Application of the sine-Poisson equation in solar magnetostatics

Solutions of the sine-Poisson equation are used to construct a class of isothermal magnetostatic atmospheres, with one ignorable coordinate corresponding to a uniform gravitational field in a plane geometry. The distributed current in the model j is directed along the x-axis, where x is the horizontal ignorable coordinate. The current j varies as the sine of the magnetostatic potential and falls off exponentially with distance vertical to the base with an e-folding distance equal to the gravitational scale height. We investigate in detail solutions for the magnetostatic potential A corresponding to the one-soliton, two soliton, and breather solutions of the sine-Gordon equation. Depending on the values of the free parameters in the soliton solutions, horizontally, periodic magnetostatic structures are obtained possessing either (a) a single X-type neutral point, (b) multiple neutral X-points, or (c) solutions without X-points. The solution cases (b) and (c) contain two families of intersecting current sheets, in which the line of intersection forms flux concentration points (or singularities) for the magnetic field. The solutions illustrate the contribution of the anisotropic J × B force (B, magnetic field induction), the gravitational force, and the gas pressure gradient to the force balance.     

Similarity considerations and conservation laws for magneto-static atmospheres

The equations of magnetohydrostatic equilibria for a plasma in a gravitational field are investigated analytically. For equilibria with one ignorable spatial coordinate, the equations reduce to a single nonlinear elliptic equation for the magnetic potential A. Similarity solutions of the elliptic equation are obtained for the case of an isothermal atmosphere in a uniform gravitational field. The solutions are obtained from a consideration of the invariance group of the elliptic equation. The importance of symmetries of the elliptic equation also appears in the determination of conservation laws. It turns out that the elliptic equation can be written as a variational principle, and the symmetries of the variational functional lead (via Noether's theorem) to conservation laws for the equation. As an example of the application of the similarity solutions, we construct a model magnetostatic atmosphere in which the current density J is proportional to the cube of the magnetic potential, and falls off exponentially with distance vertical to the base, with an e-folding distance equal to the gravitational scale height. The solutions show the interplay between the gravitational force, the J × B force (B, magnetic field induction) and the gas pressure gradient.     

Painlevé Analysis and Nonlinear Periodic Solutions for Isothermal Magnetostatic Atmospheres

The equations of magnetohydrodynamic equilibria for a plasma in a gravitational field are investigated analytically. For equilibria with one ignorable spatial coordinate, the equations reduce to a single nonlinear elliptic equation for the magnetic potential , known as the Grad–Shafranov equation. Specifying the arbitrary functions in the latter equation, one gets a nonlinear elliptic equation. Analytical solutions of the elliptic equation are obtained for the case of a nonlinear isothermal atmosphere in a uniform gravitational field. The solutions are obtained by using the Painlevé analysis, and are adequate for describing parallel filaments of diffuse, magnetized plasma suspended horizontally in equilibrium in a uniform gravitational field.     

Evaluation of a Selected Case of the Minimum Dissipative Rate Method for Non-Force-Free Solar Magnetic Field Extrapolations

The minimum dissipative rate (MDR) method for deriving a coronal non-force-free magnetic field solution is partially evaluated. These magnetic field solutions employ a combination of three linear (constant-α) force-free-field solutions with one being a potential field (i.e., α=0). The particular case of the solutions where the other two α’s are of equal magnitude but of opposite sign is examined. This is motivated by studying the SOLIS (Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigation of the Sun (SOLIS), a National Solar Observatory facility) vector magnetograms of AR 10987, which show a global α value consistent with an α=0 value as evaluated by (∇×B) _z /B _z over the region. Typical of the current state of the observing technology, there is no definitive twist for input into the general MDR method. This suggests that the special α case, of two α’s with equal magnitudes and opposite signs, is appropriate given the data. Only for an extensively twisted active region does a dominant, nonzero α normally emerge from a distribution of local values. For a special set of conditions, is it found that (i) the resulting magnetic field is a vertically inflated magnetic field resulting from the electric currents being parallel to the photosphere, similar to the results of Gary and Alexander (Solar Phys. 186:123, 1999), and (ii) for α≈(α _max/2), the Lorentz force per unit volume normalized by the square of the magnetic field is on the order of 1.4×10⁻¹⁰ cm⁻¹. The Lorentz force (F _L) is a factor of ten higher than that of the magnetic force d(B ²/8π)/dz, a component of F _L. The calculated photospheric electric current densities are an order of magnitude smaller than the maximum observed in all active regions. Hence both the Lorentz force density and the generated electric current density seem to be physically consistent with possible solar dynamics. The results imply that the field could be inflated with an overpressure along the neutral line. However, the implementation of this or any other extrapolation method using the electric current density as a lower boundary condition must be done cautiously, with the current magnetography.     

