Polarization of compressible turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind plasma

Compressible fluctuations in solar wind plasma are analyzed on the basis of the 1995–2010 WIND and Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft data. In the low-speed solar wind (V ₀ < 430 km/s), correlations between fluctuations in the magnetic field direction and plasma density, as well as between velocity fluctuations and plasma density, are found. The covariance functions of these parameters calculated as functions of the local magnetic field direction are axially symmetric relative to the axis, which is oriented nearly along the regular magnetic field of the heliosphere (the Parker spiral). Fluctuations in the magnetic field and velocity are polarized in the plane that is orthogonal to the axis of symmetry. Plasma oscillations of these properties can be caused by fast magnetosonic waves propagating from the Sun along the Parker spiral.     

Analysis of large-scale horizontal velocities and the magnetic field on the sun during fast reorganization periods

The velocity field of large-scale magnetic structures during fast reorganizations of the global solar magnetic field structure has been analyzed. Some characteristic features of the velocity field have been found during these periods. At that time, a considerable part of the solar surface is occupied by regions with low horizontal velocities, which correspond to the regions of positive and negative velocity field divergence during the solar activity growth and decline phases, respectively. Such character of changes in the velocity field during these periods agrees with the previously proposed scenario of magnetic field variations during global reorganizations of the magnetic field structure. The average horizontal velocities during a Carrington rotation and their divergence have been calculated for Carrington rotations from 1646 to 2006. Relatively slow regular variations in these parameters as well as their abrupt changes, observed during different solar cycle phases, have been revealed. An increase in the average horizontal velocity during the solar activity growth phase is most probably caused by relative motions of the regions with a new emerging magnetic flux. We assume that abrupt increases in the average horizontal velocity divergence are related to fast reorganizations of the magnetic field structure.     

Model of Transport of Large-Scale Magnetic Field Fluctuations in the Solar Wind

We consider a model that couples the magnetic field fluctuations in the heliosphere with random shifts of force line footpoints on the Sun. This model generalizes the Giacalone (2001) model by taking into account the large-scale inhomogeneity of the solar wind velocity. This generalization aims to explain a number of specific features of the distribution of IMF directions, such as the change in the asymmetry of the distribution of IMF directions as a function of heliographic latitude and the solar cycle phase and the correlation of azimuthal angles and inclinations of the IMF; the sign of this correlation changes during the solar magnetic cycle. The simulation results have shown that the gradients of the solar wind speed can actually explain these specific features of the distribution of IMF directions, at least qualitatively.     

Selected solar wind parameters at 1 AU through two solar activity cycles

In situ measurements of the solar wind largely cover more than two solar magnetic activity cycles, namely 20 and 21. This is a very appealing opportunity to study the influence of the activity cycle on the behaviour of the solar wind parameters. As a matter of fact, many authors so far have studied this topic comparing the long-term magnetic field and plasma averages. However, when the average values are evaluated on a data sample whose duration is comparable with (or even longer than) the solar rotation period we lose information about the contribution due to the fast and the slow solar wind components. Thus, discriminating in velocity plays a key role in understanding solar cycle effects on the solar wind. Based on these considerations, we performed a separate analysis for fast and slow wind, respectively. In particular, we found that: (a) fast wind carries a slightly larger momentum flux density at 1 AU, probably due to dynamic stream-stream interaction; (b) proton number density in slow wind is more cycle dependent than in fast wind and decreases remarkably across solar maximum; (c) fast wind generally carries a magnetic field intensity stronger than that carried by the slow wind; (d) we found no evidence for a positive correlation between velocity and field intensity as predicted by some theories of solar wind acceleration; (e) our results would support an approximately constant divergence of field lines associated with corotating high-velocity streams.     

