不稳定性,尤其是在近日球层和太阳大气区域所出现的电子声热流不稳定性以及低混杂热流不稳定性,并分析其波粒相互作用机制,以便更加深入地研究太阳风传播过程中的电子分布函数演化.     

Similarities and Distinctions in Cosmic-Ray Modulation During Different Phases of Solar and Magnetic Activity Cycles

We study the solar-activity and solar-polarity dependence of galactic cosmic-ray intensity (CRI) on the solar and heliospheric parameters playing a significant role in solar modulation. We utilize the data for cosmic-ray intensity as measured by neutron monitors, solar activity as measured by sunspot number (SSN), interplanetary plasma/field parameters, solar-wind velocity [V] and magnetic field [B], as well as the tilt of the heliospheric current sheet [Λ], and we analyze these data for Solar Cycles 20?–?24 (1965?–?2011). We divide individual solar cycles into four phases, i.e. low, high, increasing, and decreasing solar activity. We perform regression analysis to calculate and compare the CRI-response to changes in different solar/interplanetary parameters during

1. different phases of solar activity and
2. similar activity phases but different polarity states.

We find that the CRI-response is different during negative (A<0) as compared to positive (A>0) polarity states not only with SSN and Λ but also with B and V. The relative CRI-response to changes in various parameters, in negative (A<0) as compared to positive (A>0) state, is solar-activity dependent; it is ≈?2 to 3 times higher in low solar activity, ≈?1.5 to 2 times higher in moderate (increasing/decreasing) activity, and it is nearly equal in high solar-activity conditions. Although our results can be ascribed to the preferential entry of charged particles via the equatorial/polar regions of the heliosphere as predicted by drift models, these results also suggest that we should look for any polarity-dependent response of solar-wind and transport parameters in modulating CRI in the heliosphere.     

Numerical experiments on the stability of preplanetary disks

Gravitational stability of gaseous protostellar disks is relevant to theories of planetary formation. Stable gas disks favor formation of planetesimals by the accumulation of solid material; unstable disks allow the possibility of direct condensation of gaseous protoplanets. We present the results of numerical experiments designed to test the stability of thin disks against large-scale, self-gravitational disruption. The disks are represented by a distribution of about 6 × 10⁴ point masses on a two-dimensional (r, φ) grid. The motions of the particles in the self-consistent gravity field are calculated, and the evolving density distributions are examined for instabilities. Two parameters that have major influences on stability are varied: the initial temperature of the disk (represented by an imposed velocity dispersion), and the mass of the protostar relative to that of the disk. It is found that a disk as massive as 1M_⊙, surrounding a 1M_⊙ protostar, can be stable against long-wavelength gravitational disruption if its temperature is about 300°K or greater. Stability of a cooler disk requires that it be less massive, but even at 100°K a stable disk can have an appreciable fraction ($\text{～}\text{1}\text{3}$) of a solar mass.     

Instability of Electrons Trapped by the Coronal Magnetic Field and Its Evidence in the Fine Structure (Zebra Pattern) of Solar Radio Spectra

Solar radio emission is a significant source of information regarding coronal plasma parameters and the processes occurring in the solar atmosphere. High resolution frequency, space, and time observations together with the developed theory make it possible to retrieve physical conditions in the radiation source and recognize the radiation mechanisms responsible for various kinds of solar radio emission. In particular, the high brightness temperature of many bursts testifies to coherent radiation mechanisms, that is, to plasma instabilities in the corona. As an example, the fine structure of solar radio spectra looking like a set of quasi-harmonic stripes of enhanced and lowered radiation, which is observed against the type IV continuum at the post-flare phase of activity, is considered. It is shown that such emission arises from a trap-like source filled with a weakly anisotropic equilibrium plasma and a small addition of electrons which have a shortage of small velocities perpendicular to the magnetic field. For many recorded events with the mentioned fine spectral structure the instability processes responsible for the observed features are recognized. Namely, the background type IV continuum is due to the loss-cone instability of hot non-equilibrium electrons, and the enhanced striped radiation results from the double-plasma-resonance effect in the regions where the plasma frequency f _p coincides with the harmonics of electron gyrofrequency f _B ; f _p=sf _B . Estimations of the electron number density and magnetic field in the coronal magnetic traps, as well as the electron number density and velocities of hot electrons necessary to excite the radiation with the observed fine structure, are given. It is also shown that in some cases several ensembles of non-equilibrium electrons can coexist in magnetic traps during solar flares and that its radio signature sensitively depends on the parameters of the distribution functions of the various ensembles.     

