The way forward for coronal heating

Ineke De Moortel, Philippa K Browning, Stephen J Bradshaw, Balázs Pintér and Eduard P Kontar consider approaches to the longstanding and enigmatic problem of coronal heating, as presented at the RAS discussion meeting on 11 January 2008.     

基于SAMI2模式的电离层加热模拟

通过在SAMI2模式的电子能量方程中添加人工加热项,数值模拟了在加热条件下磁场线上电子温度与电子密度的扰动情况,并对比了不同加热条件下的扰动效应.结果表明,入射到电离层中的大功率无线电波与等离子体相互作用,能够有效造成整条磁场线上电子温度的升高而产生电子温度扰动,尤其是加热点处,温度可增加3倍多;由于电子温度升高,压力平衡受到破坏,引发等离子体扩散进而导致电子密度扰动;电子密度扰动使得垂直于磁场线的电子密度梯度发生变化,这有可能形成电离层管（Ionosphere duct）;电子温度和电子密度的扰动幅度随着加热时间的推移而减小,即扰动逐渐趋于稳定.电子温度与密度的扰动与加热率存在一种非线性关系.     

电场驱动的日冕数值模拟中时变边界条件研究

时变边界条件的处理对于数据驱动的日冕太阳风建模研究十分重要.本文基于特征边界条件,将松弛型无反射边界处理应用到三维磁流体力学(Magnetohydrodynamics,MHD)方程中,发展出一种自洽的、以切向电场作为数据驱动的时变边界条件,并将其应用于时变日冕太阳风的模拟中.为验证该时变边界条件的有效性,本文连续模拟研究了2187—2189三个卡林顿周的日冕太阳风结构.通过将模拟结果与SOHO、STEREO等卫星的观测结果进行对比研究,发现基于该时变边界条件的日冕太阳风的模拟可以较好地反映出日冕太阳风的大尺度结构及其演化过程,且模拟得到的太阳风参数与卫星观测结果较为吻合.说明本文所发展的时变边界条件可以有效地模拟数据驱动的时变日冕太阳风.

     

The relationship between prominence eruptions and coronal mass ejections

The SOHO observations with LASCO and EIT present an ideal opportunity to study the relationship between prominence eruptions and coronal mass ejections (CME). High-cadence measurements of prominence eruptions demonstrate that the prominence eruption is not generally the cause of the associated CME, but that it is more probable that the destabilisation of the CME in fact releases the constraints on the prominence, causing it to erupt. We report here selected observations of associated CMEs and prominence eruptions covering the period of SOHO operations from mid-January 1996 to October 1999. In addition to the causality, we find that in general the projected speed of the prominence eruption matches fairly closely the projected speed of the associated CME, but it is always lower. Furthermore, the prominence eruption is generally simply one facet of the coronal transient activity, of which there are often several other discrete parts. The prominence eruption is also generally offset in heliolatitude from the centre of the CME.     

Flare coronal loop heating and hard X-ray emission from solar flares of August 23, 2005, and November 9, 2013

The thermal balance and hard X-ray emission of coronal loops for two solar events have been considered in the scope of a “standard” flare model. An important role of the thermal energy release is justified by the event of August 23, 2005, as an example. For the flare of November 9, 2013, it has been established that electrons accelerated at a flare loop top cannot maintain the observed hard X-ray fluxes from the flare footpoints, which indicates that charged particles are additionally accelerated in the chromosphere.

     

Calculation of the Main Parameters of a Magnetic Flux Tube within the Model of Cylindrically Symmetric Equilibria of Two-Component Plasma

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The paper presents an analytical model of a magnetic tube, which is described as a cylindrically symmetric equilibrium state of two-component plasma. The plasma flow is...     

Method for determining the parameters of full halo coronal mass ejections

A method for determining the parameters of halo-type coronal mass ejections (full halo CMEs)—direction of motion, angular size, CME velocity along the Sun-Earth axis, etc.—has been proposed and tested. The method is based on the found empirical dependence between the angular sizes of CMEs located near the sky plane and angular sizes of associated eruptive prominences or post-eruptive arcades as well as on the relationships between the halo CME parameters derived in a simple geometrical CME model. Using this method and the SOHO/LASCO C3 and SOHO/EIT data, the parameters of 33 full halo CMEs have been determined. It is concluded that (1) the trajectories of all considered full halo CMEs deviate with recession of the CME front to R _F > (2–5)R ₀ toward the Sun-Earth axis; (2) the majority of full halo CMEs recorded by LASCO C3 coronagraphs have relatively large angular sizes, 2α > 60°.     

