Geo-effectiveness of solar wind extremes

Examples of extreme events of solar wind and their effect on geomagnetic conditions are discussed here. It is found that there are two regimes of high speed solar wind streams with a threshold of ∼ 850 km s^-1. Geomagnetic activity enhancement rate (GAER) is defined as an average increase in Ap value per unit average increase in the peak solar wind velocity (Vp) during the stream. GAER was found to be different in the two regimes of high speed streams with +ve and-ve IMF. GAER is 0.73 and 0.53 for solar wind streams with +ve and -ve IMF respectively for the extremely high speed streams (< 850 km s^-1). This indicates that streams above the threshold speed with +ve IMF are 1.4 times more effective in enhancing geomagnetic activity than those with -ve IMF. However, the high speed streams below the threshold with -ve IMF are 1.1 times more effective in enhancing geomagnetic activity than those with +ve IMF. The violent solar activity period (October–November 2003) of cycle 23 presents a very special case during which many severe and strong effects were seen in the environment of the Earth and other planets; however, the z-component of IMF (Bz) is mostly positive during this period. The most severe geomagnetic storm of this cycle occurred when Bz was positive.     

太阳活动上升期源表面太阳风质量流量的速度关系分析

以ＩＰＳ速度、光球磁场、Ｋ─日冕偏振亮度和卫星实地观测数据为基础,综合生成处于太阳活动上升期的１９７６年１０个太阳周（１６４３─１６５２卡林顿周）的源表面高度（Ｒ＝２．５Ｒｓ,Ｒｓ为太阳半径）和日球空间中（ＩＡＵ）太阳同质量流量速度谱。结果表明,速度谱存在与太阳活动上升期一致的＂三段＂结构,且各段分别与不同的磁结构区相对应。     

基于交替方向乘子算法的二维磁异常稀疏反演

磁异常反演是获取地下场源磁化率分布的重要手段之一,在地球勘探中扮演着重要角色.在磁异常反演中,对比光滑反演,稀疏反演的结果具有边界分明,物性参数分布集中的特点,更符合实际情况.针对稀疏反演,本文首先构建了具有代表性的基于L₁范数目标函数,利用交替方向乘子算法可分离凸函数的特点,将极小化L₁范数的优化问题分解为一系列的子问题,通过对子问题求解获得原问题的解;为了增强交替方向乘子算法的适应性,本文结合广义软阈值函数将交替方向乘子法推广于L_p（0 < p < 1）范数的反演中.为了验证本文提出的算法的有效性,采用了三种常规模型进行模拟实验.与基于L₂范数的反演算法进行实验对比,结果表明,本文算法得到了边界清晰,磁化率分布更集中的反演结果.最后,将基于交替方向乘子算法的L₁和L_p（0 < p < 1）范数的反演应用到青海省尕林格铁矿保护区获得的实际磁异常数据中,获得了较为符合实际地质情况的稀疏反演结果.

     

基于深度学习的2D-3D地下密度异常体反演方法

地下密度异常体反演需要由二维数据反演三维结果,为了高效、高精度地反演地下异常体的位置及密度信息,本文提出2D-3D InvNet深度学习反演方法.方法的编-解码器结构,在编码阶段利用二维卷积网络结构提取地表重力异常及重力梯度异常数据信息,解码阶段利用三维卷积网络结构恢复异常体地下形态,实现了二维和三维网络结构的结合.为了精确地反演异常体密度,提出利用加权均方误差（WtdMSE）作为损失函数,同时为了更好地评估反演结果,引入核密度函数作为评价手段.与均方误差（MSE）相比,利用WtdMSE作为损失函数对异常体密度的反演结果更为准确,异常体所在区域的密度误差减少50%以上.对理论样本的反演结果表明,2D-3D InvNet在准确反演异常体地下位置的同时,也能给出准确的密度信息.应用此方法对西澳大利亚Kauring地区实测数据进行反演,我们成功获得了此区域地下异常体的密度分布.理论与实际应用结果表明,2D-3D InvNet深度学习方法稳定且具有较强的泛化性能,能在无需规定限制条件的情况下快速获得准确的反演结果.

     

Acceleration of anomalous cosmic rays at the heliospheric termination shock

Astronomy Letters - The acceleration of anomalous cosmic rays (ACRs) at the heliospheric termination shock and their influence on the shock structure and location are analyzed in terms of a...     

The magnetic field near Mars: A comparison between a hybrid model, Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Express observations

Mars Express (MEX) does not carry its own magnetometer which complicates interpretation of ASPERA-3/MEX ion measurements. The direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is especially important because it, among other things, determines the direction of the convective electric field and orientation of the cross tail current sheet and tail lobes. In this paper we present a case study to show the properties of the magnetic field near Mars in a quasi-neutral hybrid (QNH) model at the orbits where the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) has made measurements, present a method to derive the IMF clock angle by comparing fields in a hybrid model and the direction of the magnetic field measured by MGS by deriving the IMF clock angle. We also use H⁺ ring velocity distribution observations upstream of the bow shock measured by the IMA/ASPERA-3 instrument on board MEX spacecraft. These observations are used to indirectly provide the orientation of the IMF. We use a QNH model (HYB-Mars) where ions are modeled as particles while electrons form a mass-less charge neutralizing fluid. We found that the direct MGS and non-direct IMA observations of the orientation magnetic field vectors in non-crustal magnetic field regions are consistent with the global magnetic field draping pattern predicted by the global model.     

