Nanoflares and heating of the solar corona

Coronal heating by nanoflares is presented by using observational, analytical, numerical simulation and statistical results. Numerical simulations show the formation of numerous current sheets if the magnetic field is sheared and bipoles have unequal pole strengths. This fact supports the generation of nanoflares and heating by them. The occurrence frequency of transients such as flares, nano/microflares, on the Sun exhibits a power-law distribution with exponent α varying between 1.4 and 3.3. For nanoflares heating α must be greater than 2. It is likely that the nanoflare heating can be reproduced by dissipating Alfven waves. Only observations from future space missions such as Solar-B, to be launched in 2006, can shed further light on whether Alfven waves or nanoflares, heat the solar corona.     

模拟IMF北向且By分量占主导时磁层顶重联

本文基于自己开发的全球三维磁层模型, 模拟研究了IMF(Interplanetary Magnetic Field)北向并且B_y分量较大(时钟角为60°)时磁层顶三维结构及其重联图像. 结果发现, IMF B_y为正时, 在北极隙区附近尾-昏侧存在IMF与地磁场之间稳定持续的重联现象;参与重联的地球磁场既有闭合磁力线也有开放磁力线;IMF在北极隙区与地球闭合磁力重联后一端与南磁极相连的磁力线在尾向运动时还可能与北尾瓣的开放磁力线重联而重新闭合, 这种重联与磁力线循环过程不同于同一条IMF磁力线分别在南北半球与地磁场重联的模型. 南极隙区的重联发生在尾-晨侧, 其动力学过程与北极隙区情形类似. 我们的模拟结果表明, IMF B_y较大时不可能发生IMF同一条磁力线分别在南北极隙区重联的情形, 也不会因此而减少尾瓣的开放磁力线.     

Fast magnetic reconnection and energetic particle acceleration

Our numerical simulations show that the reconnection of magnetic field becomes fast in the presence of weak turbulence in the way consistent with the Lazarian and Vishniac (1999) model of fast reconnection. We trace particles within our numerical simulations and show that the particles can be efficiently accelerated via the first order Fermi acceleration. We discuss the acceleration arising from reconnection as a possible origin of the anomalous cosmic rays measured by Voyagers.     

On the peak level of tearing instability in an ion-scale current sheet: The effects of ion temperature anisotropy

We have systematically surveyed the effects of the ion temperature anisotropy on the peak reconnected flux level of the tearing instability excited in a thick current sheet (its half-thickness D equal to the ion inertial length). A series of two- and three-dimensional (2-D and 3-D) simulations have been performed for a magnetotail-like situation, where the ion perpendicular temperature is fixed to balance the magnetic pressure of the lobe while the ion parallel temperature can be varied to give rise to the temperature anisotropy α_i=T_i,perp/T_i,para. Focusing on the behavior of the fastest growing mode (wavelength λ=12D), the results are summarized as follows: (1) The peak levels are larger when the initial α_i is larger and lobe reconnection is obtained only when α_i>1.5. (2) 3-D effects do speed-up the reconnection process but do not change the peak level substantially. (3) The time-scale of gas pressure build-up at the center of magnetic islands relative to the time-scale of reconnected flux growth is identified to be the key issue in determining the peak level. Based on these results for the fastest growing mode with λ=12D, discussion is given on the larger-scale development, that is, what happens when longer wavelength modes are allowed to develop.     

Dynamic non-null magnetic reconnection in three dimensions–II: composite solutions

In this series of papers we examine magnetic reconnection in a domain where the magnetic field does not vanish and the non-ideal region is localised in space so that the reconnection is fully three dimensional. In a previous paper we presented a technique for obtaining analytical solutions to the full set of stationary resistive MHD equations and examined specific examples of non-ideal reconnective solutions. Here we further develop the model, noting that certain ideal solutions may be superimposed onto the fundamental non-ideal solutions. This provides the first analytical demonstration of a lack of coupling between reconnective and non-reconnective flows. We examine the effect of imposing various such ideal flows. Significant implications are found for the evolution of magnetic flux in the reconnection process so that several reconnection solutions may have the same reconnection rate, as defined by the integral of the parallel electric field along the reconnection line, but each appear quite different in terms of their global effect. It is shown that, in contrast to the two-dimensional case, in three dimensions there is a very wide variety of physically different steady reconnection solutions.     