Tectonics of an early Proterozoic geosuture: The Halls Creek orogenic sub-province, northern Australia

The exposed elements of the Lower Proterozoic orogenic belts of the Halls Creek sub-province, Northern Australia, lie in fault zones which have suffered repeated tectonic activity at various times through the Proterozoic and Phanerozoic. The Halls Creek and King Leopold orogenic domains subtend an angle of 80° and are characterized by linear late tectonic batholithic complexes several hundred kilometres long but only a few tens of kilometres wide, reminiscent of those in Phanerozoic Cordilleran orogenies. The associated superposed folding and high temperature metamorphism are more akin to those in Phanerozoic collision orogenies.The sub-province is analyzed in the wider context of the North Australian orogenic province which was deformed, metamorphosed and intruded by granitic plutons approximately 1900-1800 Ma ago. In this province the Archaen basement was extended and broken into a mosaic of blocks, some of which (now largely concealed by younger Kimberley and McArthur basin sediments) retained a more positive character and fed sediment to intervening regions (such as the Pine Creek Geosyncline) which suffered greater extension and subsidence, but which retained a thinned Archaean basement.The Halls Creek Group was deposited in a trough to the south-east of the Kimberley island continent, and deposition was probably broadly contemporaneous with, and continuous with, that in the Pine Creek geosyncline. A volcanic—fine grained clastic—carbonate phase of marine deposition, following basin formation, is represented by the Biscay Formation. During the later phase of basin evolution widespread flysch facies (Olympio Formation), partly derived from the island continent, was deposited and is now preserved in low grade zones on both sides of the main belt of high strain and upper amphibolite to lower granulite facies metamorphism which displays recumbent folding and nappe tectonics with fold axes oblique to the major faults.No island arc compex or paired metamorphic belts are present in the orogenic belts, and it is concluded that the lithospheric extension and subsequent convergence did not involve the generation of oceanic crust or B-subduction.In the Halls Creek domain vergence is south-easterly across all zones and is related to oblique convergence leading to limited A-subduction of the basinal area in the south-east beneath the island continent to the north-west, accompanied by left-lateral strike-slip or transform fault movements on the north-trending major faults. The convergence generated the associated high temperature metamorphism and plutonism on the leading edge of the lower plate.A phase of upright folding (with trends varying continuously form E-W in the King Leopold belt to NNE-SSW in the Halls Creek belt) intervenes between the main recumbent deformation and metamorphism (ca 1920 Ma ago) and the emplacement of the late tectonic granite batholiths (ca 1840 Ma ago) which are fault controlled.The province represents a distinctive type of linear Proterozoic ensialic orogeny, not explicitly identified previously, and it needs to be distinguished both from true collision orogenies of the Phanerozoic, involving a Wilson Cycle, and from the areally extensive Proterozoic orogenies with which it is associated. Its essential characteristics are due to convergence between a small continent and an ‘oceanic’ area underlain by thin continental crust, resulting in limited A-subduction of the latter prior to crustal shortening.     

The effect of gravity on the stability of a line-tied coronal magnetohydrostatic equilibrium

Abstract

The magnetohydrodynamic stability of a class of magnetohydrostatic equilibria is investigated. The effect of gravity is included as well as the stabilising influence of the dense photospheric line-tying.

Although the two-dimensional equilibria exhibit a catastrophe point, when the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure exceeds a critical value, arcade structures, with both footpoints connected to the photosphere, become unstable to three-dimensional disturbances before the catastrophe point is reached.

Numerical results for field lines that are open into the solar corona suggest that they are completely stable. Although there is no definite proof of stability, this would allow the point of non-equilibrium to be reached.     

2004年印尼9级大震的构造成因及回顾性预测研究

认为2004年12月26日印尼9级大震是印尼弧形深海沟的新扩展引起的。讨论了该震发生年份和具体日期的回顾性预测问题。     

The ineffectiveness of Joule heating in the stratosphere

Several papers have recently invoked Joule heating in the stratosphere, generated from electric currents induced by solar wind interactions with Earth, as possibly playing a significant role in warming the polar stratosphere. This commentary assesses the accuracy of that contention and demonstrates that in situ Joule heating can take no significant part in warming the stratosphere, and thus cannot be used to suggest a link between stratospheric temperatures and solar activity.     

