Global particle simulation for a space weather model: present andfuture

The authors report progress in the long-term effort to represent the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere using a three-dimensional electromagnetic particle model (EMPM) as a space weather model. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation models have been refined to establish quantitative global modeling in comparison with observations. The EMPM has become more feasible as the power and speed of supercomputers have improved in recent years. Simulations with southward and dawnward turning IMFs have revealed the fundamental processes which have been confirmed by MHD simulations and observations. After a quasisteady state is established with an unmagnetized solar wind, a southward IMF is switched on, which causes the magnetosphere to stretch with reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. The plasma sheet in the near-Earth magnetotail clearly thins. The cross-field current also thins and intensifies, which excites a kinetic (drift kink) instability along the dawn-dusk direction. As a result of this instability the electron compressibility effect appears to be reduced and to allow the collisionless tearing to grow rapidly with the reduced B_z component. Later, magnetic reconnection also takes place in the near-Earth magnetotail. In the case where the northward IMF is switched gradually to dawnward, magnetic reconnection takes place at both the dawnside and duskside. The arrival of dawnward IMF at the magnetopause creates a reconnection groove which causes particle entry into the deep region of the magnetosphere via field lines that go near the magnetopause. The flank weak-field region joins onto the plasma sheet and the current sheet to form a geometrical feature called the cross-tail S that structurally integrates the magnetopause and the tail interior     

Observational Aspects of Magnetic Reconnection at the Earth’s Magnetosphere

Magnetic field reconnection has shown to be the dominant process in the solar wind-Earth’s magnetosphere interaction. It enables mass, momentum, and energy exchange between different plasma regimes, and it is regarded as an efficient plasma acceleration and heating mechanism. Reconnection has been observed to occur in laboratory plasmas, at planetary magnetospheres in our Solar System, and the Sun. In this work, we focus on analyzing the characteristics of magnetic reconnection at the Earth’s magnetosphere according to spaceborne observations in the vicinity of our planet. Firstly, the locations where magnetic field reconnection are expected to occur within the vast magnetospheric region are addressed, and is shown how they are influenced by changes in the interplanetary magnetic field direction. The main magnetic field and plasma signatures of magnetic reconnection are discussed from both theoretical and observational points of view. Spacecraft observations of ion inertial length scale reconnection are also presented.     

Communicating science

In this article we discuss the structure and dynamics of the Earth's plasma environment and how it is influenced by its interaction with the outer atmosphere of the Sun, as revealed by both space-based and ground-based observations over the past thirty years. We begin with a discussion of the basic physical principles involved, and then apply these principles to the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and their interaction with the Earth's magnetic field. The structure and flow of magnetospheric plasma populations then follows, together with consequent magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions. The initial discussion applies to a steady-state magnetosphere driven by steady reconnection, which we then generalized to the time-dependent case resulting from variations in the direction of the IMF.     

高速飞行器磁控阻力特性

采用低磁雷诺数磁流体数学模型,对外加磁场下的高超声速半球体流场进行数值模拟.选取三种简单理想磁场(轴向、径向、周向均布磁场),分析了不同磁场类型对流场结构、气动阻力与洛伦兹阻力的影响及作用机理.研究发现,轴向磁场径向"挤压"效应使得激波外形凸出,且壁面静压存在"饱和现象";径向磁场存在轴向"外推"效应,较大的磁场强度会导致肩部形成高温区;周向磁场下感应电场的存在导致增阻效果很差.进而对比了两种相同驻点磁感应强度特殊分布磁场(偶极子磁场、螺线管磁场)下的流场,发现了不同于理想磁场的径向"扩张"效应.按增阻效果从大到小依次为径向磁场、螺线管磁场、轴向磁场、偶极子磁场、周向磁场.     