Loss of magnetic tension in pre-flare magnetic configurations

We demonstrate that magnetic tension vanishes at regions of large magnetic shear on the polarity inversion line. The characteristics of these tension-free fields depend on the density of the medium and, therefore, change as a consequence of instabilities which modify the density. These instabilities may possibly evolve into solar flares. We suggest this as a possible explanation for the observed occurrence of flares at locations of large magnetic shear along the polarity inversion line.     

On the Long-Term Evolution of the Sensitivity of the STEREO HI-1 Cameras

The Heliospheric Imagers (HI) on the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) observe the solar wind and disturbances therein as it propagates from close to the Sun to 1 AU and beyond. In this article we use stellar photometry over much of the mission to date to make a determination of the long-term evolution of the photometric response of the inner (HI-1) cameras. We find very slow degradation rates of the order of 0.1 % per year, similar to those found for HI-2 by Tappin, Eyles and Davies (Solar Phys. 290, 2143, 2015) and significantly slower than rates found for other comparable instruments. We also find that it is necessary to make a small (\({\approx}\,1~\%\)) revision to the photometric calibration parameters used to convert instrument units into physical units. Finally, we briefly discuss the effects of pointing instabilities on the measurement of stellar count rates.     

The solar X-ray corona

The solar corona, and the coronae of solar-type stars, consist of a low-density magnetized plasma at temperatures exceeding 10⁶ K. The primary coronal emission is therefore in the UV and soft x-ray range. The observed close connection between solar magnetic fields and the physical parameters of the corona implies a fundamental role for the magnetic field in coronal structuring and dynamics. Variability of the corona occurs on all temporal and spatial scales—at one extreme, as the result of plasma instabilities, and at the other extreme driven by the global magnetic flux emergence patterns of the solar cycle.     

Resistive effects in the turbulent photosphere and chromosphere

We have investigated the role of finite resistivity effects in the photosphere and chromosphere. We demonstrate that turbulence in the photospheric conductivity gives rise to a resistive instability, as does the gradient in resistivity between the chromospheric layer of the Sun and the photospheric layer, which latter unstable mode is the well known tearing mode of Furth, Killeen and Rosenbluth. In both cases the calculations indicate time scales of the order of seconds or minutes, and we therefore believe that solar flares and spicules can be produced by finite conductivity instabilities. We also demonstrate that the finite resistive diffusion makes it difficult to maintain an initially force-free flux tube in the chromosphere unless the Alfvén speed is sufficiently high and/or the flux tube is sufficiently thick. We also demonstrate that the magnetic fields in the turbulent photosphere becomes trapped by high conductivity regions and this leads to enhancement of the resistive instabilities.Our analysis does not explain the origin of the high-energy particles in solar flares—for this the problem of dynamical acceleration must be investigated.     

A pre-shock event at Jupiter on 30 January 2001

In this paper we analyze a pre-shock event that we observed in the foot region of the quasi-parallel bow shock (BS) that the Cassini spacecraft crossed on 30 January 2001, at about 1030 UT. Before crossing the BS, the incoming solar wind first decelerated, and then the bulk velocity both of the proton and α components increased, the flow accelerated and decelerated, heated and cooled several times. We characterize the plasma in the foot using the data measured by the magnetometer, the radio and plasma wave science (RPWS) instrument, and the Cassini plasma spectrometer (CAPS) being carried onboard the Cassini spacecraft, and analyze the observations. We argue that the velocity and temperature changes can be caused by firehose instabilities excited by ions reflected from the shock. We investigate another possibility, shocklet formation, to account for the observed features, but conclude that this explanation seems to be less likely. In the foot we also identified both backstreaming electrons and ions and electrostatic waves in the 100-1000 Hz range very likely excited by the backstreaming electrons.     

Eclipses Observed by Large Yield RAdiometer (LYRA) – A Sensitive Tool to Test Models for the Solar Irradiance

We analyze the light curves of the recent solar eclipses measured by the Herzberg channel (200?–?220 nm) of the Large Yield RAdiometer (LYRA) onboard Project for OnBoard Autonomy (PROBA2). The measurements allow us to accurately retrieve the center-to-limb variations (CLV) of the solar brightness. The formation height of the radiation depends on the observing angle, so the examination of the CLV provide information about a broad range of heights in the solar atmosphere. We employ the 1D NLTE radiative transfer COde for Solar Irradiance (COSI) to model the measured light curves and corresponding CLV dependencies. The modeling is used to test and constrain the existing 1D models of the solar atmosphere, e.g. the temperature structure of the photosphere and the treatment of the pseudo-continuum opacities in the Herzberg continuum range. We show that COSI can accurately reproduce not only the irradiance from the entire solar disk, but also the measured CLV. Hence it can be used as a reliable tool for modeling the variability of the spectral solar irradiance.     

