Dynamics of the plasmasphere in the dusk sector as observed in the outer ionosphere

Summary Direct measurements of the thermal plasma parameters in the topside ionosphere reveal variations of the plasmasphere boundary in the dusk sector. The ACTIVE satellite's near-polar orbits at altitudes of 500 – 1800 km around winter solstice 1989 were used to study the bulge region of the plasmasphere during intervals with different levels of geomagnetic agitation. The narrow, sharply defined trough in electron concentration corresponding to the plasmapause under quiet conditions situated at L = 6 – 7 moved to lower L-values with increasing geomagnetic activity. This narrow trough can be found in all main ion constituents. During periods of moderate geomagnetic activity, following the onset of a weak magnetic storm, a portion of the plasmaspheric bulge region was separated from the main plasmaspheric body. This can be seen in the outer ionosphere as an inner narrow trough at lower L-value. Troughs in light ions need no longer coincide with this in electron concentration. He⁺ is the most sensitive constituent reflecting the dusk sector plasmaspheric situation at this altitude.Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Karel P     

Use of the physically based modeling to choose an adequate method for determining the plasmapause position

From the data on the cold plasma measurements onboard the INTERBALL-1 spacecraft (1995–2000), the plasmapause positions determined from the most frequently used formal criterion—a fivefold or higher decrease in plasma density with an increase in the L-shell by 0.5—and visually from the measured energy spectra of thermal protons have been analyzed and compared. The difference in the results of the both empiric techniques makes it possible to estimate the thickness of the boundary layer of the plasmasphere. The model of the Earth’s plasmasphere developed earlier by the authors (Verigin et al., 2012; Kotova et al., 2015) based on the theoretical expressions makes it possible to reconstruct the plasma distribution throughout the plasmasphere from the measurements along a single pass of the orbiter and to find the plasmapause position defined as the last closed stream line. Comparison of the plasmapause position obtained with empirical techniques to the position of this boundary calculated with physically based models of the plasma distribution in the plasmasphere has shown that the modeled position of the plasmapause approximately coincides with that determined from the formal criterion described above.     

The Earth’s plasmasphere: State of studies (a Review)

The main results of the experimental and theoretical studies of the Earth’s plasmasphere physics obtained until the present are reviewed. The review is aimed at attracting attention of scientists to studying this region of the Earth’s magnetosphere since many problems of the plasmasphere physics, first of all, the problems of plasmapause formation and plasmasphere filling and erosion, which are of importance in understanding the relation of the processes proceeding in the Sun and solar wind to the processes observed in the Earth’s ionosphere and atmosphere, remain unclear.     

Tidal components of geomagnetic variations

The natural geomagnetic field is constantly disturbed. The total registered effect of geomagnetic variations depends on both planetary and local processes. Planetary sources and sources in the Earth’s core respond to tidal effects. In the accepted model, the complex MHD processes in the Earth’s outer core are approximated by the assumed ring current in the equatorial plain of the liquid core. The geomagnetic variation originating as a result of tidal deformations of ring currents are ～10^?4 and 0.10–1 nT in the liquid core and magnetosphere, respectively. The calculated values coincide in order of magnitude with the processed geomagnetic measurements at Paratunka observatory (Kamchatka region).     

地球等离子体层顶与地磁活动的关系研究

本文利用IMAGE卫星EUV相机观测的等离子体层图像,并采用最小L算法反演磁赤道面等离子体层顶位置.文中选取了2000-2002年间的3579幅等离子体层图像,并反演得到了时间间隔为1 h的等离子体层顶位置数据库,包含48899个等离子体层顶位置数据.利用该数据库统计研究了等离子体层顶位形随地磁活动的变化特性.统计发现等离子体层顶高度依赖地磁活动,与地磁指数Kp、Dst和AE均呈负相关,且等离子体层顶随地磁指数的变化趋势具有显著的MLT分布特性;亚暴活动对等离子体层顶演化的贡献在不同地磁活动期间有所不同,磁暴期间亚暴活动的贡献小,而地磁平静期亚暴的贡献大.本文研究工作为后续建立等离子体层顶模型和了解等离子体层顶的动态结构提供了重要研究基础.     

Proposal for an ionosphere/plasmasphere monitoring system

A space-based satellite system suited for long-term monitoring of the Earth’s ionosphere/plasmasphere systems is proposed. The monitoring system consists of a network of radio beacon satellites capable of measuring the ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron content on a continuous base with high time resolution. It takes advantage of the geometrical relationship between the orbit of geostationary satellites and the position of the plasmapause region characterized by a steep electron density gradient. A combination of geostationary and nongeostationary satellites may explore the three-dimensional structure of the plasmasphere. Taking into account plasmaspheric characteristics some criteria for an effective arrangement of the satellites are derived and discussed. Since the plasmapause position is very sensitive to changes or distortions in the solar wind and the related geomagnetic activity, a continuous monitoring of the position of the plasmapause would be helpful in understanding solar-terrestrial relationships.     