Variations of the magnetic field near Mars caused by magnetic crustal anomalies

The possible avenues for photoelectron transport were determined during southern hemisphere winter at Mars by using a mapping analysis of the theoretical magnetic field. Magnetic field line tracing was performed by superposing two magnetic field models: (1) magnetic field derived from a three-dimensional (3D) self-consistent quasi-neutral hybrid model which does not contain the Martian crustal magnetic anomalies and (2) a 3D map of the magnetic field associated with the magnetic anomalies based on Mars Global Surveyor magnetic field measurements. It was found that magnetic field lines connected to the nightside of the planet are mainly channeled within the optical shadow of the magnetotail whereas magnetic field lines connected to the dayside of the planet are observed to form the remainder of the magnetosphere. The simulation suggests that the crustal anomalies create “a magnetic shield” by decreasing the region near Mars which is magnetically connected to the Martian magnetosphere. The rotation of Mars causes periodic changes in magnetic connectivity, but not to qualitative changes in the overall magnetic field draping around Mars.     

Lofted charged dust distribution above the Moon surface

We developed kinetic theory for the charging processes of small dust grains near the lunar surface due to interaction with the anisotropic solar wind plasma. Once charged, these dust grains, which are exposed to the electric field in the sheath region near the lunar surface, could loft and distribute around such heights off the surface where they reach equilibrium with the local gravitational force. Analytical solutions were derived for the charging time, grain floating potential, and grain charge, characterizing the charging processes of small dust grains in a two-component and in a multi-component solar wind plasma, and further highlighting the unique features presented by the high streaming plasma velocity. We have also formulated a novel kinetic theory of sheath formation around an absorbing planar surface immersed in the anisotropic solar wind plasma in the case of a negligible photoelectric effect and presented solutions for the sheath structure. In this study we combined the results from these analyses and provided estimates for the size distribution function of dust that is expected to be lofted in regions dominated by the solar wind plasma, such as near the terminator and in nearby shadowed craters. Corresponding to the two dominant streaming velocity peaks of 300 and 800 km/s, mean dust diameters of 500 and 350 nm, respectively, are expected to be found at equilibrium at heights of relevance to exploration operations, e.g., around 1.5 m height off the lunar surface. In shadowed craters near the terminator region, where isotropic plasma should be dominating, we estimate mean lofted dust diameter of 800 nm around the same 1.5 m height off the lunar surface. The generally applicable solutions could be used to readily calculate the expected lofted size distribution near the lunar surface as a function of plasma parameters, dust grain composition, and other parameters of interest.     

High kinetic energy density jets in the Earth’s magnetosheath: A case study

We study several high kinetic energy density jets observed during a traversal of the dayside magnetosheath by the Cluster spacecraft on March 17, 2001, at various distances from the magnetopause, generally characterised by anomalously high values of the local magnetosonic Mach number. We concentrate on two jets observed just outside the magnetopause, the first almost parallel to the GSM x axis and the second directed northward-tailward along the nominal magnetopause surface. We present evidence that none of them can be ascribed to magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause and show that the magnetopause is severely deformed by the jets, so that its local normal forms an angle of 97° with the quiet time magnetopause normal. On these grounds, we suggest that the indentation of the magnetopause is caused by an anti-sunward jet ramming into the magnetopause slightly equatorward of the northern cusp and that the northward-tailward jet is the result of its reflection at the deformed magnetopause. Finally, we briefly discuss our results by comparing them with past studies of events which in some way recall the one analysed herein.     

Observation of saturnian stream particles in the interplanetary space

In January 2004 the dust instrument on the Cassini spacecraft detected the first high-velocity grain expelled from Saturn - a so-called stream particle. Prior to Cassini’s arrival at Saturn in July 2004 the instrument registered 801 faint impacts, whose impact signals showed the characteristic features of a high-velocity impact by a tiny grain. The impact rates as well as the directionality of the stream particles clearly correlate with the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The Cosmic Dust Analyser (CDA) registered stream particles dominantly during periods when the IMF direction was tangential to the solar wind flow and in the prograde direction. This finding provides clear evidence for a continuous outflow of tiny dust grains with similar properties from the saturnian system. Within the compressed part of co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) of the IMF, characterized by enhanced magnetic field strength and compressed solar wind plasma, CDA observed impact bursts of faster stream particles. We find that the bursts result from the stream particles being sped up inside the compressed CIR regions. Our analysis of the stream-particle dynamics inside rarefaction regions of the IMF implies that saturnian stream particles have sizes between 2 and 9 nm and exit the saturnian systems closely aligned with the planet’s ring plane with speeds in excess of 70 km s⁻¹.