Collisionless magnetic reconnection in the magnetosphere

Magnetic reconnection underlies the physical mechanism of explosive phenomena in the solar atmosphere and planetary magnetospheres, where plasma is usually collisionless. In the standard model of collisionless magnetic reconnection, the diffusion region consists of two substructures: an electron diffusion region is embedded in an ion diffusion region, in which their scales are based on the electron and ion inertial lengths. In the ion diffusion region, ions are unfrozen in the magnetic fields while electrons are magnetized. The resulted Hall effect from the different motions between ions and electrons leads to the production of the in-plane currents, and then generates the quadrupolar structure of out-of-plane magnetic field. In the electron diffusion region, even electrons become unfrozen in the magnetic fields, and the reconnection electric field is contributed by the off-diagonal electron pressure terms in the generalized Ohm's law. The reconnection rate is insensitive to the specific mechanism to break the frozen-in condition, and is on the order of 0.1. In recent years, the launching of Cluster, THEMIS, MMS, and other spacecraft has provided us opportunities to study collisionless magnetic reconnection in the Earth's magnetosphere, and to verify and extend more insights on the standard model of collisionless magnetic reconnection. In this paper, we will review what we have learned beyond the standard model with the help of observations from these spacecraft as well as kinetic simulations.     

Numerical evidence of undriven, fast reconnection in the solar-wind interaction with earth's magnetosphere: formation of electromagnetic coherent structures

We give evidence for the first time of the onset of undriven fast, collisionless magnetic reconnection during the evolution of an initially homogeneous magnetic field advected in a sheared velocity field. We consider the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetospheric plasma at low latitude and show that reconnection takes place in the layer between adjacent vortices generated by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. This process generates coherent magnetic structures with a size comparable to the ion inertial scale, much smaller than the system dimensions but much larger than the electron inertial scale. These magnetic structures are further advected in the plasma in a complex pattern but remain stable over a time interval much longer than their formation time. These results can be crucial for the interpretation of satellite data showing coherent magnetic structures in the Earth's magnetosheath or the magnetotail.     

Anomalous flow deflection at earth's low-Alfvén-Mach-Number bow shock

Earth's magnetosphere is an obstacle to the supersonic solar wind and the bow shock is formed in the front side of it. In ordinary hydrodynamics, the flow decelerated at the shock is diverted around the obstacle symmetrically about the Earth-Sun line, which is indeed observed in the magnetosheath most of the time. Here we show a case under a very low-density solar wind in which duskward flow was observed in the dawnside magnetosheath. A Rankine-Hugoniot test shows that the magnetic effect is crucial for this "wrong flow" to appear. A full three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation of the situation confirming this interpretation and earlier simulations is also performed. It is illustrated that in addition to the "wrong flow" feature, various peculiar characteristics appear in the global picture of the MHD flow interaction with the obstacle.     

Displacement current and the generation of parallel electric fields

We show for the first time the dynamical relationship between the generation of magnetic field-aligned electric field (E||) and the temporal changes and spatial gradients of magnetic and velocity shears, and the plasma density in Earth's magnetosphere. We predict that the signatures of reconnection and auroral particle acceleration should have a correlation with low plasma density, and a localized voltage drop (V||) should often be associated with a localized magnetic stress concentration. Previous interpretations of the E|| generation are mostly based on the generalized Ohm's law, causing serious confusion in understanding the nature of reconnection and auroral acceleration.     

Modeling of stochastic forces in turbulent space plasmas

A model of a Langevin equation for electrons in turbulent, almost collisionfree magnetoactive plasmas is developed, which can form the starting point for particle simulations, especially in regions with reconnection of magnetic-field lines. The mean wave force is expressed by a friction force and a velocity derivative of the intensity of the stochastic force. The obtained expression for the Langevin force is consistent with the kinetic theory in a polarization approximation. The intensity of the stochastic force corresponds to the velocity diffusion tensor of the electrons, which is estimated for plasmas with ionacoustic turbulence using two different methods. One method is based on direct calculation of the space-time spectral density of the wave energy. The second method uses approximations of quasi-linear plasma theory. The estimates for the intensities of the stochastic forces found by the two methods differ by orders. A table of parameters of ion-acoustic waves, electron-wave collision frequencies, and intensities of stochastic-wave forces on electrons in solar flares, in the solar wind, as well as in different regions of the earth's magnetosphere is presented. Results are given for the entire ranges of available experimental data for the mean magnetic induction, mean plasma temperatures, and mean particle densities.Published from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 93–107, January, 1996.     