Nonlinear phenomena related to the solar shock motion in the Earth’s magnetosphere

The motion of the MHD nonlinear shock in the Earth’s magnetosphere is considered in the scope of magnetic hydrodynamics. This wave comes from the solar wind and is refracted into the magnetosphere, generating a fast return rarefaction wave. It has been indicated that a wave refracted into the magnetosphere is a weak fast dissipative shock, propagating in magnetospheric plasma at a velocity higher than its propagation velocity in a solar wind stream. The wave motion near the Earth-Sun line with regard to the effect of the geomagnetic field transverse component is described. In this case, shock damping follows the generalized Crussard-Landau law and a wave retains its shock character up to the plasmapause, interacting with this region when an arbitrary MHD discontinuity is disintegrated. It is stated that an MHD shock loses its shock character when moving in a strongly inhomogeneous plasma within the plasmasphere and a weak shock reflected from the plasmapause can combine with a return secondary shock in the magnetosheath, promoting the experimentally observed backward motion of the bow shock front.     

Vibrational nitrogen concentration in the ionosphere and its dependence on season and solar cycle

A fully time-dependent mathematical model, SUPIM, of the Earth’s plasmasphere is used in this investigation. The model solves coupled time-dependent equations of continuity, momentum and energy balance for the O⁺, H⁺, He⁺, N⁺₂, O⁺₂, NO⁺ ions and electrons; in the present study, the geomagnetic field is represented by an axial-centred dipole. Calculation of vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules, which has been incorporated into the model, is presented here. The enhanced model is then used to investigate the behaviour of vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules with F10.7 and solar EUV flux, during summer, winter and equinox conditions. The presence of vibrational nitrogen causes a reduction in the electron content. The diurnal peak in electron content increases linearly up to a certain value of F10.7, and above this value increases at a lesser rate, in agreement with previous observations and modelling work. The value of F10.7 at which this change in gradient occurs is reduced by the presence of vibrational nitrogen. Vibrational nitrogen is most effective at F-region altitudes during summer daytime conditions when a reduction in the electron density is seen. A lesser effect is seen at equinox, and in winter the effect is negligible. The summer reduction in electron density due to vibrational nitrogen therefore reinforces the seasonal anomaly.     

利用IMAGE卫星观测数据重建地球等离子体层的磁赤道面分布

美国利用IMAGE卫星的极紫外辐射（EUV）探测器对地球等离子体层进行了连续5年的遥感成像观测。由于IMAGE卫星数据是沿观测路径上的积分投影数据,并且存在地球“遮挡”、“阴影”、“数据缺失”等问题,无法直接利用传统的CT方法对等离子体层进行三维重建。本文利用地球磁场模型,基于地球等离子体层的物理性质,建立一个联系地球磁赤道面密度与投影数据的EUV成像模型,实现了从单个角度的EUV观测图像进行地球等离子层三维重构的方法。      

低纬地区地磁场谐波特征

利用我国低纬地区琼中、广州和泉州３个地磁台１９８２－１９８９年的地磁静日实测值，分析了Ｈ、Ｚ和Ｙ三个地磁分量的谐波特征。结果表明，①Ｈ、Ｚ两分量的谐波振幅一般在春秋季最大，冬季最小，Ｙ分量的谐波振幅在夏季最大，冬季最小，它们的变化形态基本上与太阳黑子数的变化形态同步；②三分量的相位都受到太阳活动和季节的影响。     

Cosmic ray flux variations,modulated by the solar and terrestrial magnetic fields,and climate changes. Part 2: The time interval from ∼10000 to ∼100000 years ago

A joint analysis of paleodata on variations in cosmic ray fluxes, solar activity, geomagnetic field, and climate during the period from ～10000 to ～100000 years ago has been performed. Data on the time variations in the concentration of ¹⁴C and ¹⁰Be cosmogenic isotopes, which are generated in the Earth’s atmosphere under the action of cosmic ray fluxes modulated by solar activity and geomagnetic field variations, were used to detect variations in solar activity and the geomagnetic dipole. Information about climate changes has been obtained mainly from variations in the concentration of stable isotopes in the natural archives. A performed analysis indicates that the variations in cosmic ray fluxes under the action of variations in the geomagnetic field and solar activity are apparently one of the most effective natural factors of long-term climate changeability on a large time scale.     