行星际扰动和地磁活动对GEO相对论电子影响

利用1988—2010年小时平均的GOES卫星数据,对地球同步轨道(GEO)相对论电子变化进行了统计分析,研究了相对论电子通量(Fe)增强事件的发展过程,探讨了利于相对论电子通量增强的太阳风和地磁活动条件.主要结论如下:(1)GEO相对论电子通量即使是峰值,也具有明显的地方时特性,最大电子通量出现在磁正午时.午/夜电子通量比率随着太阳风速度(Vsw)增加而增大;在Dst-50nT时相对论电子具有规则的地方时变化.在太阳活动下降相,电子通量与各参数的相关性较好,与其相关性最好的Vsw、Kp指数以及三次根号下的太阳风密度(N)分别出现在电子通量前39~57h、57~80h和12~24h.(2)强(日平均电子通量峰值Femax≥104 pfu)相对论电子事件,在距离太阳活动谷年前两年左右和春秋分期间发生率最高,较弱(104Femax≥103 pfu)事件无此特点;大部分强相对论电子事件中,电子通量在磁暴主相开始增加,较弱事件中则在恢复相开始回升.(3)太阳风密度变化对相对论电子事件的发展具有重要指示作用.电子通量在太阳风密度极大值后0~1天达到极小值,太阳风密度极小值后0~2天达到极大值.(4)90%以上相对论电子事件是在磁暴及高速太阳风的条件下发生的,与其伴随的行星际参数和地磁活动指数极值满足以下条件:Vswmax516km/s,Dstmin-31nT,Nmin2.8cm-3,Nmax14.1cm-3,Bzmin-2.9nT,AEmax698nT.(5)磁暴过程中,Dstmin后日平均电子通量大于103 pfu的发生概率为53%左右,强/弱相对论电子事件占总数比例分别为36%/64%左右,磁暴强度对其无影响.磁暴过程中的Vsw、N和AE指数大小对于能否引起相对论电子增强起着指示作用.     

Generation of magnetic field Pc5 pulsations and particle fluxes during the recovery phase of a magnetic storm on October 31, 2003

The spatial structure of intensive Pc5 pulsations of the geomagnetic field and riometer absorption during the recovery phase of a strong magnetic storm that occurred on October 31, 2003, have been considered in detail. The global structure of disturbances has been analyzed based on a global network of magnetometers and riometers supplemented by the data of magnotometers and particle detectors on geostationary satellites GOES and LANL. The local spatial structure was studied by the data of a regional network of Finland vertical riometers and the stations at the IMAGE magnetic network. Quasiperiodic variations in the magnetic field and riometer absorption are generally similar and have a close frequency composition; nevertheless, their local spatial structures are different, as a result of which the concept that riometer absorption pulsations represent a purely modulation process is doubtful. It is assumed that the observed variations are oscillations of two related systems: the magnetospheric MHD waveguide/resonator and systems including cyclotron noise and electrons. Geomagnetic Pc5 oscillations during the recovery phase of a strong magnetic storm supposedly result from the generation of the magnetospheric waveguide on magnetospheric flanks. An analysis of azimuthal propagation phase velocities indicates that these oscillations depend on intramagnetospheric parameters rather than on the solar wind velocity. The magnetospheric waveguide is in a metastable state when solar wind velocities are high, and the quasiperiodic fluctuations of the solar wind pressure stimulate the excitation of the waveguide.     