Evolution of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity Indices, and Their Relationship: 1960?�C?2001

We employ annually averaged solar and geomagnetic activity indices for the period 1960??C?2001 to analyze the relationship between different measures of solar activity as well as the relationship between solar activity and various aspects of geomagnetic activity. In particular, to quantify the solar activity we use the sunspot number R _s, group sunspot number R _g, cumulative sunspot area Cum, solar radio flux F10.7, and interplanetary magnetic field strength IMF. For the geomagnetic activity we employ global indices Ap, Dst and Dcx, as well as the regional geomagnetic index RES, specifically estimated for the European region. In the paper we present the relative evolution of these indices and quantify the correlations between them. Variations have been found in: i) time lag between the solar and geomagnetic indices; ii) relative amplitude of the geomagnetic and solar activity peaks; iii) dual-peak distribution in some of solar and geomagnetic indices. The behavior of geomagnetic indices is correlated the best with IMF variations. Interestingly, among geomagnetic indices, RES shows the highest degree of correlation with solar indices.     

Effective recombination coefficient and solar zenith angle effects on low-latitude D-region ionosphere evaluated from VLF signal amplitude and its time delay during X-ray solar flares

Excess solar X-ray radiation during solar flares causes an enhancement of ionization in the ionospheric D-region and hence affects sub-ionospherically propagating VLF signal amplitude and phase. VLF signal amplitude perturbation (ΔA) and amplitude time delay (Δt) (vis-á-vis corresponding X-ray light curve as measured by GOES-15) of NWC/19.8 kHz signal have been computed for solar flares which is detected by us during Jan–Sep 2011. The signal is recorded by SoftPAL facility of IERC/ICSP, Sitapur (22^° 27′N, 87^° 45′E), West Bengal, India. In first part of the work, using the well known LWPC technique, we simulated the flare induced excess lower ionospheric electron density by amplitude perturbation method. Unperturbed D-region electron density is also obtained from simulation and compared with IRI-model results. Using these simulation results and time delay as key parameters, we calculate the effective electron recombination coefficient (α _eff ) at solar flare peak region. Our results match with the same obtained by other established models. In the second part, we dealt with the solar zenith angle effect on D-region during flares. We relate this VLF data with the solar X-ray data. We find that the peak of the VLF amplitude occurs later than the time of the X-ray peak for each flare. We investigate this so-called time delay (Δt). For the C-class flares we find that there is a direct correspondence between Δt of a solar flare and the average solar zenith angle Z over the signal propagation path at flare occurrence time. Now for deeper analysis, we compute the Δt for different local diurnal time slots DT. We find that while the time delay is anti-correlated with the flare peak energy flux ? _max independent of these time slots, the goodness of fit, as measured by reduced-χ ², actually worsens as the day progresses. The variation of the Z dependence of reduced-χ ² seems to follow the variation of standard deviation of Z along the T _x -R _x propagation path. In other words, for the flares having almost constant Z over the path a tighter anti-correlation between Δt and ? _max was observed.     

Limits for the Firehose Instability in Space Plasmas

Electromagnetic instabilities in high-β plasmas, where β is the ratio of the kinetic plasma energy to the magnetic energy, have a broad range of astrophysical applications. The presence of temperature anisotropies T _∥ /T _⊥ >1 (where ∥ and ⊥ denote directions relative to the background magnetic field) in solar flares and the solar wind is sustained by the observations and robust acceleration mechanisms that heat plasma particles in the parallel direction. The surplus of parallel kinetic energy can excite either the Weibel-like instability (WI) of the ordinary mode perpendicular to the magnetic field or the firehose instability (FHI) of the circularly polarized waves at parallel propagation. The interplay of these two instabilities is examined. The growth rates and the thresholds provided by the kinetic Vlasov – Maxwell theory are compared. The WI is the fastest growing one with a growth rate that is several orders of magnitude larger than that of the FHI. These instabilities are however inhibited by the ambient magnetic field by introducing a temperature anisotropy threshold. The WI admits a larger anisotropy threshold, so that, under this threshold, the FHI remains the principal mechanism of relaxation. The criteria provided here by describing the interplay of the WI and FHI are relevant for the existence of these two instabilities in any space plasma system characterized by an excess of parallel kinetic energy.