Formation mechanisms of the midlatitudinal <Emphasis Type="Italic">NmF2</Emphasis> semiannual anomaly under daytime quiet geomagnetic conditions at low solar activity

The F-region peak electron densities NmF2 measured during daytime quiet geomagnetic conditions at low solar activity on January 22, 2008, April 8, 1997, July 12, 1986, and October 26, 1995, are compared. Ionospheric parameters are measured by the ionosonde and incoherent scatter radar at Millstone Hill and calculated with the use of a 1D nonstationary ionosphere–plasmasphere model of number densities and temperatures of electrons and ions at middle geomagnetic latitudes. The formation of the semiannual anomaly of the midlatitudinal NmF2 under daytime quiet geomagnetic conditions at low solar activity is studied. The study shows that the semiannual NmF2 anomaly occurs due to the total impact of three main causes: seasonal variations in the velocity of plasma drift along the geomagnetic field due to the corresponding variations in the components of the neutral wind velocity; seasonal variations in the composition and temperature of the neutral atmosphere; and the dependence of the solar zenith angle on a number of the day in the year at the same solar local time.     

高纬日侧电离层离子上行的地磁活动依赖性研究

本文对比分析了太阳活动高、低年期间高纬日侧顶部电离层离子上行随地磁活动水平的变化特征.按地磁活动水平,将DMSP卫星在太阳活动高年（2000-2002年,F13和F15）及太阳活动低年（2007-2009年,F13;2007-2010年,F15）期间的SSIES离子漂移速度观测数据分为三组：地磁平静期（Kp<3）,中等地磁扰动期（3 ≤ Kp < 5）和强地磁活动期（Kp ≥ 5）,分别统计分析了高纬日侧顶部电离层离子上行特征的时空分布.对比分析发现：（1）太阳活动低年期间,高纬日侧电离层离子上行发生率以及上行速度峰值均是太阳活动高年的2倍多,而离子上行通量峰值只有高年的1/6-1/4;（2）在相同太阳活动条件下,地磁活动水平对日侧电离层离子上行发生率峰值的影响并不明显,但对离子上行发生率的空间分布有着显著的控制作用：电离层离子上行高发区随地磁活动向低纬度扩展,并在强地磁活动期间呈现饱和的趋势;（3）日侧顶部电离层等离子体似乎存在两个效率相当的上行区域,一个位于极尖/极隙区纬度附近,离子可沿开放磁力线上行进入磁尾;另一个位于晨侧亚极光区附近,离子沿闭合磁力线上行,有可能进入日侧等离子体层边界层.     

Cosmic ray flux variations, modulated by the solar and earth’s magnetic fields, and climate changes. 1. Time interval from the present to 10–12 ka ago (the Holocene Epoch)

Direct and indirect data on variations in cosmic rays, solar activity, geomagnetic dipole moment, and climate from the present to 10–12ka ago (the Holocene Epoch), registered in different natural archives (tree rings, ice layers, etc.), have been analyzed. The concentration of cosmogenic isotopes, generated in the Earth’s atmosphere under the action of cosmic ray fluxes and coming into the Earth archives, makes it possible to obtain valuable information about variations in a number of natural processes. The cosmogenic isotopes ¹⁴C in tree rings and ¹⁰Be in ice layers, as well as cosmic rays, are modulated by solar activity and geomagnetic field variations, and time variations in these concentrations gives information about past solar and geomagnetic activities. Since the characteristics of natural reservoirs with cosmogenic ¹⁴C and ¹⁰Be vary with climate changes, the concentrations of these isotopes also inform about climate changes in the past. A performed analysis indicates that cosmic ray flux variations are apparently the most effective natural factor of climate changes on a large time scale.     

Quantitative estimation of local geomagnetic activity relative to the level of the magnetically quiet period in 2009

A new method for determining geomagnetic activity based on calculation of the hourly amplitudes of geomagnetic field variations at ground-based observatories has been developed. Observations performed in 2009, when unusually low solar and geomagnetic activity was registered, were used as a reference level. The described method was used to estimate the energy of local geomagnetic activity; such energy is estimated for observatories in the Earth’s Northern and Southern hemispheres, and a total estimation is made for both hemispheres and for the entire Earth’s surface during large magnetic storms. These are used to compare characteristics of magnetic storm intensity based on the classical Kp and Dst indices and calculated energy estimate.     