Simultaneous optical and radar observations of poleward moving auroral forms under different IMF conditions

Using high temporal resolution optical data obtained from three-wavelength all-sky imagers at Chinese Yellow River Station in the Arctic, together with the EISCAT Svalbard radar （ESR） and SuperDARN radars, we investigated the dayside pole- ward moving auroral forms （PMAFs） and the associated plasma features in the polar ionosphere under difibrent interplanetary magnetic field （1MF） conditions, between 0900 and 1010 UT on 22 December 2003. Simultaneous optical and ESR observations revealed that all PMAFs were clearly associated with pulsed particle precipitations. During northward IMF, particles can precipi- tate into lower altitudes and reach the ionospheric E-region, and there is a reverse convection cell associated with these PMAFs. This cell is one of the typical signatures of the dayside high-latitude （lobe） reconnection in the polar ionosphere. These results indicate that the PMAFs were associated with the high-latitude reconnection. During southward IMF, the PMAFs show larger lati- tudinal motion, indicating a longer mean lifetime, and the associated ionospheric features indicate that the PMAFs were generated by the dayside low-latitude reconnection.     

Magnetic reconnection,electric field,and particle acceleration in the July 14, 2000 solar flare

A topological model with magnetic reconnection at two separators in the corona is used to account for the recently discovered changes of the photospheric magnetic field in the active region NOAA 9077 during the July 14, 2000 flare. The model self-consistently explains the following observed effects: (1) the magnetic field strength decreases on the periphery of the active region but increases in its inner part near the neutral line of the photospheric magnetic field; (2) the center-of-mass positions of the fields of opposite (northern and southern) polarities converge; and (3) the magnetic flux of the active region decreases after the flare. The topological model gives not only a qualitative interpretation of the flare phenomena (the structure of the interacting magnetic fluxes in the corona, the location of the energy sources, the shape of the flare ribbons and kernels in the chromosphere and photosphere), but also correct quantitative estimates of the large-scale processes that form the basis for solar flares. The electric field emerging in the flare during large-scale reconnection is calculated. The electric field strength correlates with the observed intensity of the hard X-ray bremsstrahlung, suggesting an electron acceleration as a result of reconnection.     

ESW在磁尾磁场重联耗散区分形线附近的观测特性及其作用

磁场重联是空间能量释放和转换的重要机制.静电孤立波(ESW)虽然在空间中有广泛观测,但在磁场重联附近少有直接观测,对它在磁场重联附近的特性了解甚少.通过Geotail卫星对一个磁场重联事件的观测,仔细分析了其边界层上观测到的静电孤立波的特性,并讨论了它对磁场重联的影响.研究表明,亚暴期间在磁尾发生磁场重联,重联区域的分形线附近观测到了大量的静电孤立波,其特性与在其他地方观测到的并没有显著差别,但具有更明显的非线性和孤立性的特征.它们对电子加速和能量耗散有促进作用,加速磁场重联的进程.     

An integral equation approach to two-dimensional incompressible resistive magnetohydrodynamics

In the present work, an integral equation approach is developed to solve two-dimensional incompressible resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations. This approach is examined by simulating the magnetic reconnection driven by the Orszag–Tang vortex and the doubly periodic coalescence instability. The results show that when the viscosity and magnetic resistivity of the plasma are reduced, the current sheet forming in the magnetic reconnection driven by the Orszag–Tang vortex becomes thinner. In comparison with the spectral method, the integral equation approach has much better accuracy and convergence.     

2008年1月5日磁层亚暴期间磁尾近地重联事件的THEMIS观测与分析

本文主要应用THEMIS卫星的磁场和等离子体流观测数据,分析了2008年1月5日08∶51~08∶57 UT亚暴膨胀相期间磁尾的一个近地重联事件.在亚暴膨胀相期间,地面的全天空成像仪清楚地记录到了极光的极向扩展,THEMIS的P5卫星在地球同步轨道附近观测到了磁场的偶极化现象.在亚暴膨胀相末期的08∶51~08∶57 UT期间,P3(X_GSM~-9.12R_E) 和P4 (X_GSM ~-9.40R_E) 同时观测到了一对方向相反的高速等离子体流.这对方向相反的高速等离子体流是由磁尾的重联现象所引起.重联的位置被估计位于X_GSM ~-9.12R_E 和X_GSM~-9.40R_E之间较小的空间范围内.并且,在重联位置的两侧,重联的Hall效应被P3和P4两颗卫星观测到.因此,这一磁尾重联事件发生在距离地球非常近的空间范围内.