Flow Sources and Formation Laws of Solar Wind Streams

The large-scale stream structure of the solar wind flow is studied in the main acceleration zone from 10 to 40 solar radii from the Sun. Three independent sets of experimental data were used: radio astronomical observations of radio wave scattering using the large radio telescopes of the Lebedev Physical Institute; dual-frequency Doppler solar wind speed measurements from the Ulysses Solar Corona Experiment during the spacecraft's two solar conjunctions in summer 1991 and winter 1995; solar magnetic field strength and configuration computed from Wilcox Solar Observatory data. Both the experimental data on the position of the transonic region of the solar wind flow and the solar wind speed estimates were used as parameters reflecting the intensity of the solar wind acceleration process. Correlation studies of these data with the magnetic field strength in the solar corona revealed several types of solar wind flow differing in their velocities and the location of their primary acceleration region.     

Optical Thickness of the 2–4.5 GHz Solar Plasma Emission

For radio emission at the frequency corresponding to the second harmonic of the local plasma frequency, the optical thickness in the solar atmosphere is calculated. Three types of models are assumed: the model with radio emission from the narrow transition region, and models with radio emission from a cool and dense plasma filament embedded in hotter plasma at the transition region and in the corona. The optical thickness is computed by integration of the collisional (free–free) absorption along a radio-ray path radial in the solar atmosphere. In all models considered the optical thickness can be sufficiently low for appropriate parameters. For example, in the narrow (<100 km) transition region where the density scale height is much less than that of the pressure one, the optical thickness can be lower than 1. Furthermore, the optical thickness can be decreased if the radio emission is generated in the cool and dense plasma filament surrounded by hotter and thinner plasma. But the models differ in density scale heights and thus in distances between plasma emission levels. This difference is essential for the interpretation of high-frequency type III radio bursts.     

Analysis of the impulsive phase of a solar flare at submillimeter wavelengths

We present a report on the strong X5.3 solar flare which occurred on 25 August 2001, producing high-level γ-ray activity, nuclear lines and a dramatic long-duration white-light continuum. The bulk of millimeter radio fluxes reached a peak of ∼100 000 solar flux units at 89.4 GHz, and a few thousands of solar flux units were detected in the submillimeter range during the impulsive phase. In this paper we focus on and discuss (i) the implications inferred from high frequency radio observations during the impulsive phase; (ii) the dynamics of the low corona active region during the impulsive phase. In particular we found that 4–5 × 10³⁶ accelerated (>20 keV) electrons s⁻¹ radiating in a 1000–1100 G region, are needed to explain the millimeter to submillimeter-wave emissions. We present evidence that the magnetic field in the active region was very dynamic, and that strong non-thermal processes were triggered by the appearance of new, compact, low-lying (few thousand kilometers) loop systems, suggesting the acceleration site(s) were also located in the low solar atmosphere.     

The Source Regions of Impulsive Solar Electron Events

Low-energy (2–19 keV) impulsive electron events observed in interplanetary space have been traced back to the Sun, using their interplanetary type III radiation and metric/decimetric radio-spectrograms. For the first time we are able to study the highest frequencies and thus the radio signatures closest to the source region. All the selected impulsive solar electron events have been found to be associated with an interplanetary type III burst. This allows to time the particle events at the 2 MHz plasma level and identify the associated coronal radio emissions. Except for 5 out of 27 cases, the electron events were found to be associated with a coronal type III burst in the metric wavelength range. The start frequency yields a lower limit to the density in the acceleration region. We also search for narrow-band spikes at the start of the type III bursts. In about half of the observed cases we find metric spikes or enhancements of type I bursts associated with the start of the electron event. If interpreted as the plasma emission of the acceleration process, the observed average frequency of spikes suggests a source density of the order of 3×10⁸ cm^–3 consistent with the energy cut-off observed.     

The interaction of the solar wind with a comet

The flow of plasma on the sunward side of a comet is investigated by means of an axialsymmetric model based on hydrodynamics modified by source terms. The model assumes a given curvature of the isobaric surfaces, which corresponds to paraboloids around the nucleus of the comet. The flow on the axis can be represented by a solution of a system of seven ordinary differential equations (respectively five in case of pure photo-ionization). The flow pattern always contains a widely detached bow shock and a contact discontinuity separating a cavity with purely cometary plasma from the transition region containing also solar wind ions. The model is applied to the special case where the cometary gas is ionized by the solar UV radiation only. Numerical solutions are integrated for five levels of production of neutral gas by the comet and for seven typical situations in the undisturbed solar wind. The results imply standoff distances of the stagnation point from the nucleus of the order of 10 000 km or more, and distances of the bow shock of the order of 10⁶–10⁷ km.     

PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN GEOSPACE AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH SOLAR EVENTS

Particle acceleration is a prominent feature of the geomagnetic storm, which is the prime dynamic process in Geospace – the near-Earth space environment. Magnetic storms have their origin in solar events, which are transient disturbances of the solar atmosphere and radiation that propagates as variations of the solar wind fields and particles through interplanetary space to the Earth's orbit. During magnetic storms, ions of both solar wind origin and terrestrial origin are accelerated and form an energetic ring current in the inner magnetosphere. This current has global geomagnetic effects, which have both physical and technical implications. Recently, it has been shown that large magnetic storms, which exhibit an unusually energized ionospheric plasma component, are closely associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This implies a cause/effect chain connecting solar events through CMEs and the solar wind with the acceleration of terrestrial ion populations which eventually constitute the main source of global geomagnetic disturbances. Here we present spacecraft observations related to storm-time particle acceleration and assess the observations within the framework of causes and effects of solar-terrestrial relationships.     

Preferred bartels days of high-speed plasma streams in the solar wind

An analysis of 346 high-speed solar wind streams observed at 1 AU during 1964–75 is presented. The analysis shows that a two-sector structure was the dominant feature of the interplanetary magnetic field associated with the high-speed solar wind plasma. The high-speed streams occurred at preferred Bartels days: Positive polarity streams were most frequent near Bartels day 4, negative polarity streams were most frequent near Bartels day 17. Since the solar wind carries with it the photospheric magnetic polarity of the solar source region, the observed distribution of Bartels days must indicate a fundamental property of the distribution of the solar sources of high-speed plasma streams. The observations are explained in terms of a tilted dipole model of the solar-interplanetary field.Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.     

Stream interaction as a heat source in the solar wind

Proton heating at stream interaction regions in the solar wind is investigated based on the solar wind data obtained by Suisei spacecraft between 0.68 and 1.01 AU from the Sun. The deflection angle of the solar wind flow in the ecliptic plane is used to identify the interaction region. In the solar wind flows coming from east of the Sun in low-speed streams and coming from west in high-speed streams, the radial gradient of proton temperature is flattened owing to heating in the interaction region. From comparison of the best-fitted power law dependence of proton temperature on the radial distance in the deflected flow with that in the non-deflected flow, it is suggested that heating in the interaction regions starts around 0.6–0.7 AU from the Sun.     

Reproducible characteristics of the solar wind acceleration

In experiments that were regularly carried out in 1999–2002 with Pushchino radio telescopes (Russian Academy of Sciences), the study of the radial dependence of the scattering of radio emission from compact natural sources was extended to regions of circumsolar plasma farther from the Sun. Based on a large body of data, we show that, apart from the standard transonic acceleration region located at distances of 10–40 R_⊙ from the Sun, there is a region of repeated acceleration at distances of 34–60 R_⊙ attributable to the equality between the solar wind velocity and the Alfvénic velocity. The repetition in the trans-Alfvénic region of the characteristic features of the radial stream structure observed in the transonic region (the existence of a precursor, a narrow region of reduced scattering that precedes a wide region of enhanced scattering) suggests that the main characteristic features of the resonant acceleration of solar wind streams are preserved up to distances of the order of 60 R_⊙.     

Numerical evaluation of statistical acceleration for energetic particles in the interplanetary medium at 2.5 and 5.0 AU

Numerical integration of particle trajectories is performed to evaluate the statistical acceleration coefficients D _TT for 1 to 100 MeV protons in a solar wind corotating interaction region (CIR) seen at 2.5 and 5.0 AU. Acceleration is followed in the solar wind reference frame and is due to random wave-particle interactions and to random drift motion in moderate scale field gradients. D _TT due to the first effect reaches a peak value of 4 × 10 ^–7 MeV² s^–1 post shock at 10 MeV at 2.5 AU consistent with estimates based both upon cyclotron resonance and transit time damping theory. D _TT from the second effect is less well established but is of the order of 10^–7 MeV² s^–1 at 10 MeV, 5 AU. A comparison is made between the time constant for statistical acceleration within this CIR and estimates for diffuse shock acceleration and adiabatic deceleration. All three time constants are of the same order, but deceleration is faster than shock acceleration which in turn is faster than statistical acceleration.     