北极涛动低空大气环流特征及其与太阳活动的联系

通过北极涛动AO正负位相时期北半球1000 hPa月平均位势高度、位势高度距平和气温月距平图对比分析可知,北极区域异常增暖时期对应着AO负位相时期,而北极区域异常偏冷时期对应着AO正位相时期,说明北极区域气温异常变化是决定AO异常变化的重要因子.逐次滤波法分析可知,冬季1月北极涛动现象表现出十分清楚的与太阳活动密切联系的准110a世纪周期和准22a年代际周期,具体表现为：（1）冬季1月北极涛动现象具有十分清楚的与太阳活动密切联系的准110a世纪周期.准110a世纪周期对于北极涛动指数的方差贡献率达到44.4%,是冬季1月北极涛动现象最显著的世纪际变化特征.（2）谱分析结果表明,滤除准110a世纪周期变化以后的1月北极涛动指数具有显著的22a周期,其方差贡献率达到18.5%,乃仅次于准110a世纪周期之后北极涛动指数年代际变化重要特征.对比分析表明,太阳活动尤其是太阳磁场磁性指数变化与1月北极涛动22a周期变化呈密切的反相关关系,二者变化趋势基本相反,即多数情况当太阳磁性指数MI由最低值转为上升以后都可引起北极涛动AO由最高值转为下降;当太阳磁性指数MI由最高值转为下降以后都可引起北极涛动AO由最低值转为上升.综上所述,北极涛动的准110a世纪周期变化、22a年代际周期变化对于北极涛动方差贡献率达到62.9%,标志着太阳活动是北极涛动的重要驱动因子.     

Dynamics and local boundary properties of the dawn-side magnetopause under conditions observed by Equator-S

Magnetic field measurements, taken by the magnetometer experiment (MAM) on board the German Equator-S spacecraft, have been used to identify and categorise 131 crossings of the dawn-side magnetopause at low latitude, providing unusual, long duration coverage of the adjacent magnetospheric regions and near magnetosheath. The crossings occurred on 31 orbits, providing unbiased coverage over the full range of local magnetic shear from 06:00 to 10:40 LT. Apogee extent places the spacecraft in conditions associated with intermediate, rather than low, solar wind dynamic pressure, as it processes into the flank region. The apogee of the spacecraft remains close to the magnetopause for mean solar wind pressure. The occurrence of the magnetopause encounters are summarised and are found to compare well with predicted boundary location, where solar wind conditions are known. Most scale with solar wind pressure. Magnetopause shape is also documented and we find that the magnetopause orientation is consistently sunward of a model boundary and is not accounted for by IMF or local magnetic shear conditions. A number of well-established crossings, particularly those at high magnetic shear, or exhibiting unusually high-pressure states, were observed and have been analysed for their boundary characteristics and some details of their boundary and near magnetosheath properties are discussed. Of particular note are the occurrence of mirror-like signatures in the adjacent magnetosheath during a significant fraction of the encounters and a high number of multiple crossings over a long time period. The latter is facilitated by the spacecraft orbit which is designed to remain in the near magnetosheath for average solar wind pressure. For most encounters, a well-ordered, tangential (draped) magnetosheath field is observed and there is little evidence of large deviations in local boundary orientations. Two passes corresponding to close conjunctions of the Geotail spacecraft are analysed to confirm boundary orientation and motion. These further show evidence of an anti-sunward moving depression on the magnetopause (which is much smaller at Equator-S). The Tsyganenko model field is used routinely to assist in categorising the crossings and some comparison of models is carried out. We note that typically the T87 model fits the data better than the T89 model during conditions of low to intermediate K_p index near the magnetopause and also near the dawn-side tail current sheet in the dawnside region.     

Galactic cosmic ray fluctuation parameter as an indicator of the degree of magnetic field inhomogeneity

The parameter of cosmic ray fluctuations, which indicates the degree of IMF inhomogeneity, was introduced in order to quantitatively describe the dynamics of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity fluctuations during the geoeffective phases of the 11-year cycle. The 5-min data of the high-latitude neutron monitor at Oulu station (Finland) during cycles 20–23 was used in the calculations. The nonrandom non-Gaussian character of the GCR fluctuation parameter is caused by the nonstationary semiannual variation reflecting the transient nonstationary oscillatory process of sign reversal of the general solar magnetic field. This transient oscillatory process is responsible for the maximal geoeffectiveness and duration of the phase of polarity reversal, which manifests itself in a sharp and deep GCR intensity minimum during the final stage of the field sign reversal. The invariant of the 11-year “amplitude-duration” cycle was confirmed on a new basis: the LF drift of the “low” cycle period was detected, which was observed in an increase in the duration of cycle 23 we anticipated.     