基于Chester-Higgs模型探讨摩擦生热对断层演化进程的影响

速率和状态相依赖的摩擦定律是本文采用的重要定律。结合Chester-Higgs摩擦模型和McKenzie-Brune摩擦生热模型,在一维弹簧-滑块-断层近似模型下,利用四阶变步长的Dormand-Prince算法,研究探讨了断层摩擦生热对断层演化的影响。结果表明:与忽略温度影响的情形相比,摩擦生热造成的温度上升可导致断层滑移时刻的略微提前,并伴随着摩擦系数和状态变量的下降,同时也使得断层的滑移量和应力降略有减小,而滑移速率有所增大;另外,在考虑温度影响时,有效正应力和临界滑移距离也会影响断层的演化过程,断层上的有效正应力越大,断层失稳时刻越提前,温度上升越明显;断层的临界滑移距离越大,断层失稳时刻则越迟,温度上升越显著,但当临界滑移距离超过5 cm时,具有不同临界滑移距离的断层,失稳时的温度则基本保持一致。      

The Vertical Deformation and Horizontal Displacement Fields,Movement, and Seismicity of the Island Arc Tectonics

In this work,the vertical deformation,horizontal displacement,and stress fields of arcuate tectonics are theoretically derived from the horizontal tectonic stress; then the characteristics of tectonic movement,seismicity,and focal mechanism of arcuate tectonics of the entire world are explained.It is pointed out that the island arc and other arcuate tectonics are gradually developed under the displacement and stress fields of the arcuate tectonics and that the under-thrusting action of the ocean plate is secondary.The distance formulas between the volcanic arc and the trench are suggested and also that theoretical results are consistent with actual data.     

The langevin model for turbulent diffusion

Abstract

The Lagrangian approach to turbulent diffusion is considered through an improved Langevin model approach. The improved model partially accounts for the interaction between pressure and viscous stresses, an interaction not included in previous studies. The model is used to obtain one and two particle dispersion relations and it permits calculation of Eulerian-Lagrangian scale relations. Turbulence Reynolds number and time span limits for Richardson's law of diffusion are obtained. Non-stationarity of the acceleration between two particles is discussed as it relates to Richardson's law and the conclusions are considered in view of both laboratory and geophysical fluid dynamical data.     

黏弹双相介质中的松弛骨架模型

本文基于Biot理论,考虑了多孔介质中固体骨架的松弛特征,引入了纵波品质因子、横波品质因子与耗散品质因子三参数来描述黏弹双相介质波动方程.采用虚谱法在地震频段进行了波场模拟,模拟结果表明：松弛骨架机制不仅适用于高频段,也可用于解释地震频段下的弹性波衰减现象,以描述固体微细颗粒的中观松弛特征.结合小生境遗传算法对三层模型24个介质参数进行了反演,反演结果表明：无噪波场的反演结果具有较高精度,对于含噪波场,取值在奇异点附近的介质参数反演精度降低.最后,对中国东部某地区的实际资料进行了浅层参数的反演,得到了该地区的表层固体体积模量、固体密度以及品质因子.     

The thermospheric semiannual density response to solar EUV heating

The goal of this study was to characterize the thermospheric semiannual density response to solar heating during the last 35 years. Historical radar observational data have been processed with special orbit perturbations on 28 satellites with perigee heights ranging from 200 to 1100 km. Approximately 225,000 very accurate average daily density values at perigee have been obtained for all satellites using orbit energy dissipation rates. The semiannual variation has been found to be extremely variable from year to year. The magnitude of the maximum yearly difference, from the July minimum to the October maximum, is used to characterize the yearly semiannual variability. It has been found that this maximum difference can vary by as much as 100% from one year to the next. A high correlation has been found between this maximum difference and solar EUV data. The semiannual variation for each year has been characterized based on analyses of annual and semiannual cycles, using Fourier analysis, and equations have been developed to characterize this yearly variability. The use of new solar indices in the EUV and FUV wavelengths is shown to very accurately describe the semiannual July minimum phase shifting and the variations in the observed yearly semiannual amplitude.