Repeated Flaring from Loop–Loop Interaction

A series of solar flares was observed near the same location in NOAA active region 8996 on 18–20 May 2000. A detailed analysis of one of these flares is presented where the emitting structures in soft and hard X-rays, EUV, H, and radio at centimeter wavelengths are compared. Hard X-rays and radio emission were observed at two separate loop footpoints, while soft X-rays and EUV emission were observed mainly above the nearby positive polarity region. The flare was confined although the observed type III bursts at the time of the flare maximum indicate that some field lines were open to the corona. No flux emergence was evident but moving magnetic features were observed around the sunspot region and within the positive polarity (plage) region. We suggest that the flaring was due to loop–loop interactions over the positive polarity region, where accelerated electrons gained access to the two separate loop systems. The repeated radio flaring at the footpoint of one loop was visible because of the strong magnetic fields near the large sunspot region while at the footpoint of the other loop the electrons could precipitate and emit in hard X-rays. The simultaneous emission and fluctuations in radio and X-rays – in two different loop ends – further support the idea of a single acceleration site at the loop intersection.     

The generation of MHD shock waves during the impulsive phase of the February 27, 1992 flare

In this paper a unique 2.3–4.2 GHz radio spectrum of the flare impulsive phase, showing fast positively drifting bursts superimposed on a slowly negatively drifting burst, is presented. Analyzing this radio spectrum it was found that the flare started somewhere near the transition region, where upward propagating MHD waves were generated during the whole impulsive phase. Moreover, it was found that behind a front of these ascending MHD waves the downward propagating electron beams, which bombarded dense layers of the solar atmosphere, were accelerated. It seems that, simultaneously with the increase of beam bombardment intensity, the intensity of MHD waves was increasing and thus the MHD shock wave generation and the electron beam acceleration and bombardment formed a self-consistently amplifying flare process. At higher coronal heights this process was followed by a type II radio burst, i.e. by the MHD flare shock. To verify this concept, the numerical modeling of the shock-wave generation and propagation in space from a flare site near the transition region up to 3 solar radii was made. Comparing the thermal and magnetic field disturbances, it was found that those of magnetic origin are more relevant in this case. Combining the results of interpretation and numerical simulation, a model of the February 27, 1992 flare is suggested and new aspects of this model are discussed.     

S-Component Sources at 21 cm Wavelength in the Rising Phase of Cycle 23

The Synthesis Radio Telescope at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory is being used to make a long-term study of the relationship between sources of the slowly-varying component at 21-cm wavelength and the active regions with which they are associated. Although the arc-minute angular resolution of the radio telescope is insufficient to map individual active regions, the unique capability of this radio telescope to map the whole solar disc in a single operation makes it useful for identifying and measuring sources of the slowly-varying component, which at this wavelength are largely due to free–free thermal emission from plasma concentrations trapped in active region magnetic fields. The brightness temperatures of the emission are higher in large, complex active regions, suggesting the plasma slab producing the emission is thicker and/or denser in such regions. We find also that the relationship between the brightness temperature and the size and complexity of the host region is a function of the phase of the 10–13-year solar activity cycle.     

Interplanetary phenomena and solar radio bursts

The relationship between solar radio emissions and transient interplanetary phenomena is reviewed. It is believed that the most significant advance in recent years has come from coordinated studies of coronal mass ejections and moving type IV bursts, where the evidence appears to favour the Langmuir wave hypothesis as the emission mechanism. Type II bursts are not generally a signature of the main energetic particle acceleration in flares. They do, however, occasionally propagate to 1 AU, and beyond, where they are normally accompanied by protons in the 20 MeV region. Apart from the impulsive microwave burst, there is no reliable radio signature associated with energetic particle acceleration in flares, although many phenomena have high correlations with radio emissions. The exceptions suggest that such correlations may be incidental. Therefore, it is concluded that attention should also be given to events with a positive absence of radio emission in order to make progress in understanding solar processes.Proceedings of the Workshop on Radio Continua during Solar Flares, held at Duino (Trieste), Italy, 27–31 May, 1985.     

Inferences of plasma parameters from coronal hole observations

The temperature in the acceleration region of the solar wind remains one of the most elusive parameters to measure. Knowledge of the temperature as well as its gradient in the inner corona is fundamental for placing constraints on physical mechanisms thought to be responsible for the coronal heating process, as well as for understanding the flow properties of the solar wind. Estimates of the helium abundance is essential for understanding the puzzling behavior of heavier ions in the solar wind. As an illustration of the difficulties and uncertainties involved in the inferences of plasma parameters in the wolar wind acceleration region, The inference of electron temperature and helium abundance will be described. Prospects for future observations will be briefly discussed.     