A multifactor analysis of parameters controlling solar wind ion flux correlations using an artificial neural network technique

Solar wind plasma and magnetic field observations from multiple spacecraft can be used to separate temporal and spatial variations and to determine the accuracy of predictions of solar wind conditions near Earth based on distant-spacecraft measurements. The study of correlations between the ion fluxes measured by three spatially separated spacecraft (IMP 8, WIND and INTERBALL-1) was one of the first steps in this direction. This paper describes a complex multifactor analysis of different physical, geometrical, and statistical parameters that control such correlations (considered separately and in combination). A linear-regression and an artificial neural network techniques are used for this analysis. The analysis is applied to an extensive array of correlation coefficients for the ion flux in the solar wind and provides estimates of the relative significance of the factors that control these correlation coefficients. The study shows that the most influential parameters are the solar wind density and the standard deviations of solar wind density, solar wind velocity and interplanetary magnetic field. This set of parameters permits us to develop a sufficiently accurate (with a relative error of less than a few per cent) quantitative model for the correlation between the ion fluxes measured on two spatially separated spacecraft.     

The statistical and numerical study of the global distribution of coronal plasma and magnetic field near 2.5 Rs over a 10-year period

The basic characteristics of the global distribution for the corona plasma and magnetic field near 2.5 Rs are analyzed with the statistical and numerical methods for 136 Carrington Rotations (CRs) covering four different phases of solar activity. By using the observational data and the velocity distribution model in the corona, the statistical average distribution of the magnetic field, density and the coronal mass outputs are analyzed for the four different phases. Then, a numerical study of the global distribution near 2.5 Rs has been made by solving a self-consistent MHD system. Finally, the solar wind speed at 1 AU is given by mapping the speed at 2.5 Rs to that near 1 AU, and the comparison of the numerical results with the observational measurements and the simulation result of the Wang–Sheeley–Arge (WSA) model are made during more than 5 years. The numerical results indicate that the global distributions on the source surface of 2.5 Rs at different phases of solar activity could be used to predict the change of the solar wind in interplanetary space.     

Pc3 pulsations during variable IMF conditions

Pc3 geomagnetic field fluctuations detected at low latitude (L’Aquila, Italy) during the passage of a high velocity solar wind stream, characterized by variable interplanetary magnetic field conditions, are analyzed. Higher frequency resonant fluctuations and lower frequency phenomena are simultaneously observed; the intermittent appearance and the variable frequency of the longer period modes can be well interpreted in terms of the variable IMF elements; moreover their polarization characteristics are consistent with an origin related to external waves propagating in antisunward direction. A comparison with simultaneous observations performed at Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) provides additional evidence for a clear relationship between the IMF and Pc3 pulsations also at very high latitudes.     

Response of the geomagnetic activity to solar wind turbulence during solar cycle 23

The solar wind–magnetosphere coupled system is characterized by dynamical processes. Recent works have shown that nonlinear couplings and turbulence might play a key role in the study of solar wind–magnetosphere interaction processes.Within this framework, this study presents a statistical analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between solar wind MHD turbulence and geomagnetic activity at high and low latitudes as measured by the AE and SYM-H indices, respectively. This analysis has been performed for different phases of solar cycle 23. The state of turbulence was characterized by means of 2-D histograms of the normalized cross-helicity and the normalized residual energy. The geomagnetic response was then studied in relation to those histograms.The results found clearly show that, from a statistical point of view, solar cycle 23 is somewhat peculiar. Indeed, good Alfvénic correlations are found unexpectedly even during solar activity maximum. This fact has implications on the geomagnetic response as well since a statistical relationship is found between Alfvénic fluctuations and auroral activity. Conversely, solar wind turbulence does not seem to play a relevant role in the geomagnetic response at low latitudes.     

