Modeling of prominence threads in magnetic fields: Levitation by incompressible MHD waves

The nature of thin, highly inclined threads observed in quiescent prominences has puzzled solar physicists for a long time. When assuming that the threads represent truly inclined magnetic fields, the supporting mechanism of prominence plasma against gravity has remained an open issue. This paper examines the levitation of prominence plasma exerted by weakly damped MHD waves in nearly vertical magnetic flux tubes. It is shown that the wave damping, and resulting `radiation pressure', caused predominantly by ion-neutral collisions in the `cold' prominence plasma, may balance the acceleration of gravity provided the oscillation frequency is 2 rad s^–1 (f0.5 Hz). Such short wave periods may be the result of small-scale magnetic reconnections in the highly fragmentary magnetic field of quiescent prominences. In the proposed model, the wave induced levitation acts predominantly on plasma – neutral gas mixtures.     

Mission design for Human Outer Planet Exploration (HOPE) using a magnetoplasma spacecraft

To send humans beyond Mars, a Human Outer Planet Exploration (HOPE) mission has been studied for new spacecraft concepts and technologies. In this paper, an interplanetary trajectory and a preliminary spacecraft design are presented for the HOPE visit to Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons. To design a round-trip trajectory for the mission, the characteristics of the spacecraft and its trajectories are analyzed. A detailed optimization approach is formulated to utilize a Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) engine with capabilities of variable specific impulse, variable engine efficiency, and engine on-off control. It is mainly illustrated that a 30 MW powered spacecraft can make the mission possible in a 5-year round trip constraint around the year 2045. Trajectories with different power and reactor options are also discussed. The results obtained in this study can be used for formulating an overall concept for the mission.     

The beginning heights and light curves of high‐altitude meteors

Abstract— In this paper, we provide an overview of meteors with high beginning height. During the recent Leonid meteor storms, as well as within the regular double station video observations of other meteor showers, we recorded 164 meteors with a beginning height above 130 km. We found that beginning heights between 130 and 150 km are quite usual, especially for the Leonid meteor shower. Conversely, meteors with beginning heights above 160 km are very rare even among Leonids. From the meteor light curves, we are able to distinguish two different processes that govern radiation of the meteors at different altitudes. Light curves vary greatly above 130 km and exhibit sudden changes in meteor brightness. Sputtering from the meteoroid surface is the dominating process during this phase of the meteor luminous trajectory. Around 130 km, the process switches to ablation and the light curves become similar to the light curves of standard meteors. The sputtering model was successfully applied to explain the difference in the beginning heights of high‐altitude Leonid and Perseid meteors. We show also that this process in connection with high altitude fragmentation could explain the anomalously high beginning heights of several relatively faint meteors.     

The violent past of Cygnus X-2

Cygnus X-2 appears to be the descendant of an intermediate-mass X-ray binary (IMXB). Using Mazzitelli's stellar code we compute detailed evolutionary sequences for the system and find that its prehistory is sensitive to stellar input parameters, in particular the amount of core overshooting during the main-sequence phase. With standard assumptions for convective overshooting a case B mass transfer starting with a 3.5-M_⊙ donor star is the most likely evolutionary solution for Cygnus X-2. This makes the currently observed state rather short-lived, of order 3 Myr, and requires a formation rate > 10⁻⁷–10⁻⁶ yr⁻¹ of such systems in the Galaxy. Our calculations show that neutron star IMXBs with initially more massive donors (≳4 M_⊙) encounter a delayed dynamical instability; they are unlikely to survive this rapid mass transfer phase. We determine limits for the age and initial parameters of Cygnus X-2 and calculate possible dynamical orbits of the system in a realistic Galactic potential, given its observed radial velocity. We find trajectories which are consistent with a progenitor binary on a circular orbit in the Galactic plane inside the solar circle that received a kick velocity ≤200 km s⁻¹ at the birth of the neutron star. The simulations suggest that about 7 per cent of IMXBs receiving an arbitrary kick velocity from a standard kick velocity spectrum would end up in an orbit similar to Cygnus X-2, while about 10 per cent of them reach yet larger Galactocentric distances.     

Observations of energetic ions in inverted V events

Simultaneous measurements of keV ions and electrons with the ESRO 1A satellite have shown the following ion characteristics among others. Ions of about 6 keV energy are strongly field-aligned on the flanks of the inverted V events (mainly through the disappearance of the ion flux near 90° pitch angle). Field-aligned electron fluxes are often found in the same regions of the inverted V events where the ions are field-aligned. At the centre of inverted V events isotropization occurs (except in some small events). The 1 keV ion flux at large pitch angles (80°) is generally not reduced very much when the 6 keV, 80° ion flux shows strongly decreased values. The ratio of the 1 to 6 keV ion flux has a maximum near the centre of an inverted V event where the electron spectrum is hardest and the 6 keV ions are isotropic (or nearly isotropic).The observations are interpreted in terms of a model with two oppositely directed field-aligned electrostatic potential drops: one upper accelerating electrons downward and one lower, produced by the electron influx, which accelerates ions downward. Ion scattering in turbulent wave fields is proposed to be responsible for the observation that the 1 keV ion flux at large pitch angles does not decrease strongly where the 6 keV ion flux does and as an explanation of the isotropization at the centre of the event. The source problem for the ions is eliminated by the precipitating electrons ionizing continuously the thin neutral atmosphere even at altitudes of a few thousand kilometers.     