On nonlinear cascades and resonances in the outer magnetosphere

The paper addresses nonlinear phenomena that control the interaction between plasma flow (solar wind) and magnetic barrier (magnetosphere). For the first time we demonstrate that the dominant solar wind kinetic energy: (i) excites boundary resonances and their harmonics which modulate plasma jets under the bow shock; (ii) produces discrete three-wave cascades, which could merge into a turbulent-like one; (iii) jet produced cascades provide the effective anomalous plasma transport inside and out of the magnetosphere; (iv) intermittency and multifractality characteristics for the statistic properties of jets result in a super-ballistic turbulent transport regime. Our results could be considered as suggestive for the space weather predictions, for turbulent cascades in different media and for the laboratory plasma confinement (e.g., for fusion devices).     

Energetic electrons associated with magnetic reconnection in the magnetic cloud boundary layer

Here is reported in situ observation of energetic electrons (～100-500 keV) associated with magnetic reconnection in the solar wind by the ACE and Wind spacecraft. The properties of this magnetic cloud driving reconnection and the associated energetic electron acceleration problem are discussed. Further analyses indicate that the electric field acceleration and Fermi-type mechanism are two fundamental elements in the electron acceleration processes and the trapping effect of the specific magnetic field configuration maintains the acceleration status that increases the totally gained energy.     

Generation of Extra-Ordinary Mode Radiation by an Electrostatic Pump in a Two-Electron-Temperature Plasma

Coherent wave-wave coupling can produce radiation with a high efficiency. Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in the study of electro-magnetic wave generation in magnetized plasmas. We have investigated theoretically the effect of finite ion temperature on the parametric instability of an electro-static upperhybrid pump into an X-mode nonthermal radiation and low frequency ion waves in a two electron temperature plasma. The latter may include the lower-hybrid, the electron-acoustic and the ion-cyclotron waves. The loss cone distribution existing permanently at low altitudes acts as a free energy source generating the upper-hybrid waves. The upper-hybrid waves can also be present because of a linear instability produced by runaway electrons. Nonlinear dispersion relation and the growth rates are derived for each case using the hydrodynamical model. We find extra numerical factor arising due to the ions of finite temperature in the growth rate expression. This study may be useful in magnetosphere, auroral ionosphere, solar wind, solar radio bursts, and laboratory plasmas where ion has finite temperature and electrons have two distinct energy distributions.     

Satellite observations of electric fields in the innermagnetosphere and their effects in the mid-to-low latitude ionosphere

During geomagnetic disturbances, momentum and energy are transferred in significant quantities from interplanetary space to the magnetosphere-ionosphere system through the mediation of charged particles and electric fields. The most dramatic manifestations occur in the plasma sheet and the conjugate auroral ionosphere. However, electric fields observed during magnetic storms also penetrate the inner magnetosphere that maps to subauroral latitudes in the ionosphere. For example, a sudden commencement shock wave initiating the March 1991 magnetic storm created a new radiation belt within minutes. Particle and field measurements by Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) near the equatorial plane of the magnetosphere and by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites in the topside ionosphere during the magnetic storm of June 1991 indicate that penetration electric fields energized the stormtime ring current and rapidly transported plasma within subauroral ion drift (SAID) structures at midlatitudes and in upward drafting plasma bubbles at low latitudes. Through enhanced transport or chemical reactions, the SAIDs dug deep plasma troughs at topside altitudes. Equatorial plasma bubbles developed while the ring current was unable to shield the electric field from the innermost magnetosphere     

Out-of-plane bipolar and quadrupolar magnetic fields generated by shear flows in two-dimensional resistive reconnection

Shear flows perpendicular to the anti-parallel reconnecting magnetic field are often observed in magnetosphere and interplanetary plasmas, and in laboratory plasmas toroidal differential rotations can also be generated in magnetic confinement devices. Our study finds that such shear flows can generate bipolar or quadrupolar out-of-plane magnetic field perturbations in a two-dimensional resistive MHD reconnection without the Hall effects. The quadrupolar structure has otherwise been thought a typical Hall MHD reconnection feature caused by the in-plane electron convection. The results will challenge the conventional understanding and satellite observations of the signature of reconnection evidences in space plasmas.     