Altitude variation of the plasmapause signature in the main ionospheric trough

The projection of the plasmapause magnetic-field lines to low altitudes, where the light-ion chemistry is dominated by O⁺, tends to occur near the minimum electron density in the main (midlatitude) electron density trough at night. With increasing altitude in the trough, where H⁺ emerges as the dominant ion on the low-latitude boundary, we have found cases where the plasmapause field lines are located on the sharp low-latitude side of the trough as expected if this topside ionosphere H⁺ distribution varies in step with the plasmapause gradient in the distant plasmasphere. These conclusions are based on near-equatorial crossings of the plasmapause (corresponding to the steep gradient in the dominant species H⁺) by the Explorer-45 satellite as determined from electric-field measurements by Maynard and Cauffman in the early 1970s and ISIS-2 ionospheric topside-sounder measurements. The former data have now been converted to digital form and made available at http://nssdcftp.gsfc.nasa.gov. The latter provide samples of nearly coincident observations of ionospheric main trough crossings near the same magnetic-field lines of the Explorer 45-determined equatorial plasmapause. The ISIS-2 vertical electron density profiles are used to infer where the F-region transitions from an O⁺ to a H⁺ dominated plasma through the main trough boundaries.     

Formation Mechanisms of the Spring–Autumn Asymmetry of the Midlatitudinal <Emphasis Type="Italic">NmF</Emphasis>2 under Daytime Quiet Geomagnetic Conditions at Low Solar Activity

Formation mechanism of the spring–autumn asymmetry of the F2-layer peak electron number density of the midlatitudinal ionosphere, NmF2, under daytime quiet geomagnetic conditions at low solar activity are studied. We used the ionospheric parameters measured by the ionosonde and incoherent scatter radar at Millstone Hill on March 3, 2007, March 29, 2007, September 12, 2007, and September 18, 1984. The altitudinal profiles of the electron density and temperature were calculated for the studied conditions using a one-dimensional, nonstationary, ionosphere–plasmasphere theoretical model for middle geomagnetic latitudes. The study has shown that there are two main factors contributing to the formation of the observed spring–autumn asymmetry of NmF2: first, the spring–autumn variations of the plasma drift along the geomagnetic field due to the corresponding variations in the components of the neutral wind velocity, and, second, the difference between the composition of the neutral atmosphere under the spring and autumn conditions at the same values of the universal time and the ionospheric F2-layer peak altitude. The seasonal variations of the rate of O⁺(⁴S) ion production, which are associated with chemical reactions with the participation of the electronically excited ions of atomic oxygen, does not significantly affect the studied NmF2 asymmetry. The difference in the degree of influence of O⁺(⁴S) ion reactions with vibrationally excited N₂ and O₂ on NmF2 under spring and autumn conditions does not significantly change the spring–autumn asymmetry of NmF2.     

Response of the outer ionosphere to a magnetic storm at equinox

Summary The observations of the ACTIVE Project satellites in the interval of March 17–23, 1990 were analyzed for the purpose of studying the response of the outer ionosphere to the magnetic storm with SSC on March 20 at 22.43 UT. In particular, measurements of thermal plasma parameters were used, but VLF broadband measurements and data on energetic ion and electron fluxes in the range of 17.7–272 keV were also available. The results of this case study show that the observations in the morning sector at altitudes around 2000 km reflect well the state of the plasmasphere during enhanced activity, namely the depth to which the plasmasphere has been affected by enhanced magnetospheric convection. They also provide the possibility of monitoring the initial phase of recovery. The early evening observations of the plasma parameters in the outer ionosphere at altitudes of 500–1000 km indicate a distinct trough in electron concentration. In the dusk sector, the equatorward edge of this trough can be assumed to be the projection of the equatorial plasmapause. This, combined with the occurrence of electron temperature peaks and with the morning plasmapause position, enables one to judge whether the plasmaspheric bulge has formed and whether an inner plasmapause has occurred.     

磁宁静期核心等离子体层电子密度分布的统计研究

等离子体层已有数十年研究历史,但对其核心等离子体区域却一直没有一个相对准确的界限和模型定义.基于范阿伦辐射带卫星RBSP-A在2012年9月18日至2014年10月13日约两年的观测,我们统计研究了磁宁静期间核心等离子体层电子密度随磁地方时(MLT)及磁壳指数(L-value)的分布特征.发现了核心等离子体层电子密度在不同MLT条件下随L值的变化趋势几乎一致,但与以前的等离子体层经验模式计算的电子密度存在较大的偏差.在不同L值下电子密度随MLT的变化趋势也相差不大,而且随MLT存在明显的逐日和半日变化.最后我们获得了等离子体层电子密度随L值和MLT变化的经验公式.研究结果对空间等离子体层建模及研究具有重要的意义.