Effect of solar features and interplanetary parameters on geomagnetosphere during solar cycle-23

The dependence of geomagnetic activity on solar features and interplanetary (IP) parameters is investigated. Sixty-seven intense (−200 nT ≤ Dst < −100 nT) and seventeen superintense (Dst < −200 nT) geomagnetic storms (GMSs) have been studied from January 1996 to April 2006. The number of intense and superintense GMSs show three distinct peaks during the 11-year period of 23rd solar cycle. The largest number of high strength GMSs are observed during maximum phase of solar cycle. Halo and partial halo CMEs are likely to be the major cause for these GMSs of high intensity. No relationship is observed between storm duration and the number of CMEs involved in its occurrence. The intensity of the GMS is also independent of the number of CMEs causing the occurrence of storm. These geoeffective CMEs show western and northern bias. Majority of the geoeffective CMEs are associated with X-ray solar flares (SFs). Solar and IP parameters, e.g., V _CME, V _SW, B, B _z (GSE and GSM coordinates) and their products, e.g., V _SW · B and V _SW · B _z are observed and correlated to predict the occurrence of intense GMSs. V _CME does not seem to be the appropriate parameter with the correlation coefficient, r = −0.2 with Dst index, whereas the correlation coefficient, r = −0.57, −0.65, 0.75, −0.68 and 0.77 of the parameters V _SW, B, B _z , V _SW · B and V _SW · B _z respectively, with Dst indicating that V _SW · B _z and B _z may be treated as the significant contributors in determining the strength of GMSs.      

Eruptive events in the solar atmosphere: new insights from theory and 3-D numerical modelling

Ejections of magnetised plasma from the Sun, commonly known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), are one of the most stunning manifestations of solar activity. These ejections play a leading role in the Sun–Earth connection, because of their large-scale, energetics and direct impact on the space environment near the Earth. As CMEs evolve in the solar corona and interplanetary space they drive shock waves, which act as powerful accelerators of charged particles in the inner solar system. Some of these particles, known as solar energetic particles (SEPs), can strike our planet, and in doing so they can disrupt satellites and knock out power systems on the ground, among other effects. These particles, along with the intensive X-ray radiation from solar flares, also endanger human life in outer space. That is why it is important for space scientists to understand and predict the ever changing environmental conditions in outer space due to solar eruptive events – the so-called space weather. To enable the development of accurate space weather forecast, in the past three decades solar scientists have been challenged to provide an improved understanding of the physical causes of the CME phenomenon and its numerous effects. This paper summarises the most recent advances from theory and modelling in understanding the origin and evolution of solar eruptive events and related phenomena.     

Proton spectrum of the 2005 January 20 solar flare

An extreme solar cosmic ray event broke out on 2005 January 20.Not only is it the most intensive solar energetic particle (SEP) event,with＞100 MeV particles measured by GOES satellite since 1986,but it has been the largest ground level enhancement (GLE) event recorded by the ground-based neutron monitors since 1956.This work presents the solar proton spectra for this event with data obtained by GOES in multiple energy cbannels.These spectra are well fitted by a modified power-law function.The spectral index of around -1 indicates that the January 20 event has a hard energy spectrum.Possible mechanisms for the acceleration of relativistic protons are discussed.     

Tsallis non-extensive statistics,intermittent turbulence,SOC and chaos in the solar plasma. Part two: Solar flares dynamics

In this study which is the continuation of the first part (Pavlos et al. 2012) [1], the nonlinear analysis of the solar flares index is embedded in the non-extensive statistical theory of Tsallis (1988) [3]. The q$q$-triplet of Tsallis, as well as the correlation dimension and the Lyapunov exponent spectrum were estimated for the singular value decomposition (SVD) components of the solar flares timeseries. Also the multifractal scaling exponent spectrum f(a)$f\left(a\right)$, the generalized Renyi dimension spectrum D(q)$D\left(q\right)$ and the spectrum J(p)$J\left(p\right)$ of the structure function exponents were estimated experimentally and theoretically by using theq$q$-entropy principle included in Tsallis non-extensive statistical theory, following Arimitsu and Arimitsu (2000) [25]. Our analysis showed clearly the following: (a) a phase transition process in the solar flare dynamics from a high dimensional non-Gaussian self-organized critical (SOC) state to a low dimensional also non-Gaussian chaotic state, (b) strong intermittent solar corona turbulence and an anomalous (multifractal) diffusion solar corona process, which is strengthened as the solar corona dynamics makes a phase transition to low dimensional chaos, (c) faithful agreement of Tsallis non-equilibrium statistical theory with the experimental estimations of the functions: (i) non-Gaussian probability distribution function P(x)$P\left(x\right)$, (ii) f(a)$f\left(a\right)$ and D(q)$D\left(q\right)$, and (iii) J(p)$J\left(p\right)$ for the solar flares timeseries and its underlying non-equilibrium solar dynamics, and (d) the solar flare dynamical profile is revealed similar to the dynamical profile of the solar corona zone as far as the phase transition process from self-organized criticality (SOC) to chaos state. However the solar low corona (solar flare) dynamical characteristics can be clearly discriminated from the dynamical characteristics of the solar convection zone.