电弧放电等离子体诱导激波的计算

基于电弧放电物理过程,分析气动激励机理,建立用于电弧放电等离子体诱导激波数值模拟的爆炸丝传热模型.主要结论有:电弧放电等离子体气动激励的主要机理是热等离子体的热阻塞效应,热电弧放电对于超声速来流而言就像-个具有-定斜坡角度的虚拟突起;理论分析只适用于纵坐标较小的阶段;当传热的功率设为放电功率的10%时,本文所建立的模型能够用于电弧放电等离子体诱导激波的仿真研究;等离子体虚拟斜坡角度及其诱导激波角都随来流总压和速度的增大而减小,随着放电功率的增大而增大,在总压、速度和放电功率较小的阶段这种变化较明显,在总压、速度和放电功率较大的阶段这种变化较缓慢.     

Comparing the geomagnetic thresholds of cosmic rays for two empirical models of the magnetosphere during the period of an extreme geomagnetic storm in November 2003

The accuracy of determining the geomagnetic cutoff rigidity (the geomagnetic threshold) is closely related to that of describing the magnetic field of the magnetosphere with the model used for calculations. Geomagnetic thresholds are calculated for two empirical models of the magnetosphere, Ts0l and Ts04, constructed on the basis of the same initial experimental data. The Ts01 model describes the average magnetosphere for certain conditions in the solar wind and interplanetary field. The Ts01 model focuses on describing the large-scale evolution of magnetospheric currents during a storm. A comparison of the geomagnetic thresholds for Ts0l and Ts04 with experimental thresholds calculated by the Spectrographic Global Survey from data of the CR global network stations shows that the Ts01 model describes the magnetic field of the magnetosphere more realistically. Our study was conducted for the period of a strong geomagnetic storm in November 2003.     

Anisotropic third-moment estimates of the energy cascade in solar wind turbulence using multispacecraft data

The first direct determination of the inertial range energy cascade rate, using an anisotropic form of Yaglom's law for magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, is obtained in the solar wind with multispacecraft measurements. The two-point mixed third-order structure functions of Els?sser fluctuations are integrated over a sphere in magnetic field-aligned coordinates, and the result is consistent with a linear scaling. Therefore, volume integrated heating and cascade rates are obtained that, unlike previous studies, make only limited assumptions about the underlying spectral geometry of solar wind turbulence. These results confirm the turbulent nature of magnetic and velocity field fluctuations in the low frequency limit, and could supply the energy necessary to account for the nonadiabatic heating of the solar wind.     

Mean force on a small sphere in a sound field in a viscous fluid

A mean force exerted on a small rigid sphere by a sound wave in a viscous fluid is calculated. The force is expressed as a sum of drag force coming from the external steady flow existing in the absence of the sphere and contributions that are cross products of velocity and velocity derivatives of the incident field. Because of the drag force and an acoustic streaming generated near the sphere, the mean force does not coincide with the acoustic radiation pressure, i.e., the mean momentum flux carried by the sound field through any surface enclosing the sphere. If the sphere radius R is considerably smaller than the viscous wave penetration depth delta, the drag force can give the leading-order contribution (in powers of delta/R) to the mean force and the latter can then be directed against the radiation pressure. In another limit, delta< or =R, the drag force and acoustic streaming play a minor role, and the mean force reduces to the radiation pressure, which can be expressed through source strengths of the scattered sound field. The effect of viscosity can then be significant only if the incident wave is locally plane traveling.     

Influence of air pressure on the performance of plasma synthetic jet actuator

Plasma synthetic jet actuator(PSJA) has a wide application prospect in the high-speed flow control field for its high jet velocity.In this paper,the influence of the air pressure on the performance of a two-electrode PSJA is investigated by the schlieren method in a large range from 7 k Pa to 100 k Pa.The energy consumed by the PSJA is roughly the same for all the pressure levels.Traces of the precursor shock wave velocity and the jet front velocity vary a lot for different pressures.The precursor shock wave velocity first decreases gradually and then remains at 345 m/s as the air pressure increases.The peak jet front velocity always appears at the first appearance of a jet,and it decreases gradually with the increase of the air pressure.A maximum precursor shock wave velocity of 520 m/s and a maximum jet front velocity of 440 m/s are observed at the pressure of 7 k Pa.The averaged jet velocity in one period ranges from 44 m/s to 54 m/s for all air pressures,and it drops with the rising of the air pressure.High velocities of the precursor shock wave and the jet front indicate that this type of PSJA can still be used to influence the high-speed flow field at 7 k Pa.