On observing mass ejections in the interplanetary medium

Scattering of radio waves by density fluctuations in the solar wind leads to rapid variation in the intensity of compact radio sources. This phenomenon, known as Interplanetary Scintillation (IPS), provides a simple method to study interplanetary activity in the inner heliosphere. During the solar maximum of cycle 22, we carried out extensive, high-time-resolution IPS observations of fast moving interplanetary plasma clouds (IPCs). The observations were done using the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) and covered the region between 0.2 AU and 0.8 AU around the Sun. We detected 33 IPCs having velocities of 600 to 1400 km s–1. A two-component model of scattering by time-varying solar wind was developed to analyse these IPCs. The model enabled us to estimate the mass, energy and geometry of each disturbance and to associate them with solar-geomagnetic activity.Detailed analysis suggests that these IPCs were interplanetary signatures of massive and energetic Solar Mass Ejections (SMEs). The SMEs were found to have average mass and kinetic energy of 5.3×1016 g, 2.4×1032 ergs. The average span and width of the SME was found to be 42° and 8×106 km. Association of these disturbances with solar-geomagnetic activity shows that about 80% of them are associated with Long-Duration X-ray Events (LDXE) and Solar Mass Ejections (SMEs). Only 50% of the events were associated with geomagnetic activity. The present experiment has demonstrated that continuous IPS monitoring is an effective technique to detect mass ejections in the interplanetary medium and to study their evolution through the inner heliosphere.     

1–4 GHz type II-like radio bursts and pinch processes near the transition region

Analyzing 205 radio bursts observed by the Ondejov radiospectrograph in the 1–4 GHz frequency range during 1992 and 1993, we found 6 examples of type II-like radio bursts coinciding with impulsive phases of solar flares. These bursts were interpreted as radio manifestations of MHD (shock) waves generated during impulsive phases of flares in the vicinity of the transition region. Assuming a magnetic-field perturbation origin of these waves, we studied pinch processes in the current sheet near the transition region. In the 2-D MHD numerical model of this current sheet we demonstrated that 2-D pinch processes induced by radiative losses can trigger the impulsive phase of some flares and so generate the observed high-frequency type II-like radio bursts.     

Long-period observations of the solar wind plasma between 0.3 and 1.0 AU — Solar activity

Hourly interplanetary plasma data measured by Helios-1 satellite over the period 10 December 1974–31 December 1977 are analysed. This analysis showed that the slow solar wind first increases its speed with heliocentric distance and then becomes more or less constant; the mean speed in the range 0.3 to 1.0 AU is 350 km s^–1 for the slow solar plasma, while for the fast the mean value is between 650 and 700 km s^–1.It seems, particularly in the neighbourhood of the earth, that except for the two dominated types of solar wind (fast and slow) an additional (intermediate) appears at 450 km s^–1.During the phase of enhanced solar activity (11-yr solar cycle) the slow solar wind only is present, while at solar minimum all three types of the solar wind are equally represented.The dependence of the proton temperature on the solar wind speed, in the general solar wind, is the same irrespectively of the phase of solar activity. But, the same dependence is stronger during the compression at the leading edge than during the expansion at the trailing edge of a solar wind stream.     

Two-dimensional guiding-center model of the solar wind-moon interaction

This paper presents a continued study of the two-dimensional guiding-center model of the solar wind interaction with the Moon. The characteristics theory and the computational method are discussed. The magnetic permeability of plasma is (1 + /2)^–1 in the solar wind flow upstream of the Moon, and it changes to 1 in the void region of the lunar wake. The gradual change of the magnetic permeability in the penumbral region from the interplanetary condition to the void condition is explained as the source of field perturbations in the lunar wake. Perturbations of the magnetic field propagate as magnetoacoustic waves in a frame of reference moving with the plasma flow. Computer solutions were obtained to show that (i) the two principal perturbations of the magnetic field in the lunar wake (the umbral increase and the penumbral decrease) are confined to a region bounded by a Mach cone tangent to the lunar body, and (ii) the penumbral increases occur outside the lunar Mach cone. Computer solutions are also used to identify the source of field perturbations and to simulate the solar wind-moon interaction under varying interplanetary conditions.     

Evolution of the Electron Distribution Function in the Whistler Wave Turbulence of the Solar Wind

The electron distribution functions from the solar corona to the solar wind are determined in this paper by considering the effects of the external forces, of Coulomb collisions and of the wave – particle resonant interactions in the plasma wave turbulence. The electrons are assumed to be interacting with right-handed polarized waves in the whistler regime. The acceleration of electrons in the solar wind seems to be mainly due to the electrostatic potential. Wave turbulence determines the electron pitch-angle diffusion and some characteristics of the velocity distribution function (VDF) such as suprathermal tails. The role of parallel whistlers can also be extended to small altitudes in the solar wind (the acceleration region of the outer corona), where they may explain the energization and the presence of suprathermal electrons.