太阳风中磁场与等离子体流耦合的探讨

本文在忽略太阳风中磁场对粒子流温度影响的情况下,利用了两个研究太阳风的二元流体模型的结果,计算分析并讨论了在1AU内太阳赤道面附近,考虑磁场与等离子体流耦合后,各太阳风参数的变化情况。结果表明,太阳风中磁场对等离子休流的作用在方位角向较显著;磁场使太阳风方位角速度在1AU处的值可达到1.85km/s;低速太阳风的角动量主要由其中的磁场携带,磁场能逐步将其角动量传输给等离子体流。     

Forecast of the solar wind velocity and the interplanetary magnetic field radial component polarity at the phase of decay of solar cycle 23

The solar wind velocity and polarity of the B _x-component of the interplanetary magnetic field have been analyzed for the first eight months of 2005. The interplanetary magnetic field had a four-sector structure, which persisted during nine Carrington rotations. Three stable clusters of a high-speed solar wind stream and one cluster of a low-speed stream were observed during one solar rotation. These clusters were associated with the interplanetary magnetic field sectors. The predicted solar wind velocity was calculated since July 2005 one month ahead as an average over several preceding Carrington rotations. The polarity of the B _x-component of the interplanetary magnetic field was predicted in a similar way based on the concept of the sector structure of the magnetic field and its relation to maxima of the solar wind velocity. The results indicate a satisfactory agreement of the forecast for two rotations ahead in July–August 2005 and pronounced violation of agreement for the next rotation due to a sudden reconfiguration of the solar corona and strong sporadic processes in September 2005.     

Seasonal and solar cycle variations of the auroral electrojet indices

Using hourly mean auroral electrojet indices for the past 20 years, we examine the seasonal and solar cycle variations of the AU and AL indices as well as the smaller time-scale fluctuations in these indices. The AU and AL indices maximize during summer and equinoctial months, respectively. By removing the effects of the solar conductance from the AU index, it is found that the electric field contribution to the AU index exhibits the same semiannual variation pattern as the AL index, indicating that the semiannual magnetic variations are controlled by the electric field. Since the auroral electrojets are mostly Hall currents flowing in the east–west direction, the fluctuations of the auroral electrojet indices can be interpreted in terms of fluctuations in the north–south component of the electric field and the Hall conductance. The AU fluctuation is largely due to that of the electric field, while the AL fluctuation is attributed to both the electric field and Hall conductance with their contributions being comparable. The high fluctuation of AL compared to that of AU is attributed to particle precipitation associated with substorm activity. However, the fluctuations of the electric field and conductance do not show any noticeable seasonal dependence. The variation pattern of the yearly mean AL index follows the mirror image of the AU index during the past 20 years, indicating that the absolute values of the two indices are proportional to each other. This suggests again that the electric field is the main modulator of magnetic disturbance. On the other hand, they show a tendency to become higher during the declining phase of the solar cycle. This is the same variation pattern confirmed from the aa index. However, the fluctuations of the electric field and the Hall conductance do not show any apparent dependence on the solar cycle.     

An extended structure-function model and its application to the analysis of solar wind intermittency properties

An extended structure-function model is developed by including the new effect in the p-model of Meneveau and Sreenivasan which shows that the averaged energy cascade rate changes with scale, a situation which has been found to prevail in nonfullydeveloped turbulence in the inner solar wind. This model is useful for the small-scale fluctuations in the inner heliosphere, where the turbulence is not fully developed and cannot be explained quantitatively by any of the previous intermittency turbulence models. With two model parameters, the intrinsic index of the energy spectrum <alpha>, and the fragmentation fraction P ₁, the model can fit, for the first time, all the observed scaling exponents of the structure functions, which are calculated for time lags ranging from 81 s to 0.7 h from the Helios solar wind data. From the cases we studied we cannot establish for P ₁ either a clear radial evolution trend, or a solar-wind-speed or stream-structure dependence or a systematic anisotropy for both the flow velocity and magnetic field component fluctuations. Generally, P ₁ has values between 0.7 and 0.8. However, in some cases in low-speed wind P ₁ has somewhat higher values for the magnetic components, especially for the radial component. In high-speed wind, the inferred intrinsic spectral indices (<alpha>) of the velocity and magnetic field components are about equal, while the experimental spectral indices derived from the observed power spectra differ. The magnetic index is somewhat larger than the index of the velocity spectrum. For magnetic fluctuations in both high- and low-speed winds, the intrinsic exponent <alpha> has values which are near 1.5, while the observed spectral exponent has much higher values. In the solar wind with considerable density fluctuations near the interplanetary current sheet near 1 AU, it is found that P ₁ has a comparatively high value of 0.89 for V _x . The impact of these results on the understanding of the nature of solar wind fluctuations is discussed, and the limitations in using structure functions to study intermittency are also described.     