A noncanonical analytic solution to theJ 2 perturbed two-body problem

The motion of a satellite subject to an inverse-square gravitational force of attraction and a perturbation due to the Earth's oblateness as theJ ₂ term is analyzed, and a uniform, analytic solution correct to first-order inJ ₂, is obtained using a noncanonical approach. The basis for the solution is the transformation and uncoupling of the differential equations for the model. The resulting solution is expressed in terms of elementary functions of the independent variable (the ‘true anomaly’), and is of a compact and simple form. Numerical results are comparable to existing solutions.     

The magnetic structures of electron phase-space holes formed in the electron two-stream instability

It is well known that the parallel cuts of the parallel and perpendicular electric field in electron phase-space holes (electron holes) have bipolar and unipolar structures, respectively. Recently, electron holes in the Earth’s plasma sheet have been observed by THEMIS satellites to have detectable fluctuating magnetic field with regular structures. Du et al. (2011) investigated the evolution of a one-dimensional (1D) electron hole with two-dimensional (2D) electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations in weakly magnetized plasma (Ω _e <ω _pe , where Ω _e and ω _pe are the electron gyrofrequency and electron plasma frequency, respectively), which initially exists in the simulation domain. The electron hole is unstable to the transverse instability and broken into several 2D electron holes. They successfully explained the observations by THEMIS satellites based on the generated magnetic structures associated with these 2D electron holes. In this paper, 2D electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations are performed in the x–y plane to investigate the nonlinear evolution of the electron two-stream instability in weakly magnetized plasma, where the background magnetic field (B₀ = B₀[(e)\vec] _x)(\mathbf{B}_{0} =B_{0}\vec{\mathbf{e}} _{x}) is along the x direction. Several 2D electron holes are formed during the nonlinear evolution, where the parallel cuts of E _x and E _y have bipolar and unipolar structures, respectively. Consistent with the results of Du et al. (2011), we found that the current along the z direction is generated by the electric field drift motion of the trapped electrons in the electron holes due to the existence of E _y , which produces the fluctuating magnetic field δB _x and δB _y in the electron holes. The parallel cuts of δB _x and δB _y in the electron holes have unipolar and bipolar structures, respectively.     

Solutions and periodicity of satellite relative motion under even zonal harmonics perturbations

Finding relative satellite orbits that guarantee long-term bounded relative motion is important for cluster flight, wherein a group of satellites remain within bounded distances while applying very few formationkeeping maneuvers. However, most existing astrodynamical approaches utilize mean orbital elements for detecting bounded relative orbits, and therefore cannot guarantee long-term boundedness under realistic gravitational models. The main purpose of the present paper is to develop analytical methods for designing long-term bounded relative orbits under high-order gravitational perturbations. The key underlying observation is that in the presence of arbitrarily high-order even zonal harmonics perturbations, the dynamics are superintegrable for equatorial orbits. When only J ₂ is considered, the current paper offers a closed-form solution for the relative motion in the equatorial plane using elliptic integrals. Moreover, necessary and sufficient periodicity conditions for the relative motion are determined. The proposed methodology for the J ₂-perturbed relative motion is then extended to non-equatorial orbits and to the case of any high-order even zonal harmonics (J _2n , n ≥ 1). Numerical simulations show how the suggested methodology can be implemented for designing bounded relative quasiperiodic orbits in the presence of the complete zonal part of the gravitational potential.     

Fe XXI emission line ratios as electron temperature diagnostics for the coronae of cool stars

A method for the reconstruction of the linear force-free magnetic field in a bounded domain (as a rectangular box, ) is presented here. The Dirichlet boundary-value problem for the Helmholtz equation is solved for the B _z component specified at the boundary. Chebyshev's iteration method with the optimal rearrangement of the iteration parameters sequence was used. The solution is obtained as for the positive-definite, and for the non-sign-definite difference analogue of the differential operator ² u + ² u. Specifying two scalar functions, B _x and B _y on the intersection of the lateral part of the boundary with one selected plane z = constant, and using B _z inside the , we have found B _x and B _y throughout .The algorithm was tested with the numerical procedure which gives the analytic solution B of the linear force-free field (LFFF) equations for the dipole in a half-space. The root-mean-square deviation of the analytic solution B from the calculated B does not exceed 1.0%. Boundary conditions for the B calculation were taken as given by the analytic LFFF solution B. Comparison of B with B, which was calculated by the potential non-photospheric boundary conditions, show that they differ significantly. Thus, the specification of boundary conditions at non-photospheric boundaries of the volume under consideration is of particular importance when modeling the LFFF in a bounded volume.The algorithm proposed here allows one to use the information about magnetic fields in the corona for the modeling of LFFF in a limited domain above an active region on the Sun.     