Variations of continental discharge pattern in space and time: implications from the Laptev Sea continental margin, Arctic Siberia

Variations in sediment input and distribution to the Laptev Sea continental margin during the Holocene and Termination I could be identified based on radiocarbon dated magnetic susceptibility logs and sediment thickness in high-resolution seismic profiles. Magnetic susceptibility of surface samples reveals an increased input of magnetic grains to the Laptev Sea deriving from the Anabar and Khatanga river catchments. Exposed magnetite schists and volcanic rocks of the Anabar shield and Putoran Plateau, respectively, function as major source of magnetic material. The distribution of magnetic susceptibility in association with the thickness of the Holocene sediments indicates bottom-current induced sediment transport guided by major submarine valleys on the Laptev Sea shelf. The sites of filled paleoriver channels identified in the seismic profiles suggest that during the Late Weichselian sea-level lowstand river runoff continued through four of the major valleys on the exposed Laptev Sea shelf. The sediments at the top of the lowstand deposits in front of the Anabar-Khatanga valley, represented in the seismic profiles by prograding deltas, are characterized by outstandingly high magnetic susceptibility values. Radiocarbon datings approximate the deposition of these high magnetic sediments between 10 and 13.4 ka. It is suggested that this increased input of magnetic material is related to the deglaciation of the Anabar shield and the Putoran Plateau and thus support their glaciation during marine isotope stage (MIS) 2.     

Ring current protons in the upper atmosphere within the plasmasphere

keV protons observed by the ESRO 1A satellite in the upper atmosphere equatorward of the main precipitation zone are described and discussed. The protons are highly anisotropic (empty loss cone) between the low-latitude boundary of the main precipitation zone and approximately L=4 during quiet and moderately disturbed conditions (K_p=0?4). Between L=4 and L=2.7 the proton flux is generally enhanced compared to that at L values somewhat above 4 and only moderately anisotropic. Substorms push the outer main precipitation zone equatorwards, but the boundaries of the innermost, moderately anisotropic region (at L=2.7 and L=4) move only when strong magnetic storms compress the plasmasphere to within L=4. It is suggested that the moderately anisotropic zone is caused by the ion-cyclotron instability for which the growth rate may have a broad maximum between about L=2.7 and L=4. For proton energies in the keV range the instability is excited only in regions with cold plasma densities above several hundred ions per cubic centimeter. It is finally concluded that the observations of low-latitude proton precipitation lend further support to the mechanism of ion-cyclotron instability as the cause of proton pitch angle diffusion, as proposed by Cornwall et al. (1970).     

Ion escape from Mars as a function of solar wind conditions: A statistical study

The influence of solar EUV and solar wind conditions on ion escape at Mars is investigated using ion data from the Aspera-3 instrument on Mars Express, combined with solar wind proxy data obtained from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft. A solar EUV flux proxy based on data from the Earth position, scaled and shifted in time for Mars, is used to study relatively long time scale changes related to solar EUV variability. Data from May 2004 until November 2005 has been used. A clear dependence on the strength of the subsolar magnetic field as inferred from MGS measurements is seen in the ion data. The region of significant heavy ion flows is compressed and the heavy ion flux density is higher for high subsolar magnetic field strength. Because of the difference in outflow area, the difference in estimated total outflow is somewhat less than the difference in average flux density. We confirm previous findings that escaping planetary ions are mainly seen in the hemisphere into which the solar wind electric field is pointed. The effect is more pronounced for the high subsolar magnetic field case.The average ion motion has a consistent bias towards the direction of the solar wind electric field, but the main motion is in the antisunward direction. The antisunward flow velocity increases with tailward distance, reaching above at 2 to 3 martian radii downtail from Mars for O⁺ ions. Different ion species reach approximately the same bulk flow energy. We did not find any clear correlation between the solar EUV flux and the ion escape distribution or rate, probably because the variation of the solar EUV flux over our study interval was too small. The results indicate that the solar wind and its magnetic field directly interacts with the ionosphere of Mars, removing more ions for high subsolar magnetic field strength. The interaction region and the tail heavy ion flow region are not perfectly shielded from the solar wind electric field, which accelerates particles over relatively large tail distances.     

Test of a solar streamline analysis on terrestrial wind data

Terrestrial wind data are used to test a technique for obtaining solar streamline patterns from line-of-sight velocity measurements. The method of analysis and its limitations are discussed. The major features of the reconstructed terrestrial streamline pattern agree satisfactorily with those of the actual wind field.