Long-term solar wind variations in the 20th–23rd solar activity cycles according to radio-astronomical data

We analyzed the variations of the interplanetary plasma parameters, obtained from radio astronomical observations of scintillations of cosmic radio sources during four 11-year cycles of solar activity, from 1966 to present. It is shown that the state of the interplanetary plasma permanently changes in conformity with cyclicity in the solar activity. In the studied time period, besides the 11-year variations in the velocity and scintillation index, there is also an increasing linear trend of these variables, which is presumably due to a secular 80–90-year cycle of solar activity. The observed differences between the 11-year variations and trends in the solar wind velocity and interplanetary scintillation index suggest that the 11-year and secular cycles have different origins. It is found that these trends occur in this time period in each link of the Sun-Earth system: in the solar activity indices, in the characteristics of the interplanetary medium, and practically in all characteristics of the geophysical, demographical, medical, and other Earth’s processes. From the entire set of facts we can conclude that most of the analyzed Earth’s processes are dominated not by anthropogenic factors, but by the effects of the secular cyclic processes of the solar activity.     

Geomagnetic pulsations and magnetic disturbances during the initial phase of a strong magnetic storm of May 15, 2005

A very strong magnetic storm of May 15, 2005, was caused by an interplanetary magnetic cloud that approached the Earths’ orbit. The sheath region of this cloud was characterized by a high solar wind density (～25–30 cm^?3) and velocity (～850 km/s) and strong variations (to ～20 nT) in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). It has been indicated that an atypical bay-like geomagnetic disturbance was observed during the initial phase of this storm in a large longitudinal region at high latitudes: from the morning to evening sectors of the geomagnetic local time. Increasing in amplitude, the magnetic bay rapidly propagated to the polar cap latitudes up to the geomagnetic pole. An analysis of the global space-temporal dynamics of geomagnetic pulsations in the frequency band 1–6 mHz indicated that most intense oscillations were observed in the morning sector in the region of the equivalent ionospheric current at latitudes of about 72°–76°. The wavelet structure of magnetic pulsations in the polar cap and fluctuations in IMF was generally similar to the maximum at frequencies lower than 4 mHz. This can indicate that waves directly penetrated into the polar cap from the solar wind.     

Response of the high-latitude polar ionosphere to changes in the orientation of the Poynting vector near the Earth orbit relative to the geomagnetic moment orientation

The effect of the mutual orientation of the Poynting vector P of the electromagnetic energy density in the solar wind and the vector M of the Earth’s magnetic moment (taking into account its orbital and diurnal motions) on the geomagnetic activity has been examined for the first time using the measurements of the solar wind parameters on the Earth orbit in 1963–2005. The component P _m of the vector P along the vector M is shown to have a pronounced annual variation with the extrema in November and May and a diurnal variation with the extrema at ∼6 and 18 UT. The phases of the variations are shown to be determined only by the geometric parameters and are independent of the sign of the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field. The experimental data on the planetary and high-latitude geomagnetic activity, which is a response to changes in the orientation of P relative to M, are presented. The power of the sources of the electromagnetic energy of the solar wind during strong geomagnetic disturbances is also estimated.