A Nonlinear Force-Free Magnetic Field Approximation Suitable for Fast Forward-Fitting to Coronal Loops. I. Theory

We derive an analytical approximation of nonlinear force-free magnetic field solutions (NLFFF) that can efficiently be used for fast forward-fitting to solar magnetic data, constrained either by observed line-of-sight magnetograms and stereoscopically triangulated coronal loops, or by 3D vector-magnetograph data. The derived NLFFF solutions provide the magnetic field components B _x (x), B _y (x), B _z (x), the force-free parameter α(x), the electric current density j(x), and are accurate to second-order (of the nonlinear force-free α-parameter). The explicit expressions of a force-free field can easily be applied to modeling or forward-fitting of many coronal phenomena.     

On a two-body problem with periodically changing equivalent gravitational parameter

Assigning to the equivalent gravitational parameter of a two-body dynamic system, a periodic change of a small amplitude B and arbitrary frequency and phase, the behaviour of an elliptic-type orbit is studied. The first order (in B) perturbations of the orbital elements are determined by using Delaunay's canonical variables. According to the value of the ratio between oscillation frequency and dynamic frequency, three cases (non-resonant (NR), quasi-resonant (QR), and resonant (R) ones) are pointed out. The solution of motion equations shows that only in the QR and R cases there are elements (argument of pericentre and mean anomaly) affected by secular perturbations. The solutions are valid over prediction times of order of pericentre and mean anomaly) affected by secular perturbations. The solutions are valid over prediction times of order B⁻¹ in the NR case and B^−1/2 in the QR and R cases.     

The motion of artificial satellites in the set of Eulerian redundant parameters

In this paper, the connections between orbit dynamics and rigid body dynamics are established throughout the Eulerian redundant parameters, the perturbation equations for any conic motion of artificial satellites are derived in terms of these parameters. A general recursive and stable computational algorithm is also established for the initial-value problem of the Eulerian parameters for satellites prediction in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry. Applications of the algorithm are considered for the two cases of short and long term predictions. For the short-term prediction, we consider the problem of the final state prediction of some typical ballistic missiles in the geopotential model with zonal harmonic terms up to J ₃₆, while for the long-term prediction, we consider the perturbed J ₂ motion of Explorer 28 over 100 revolutions.     

Preprocessing of Vector Magnetograph Data for a Nonlinear Force-Free Magnetic Field Reconstruction

Knowledge regarding the coronal magnetic field is important for the understanding of many phenomena, like flares and coronal mass ejections. Because of the low plasma beta in the solar corona, the coronal magnetic field is often assumed to be force-free and we use photospheric vector magnetograph data to extrapolate the magnetic field into the corona with the help of a nonlinear force-free optimization code. Unfortunately, the measurements of the photospheric magnetic field contain inconsistencies and noise. In particular, the transversal components (say B _x and B _y) of current vector magnetographs have their uncertainties. Furthermore, the magnetic field in the photosphere is not necessarily force free and often not consistent with the assumption of a force-free field above the magnetogram. We develop a preprocessing procedure to drive the observed non–force-free data towards suitable boundary conditions for a force-free extrapolation. As a result, we get a data set which is as close as possible to the measured data and consistent with the force-free assumption.     

Light and colour curve observations and analysis of the short period eclipsing binary system UV Psc

In the present work we have presented and analysedB andV light curves and the (B-V)-colour curve of the short period (RS CVn type) binary system UV Psc, and derived absolute information from the available data.x ² minimization procedures were utilized to a large extent in fitting light and colour curves.The solutions show the binary to be at a distance of about 90 pc with two detached components which are close to the main sequence (G2 and K0). The inclination of the orbit is close to 90°Photometric irregularities present in the light curve are briefly considered in relation to current ideas on RS CVn systems, and the colour information indicates a locally hotter (rather than cooler) region is responsible for the irregularities.     

Nonlinear spinor field in Bianchi type-I Universe filled with viscous fluid: numerical solutions

We consider a system of nonlinear spinor and a Bianchi type I gravitational fields in presence of viscous fluid. The nonlinear term in the spinor field Lagrangian is chosen to be λ F, with λ being a self-coupling constant and F being a function of the invariants I an J constructed from bilinear spinor forms S and P. Self-consistent solutions to the spinor and BI gravitational field equations are obtained in terms of τ, where τ is the volume scale of BI universe. System of equations for τ and ε, where ε is the energy of the viscous fluid, is deduced. This system is solved numerically for some special cases.      

Periodic elliptic motions in a planar restricted (N+1)-body problem

LetN2 mass points (primaries) move on a collinear solution of relative equilibrium of theN-body problem; i.e. suitably fixed on a uniformly rotating straight line. Consider the motion of a massless particle in the gravitational field of these primaries with arbitrarily given masses. An existence proof for periodic solutions (i.e. closed trajectories in a rotating coordinate system) will be given, in which the particle performs nearly keplerian elliptic motions about (and close to) any one of the primaries.     

The study of toroidal magnetic configurations in a spherically symmetric gravitational field with applications to coronal loops and transients

One procedure for solving MHD equations is to search for a solution in an area that is restricted by boundary surfaces. This procedure requires the magnetic field to be truncated on the boundary. As a result, boundary current sheets appear. This approach is certainly acceptable for laboratory plasma experiments in which these surfaces are made of metal. For astrophysically relevant plasma, an alternative approach has been formulated by the author. We require the total magnetic energy,W, to be finite and, simultaneously, the magnetic fieldB to be continuous. The proposed approach leads to an eigenvalue problem that is treated analytically. The complete set of exact MHD solutions with multi-toroidal structure is obtained. These solutions are applied to coronal loops and transients, using the similarity assumption for time-dependent solutions.The derived pressure and density excess distributions are discussed. The estimation of the total mass excess, as well as the minimum value of the magnetic field intensity, is demonstrated. An indirect way of obtaining magnetic field measurements for transients, based on the developed model, is proposed.     

On neutral sheets in the solar wind

The structure and dynamics of neutral sheets in the solar wind is examined. The internal magnetic topology of the sheet is argued to be that of thin magnetic tongues greatly distended outward by the expansion inside the sheet. Due to finite conductivity effects, outward flow takes place across field lines but is retarded relative to the ambient solar wind by the reverse J×B force. The sheet thickness as well as the internal transverse magnetic field are found to be proportional to the electrical conductivity to the inverse one third power. Estimating a conductivity appropriate for a current carried largely by the ions perpendicular to the magnetic field, we find sheet dimensions of the order of 500km representative for the inner solar corona. For a radial field of strength 1/2G at 2R , the transverse field there is about 2 × 10^–3G and decreases outward rapidly.The energy release in the form of Joulean dissipation inside the sheet is estimated. It is concluded that ohmic heating in current sheets is not a significant source of energy for the overall solar wind expansion, mainly because these structures occupy only a small percentage of the total coronal volume. However, the local energy release through this mechanism is found to be large - in fact, over 7 times that expected to be supplied by thermal conduction. Therefore, ohmic heating is probably a dominant energy source for the dynamical conditions within the sheet itself.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Stochastic gravitational fluctuations of stellar or galactic systems with a fractal distribution of field sources

The stochastic gravitational fluctuations for a fractal mass distribution are analyzed by means of a functional integral approach. A general method is developed for evaluating the stochastic properties of vectorial additive random fields generated by a variable number of point sources obeying inhomogeneous Poisson statistics. A closed expression for the generating functional of the field is given in terms of the generating functional of the sources. The moments of the resulting vectorial field are finite if the correlation functions of the sources have short tails. In this case all cumulants of the field can be computed exactly: they are averages of the central moments of sources computed in terms of the probability density of the position of a source. The method is applied for analyzing the stochastic gravitational fluctuations generated by a fractal distribution of field sources (stars or galaxies). For a Newtonian force law the correlation functions of the sources are slowly decaying, the cumulants of the stochastic gravitational field are infinite and the probability density of the field intensityF is given by a Lévy fractal stable law with a scaling exponentH depending on the fractal dimensiond _f of the distribution of stars or galaxies:H =d _f /2.     

Magnetized cosmological model in Lyra manifold

A spatially-homogeneous and anisotropic magnetized cosmological model in Lyra's manifold is obtained when the source of the gravitational field is a perfect fluid distribution. The magnetic field is due to an electric current produced along thex-axis. The physical behaviour of the model is discussed.     

The Parker Problem and the Theory of Coronal Heating

To illustrate his theory of coronal heating, Parker initially considers the problem of disturbing a homogeneous vertical magnetic field that is line-tied across two infinite horizontal surfaces. It is argued that, in the absence of resistive effects, any perturbed equilibrium must be independent of z. As a result random footpoint perturbations give rise to magnetic singularities, which generate strong Ohmic heating in the case of resistive plasmas. More recently these ideas have been formalized in terms of a magneto-static theorem but no formal proof has been provided. In this paper we investigate the Parker hypothesis by formulating the problem in terms of the fluid displacement. We find that, contrary to Parker's assertion, well-defined solutions for arbitrary compressibility can be constructed which possess non-trivial z-dependence. In particular, an analytic treatment shows that small-amplitude Fourier disturbances violate the symmetry ∂_z = 0 for both compact and non-compact regions of the (x, y) plane. Magnetic relaxation experiments at various levels of gas pressure confirm the existence and stability of the Fourier mode solutions. More general footpoint displacements that include appreciable shear and twist are also shown to relax to well-defined non-singular equilibria. The implications for Parker's theory of coronal heating are discussed.