scholarly journals Cluster observations of surface waves on the dawn flank magnetopause

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 971-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Owen ◽  
M. G. G. T. Taylor ◽  
I. C. Krauklis ◽  
A. N. Fazakerley ◽  
M. W. Dunlop ◽  
...  

Abstract. On 14 June 2001 the four Cluster spacecraft recorded multiple encounters of the dawn-side flank magnetopause. The characteristics of the observed electron populations varied between a cold, dense magnetosheath population and warmer, more rarified boundary layer population on a quasi-periodic basis. The demarcation between these two populations can be readily identified by gradients in the scalar temperature of the electrons. An analysis of the differences in the observed timings of the boundary at each spacecraft indicates that these magnetopause crossings are consistent with a surface wave moving across the flank magnetopause. When compared to the orientation of the magnetopause expected from models, we find that the leading edges of these waves are approximately 45° steeper than the trailing edges, consistent with the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) driving mechanism. A stability analysis of this interval suggests that the magnetopause is marginally stable to this mechanism during this event. Periods in which the analysis predicts that the magnetopause is unstable correspond to observations of greater wave steepening. Analysis of the pulses suggests that the waves have an average wavelength of approximately 3.4 RE and move at an average speed of ~65km s-1 in an anti-sunward and northward direction, despite the spacecraft location somewhat south of the GSE Z=0 plane. This wave propagation direction lies close to perpendicular to the average magnetic field direction in the external magnetosheath, suggesting that these waves may preferentially propagate in the direction that requires no bending of these external field lines Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; MHD waves and unstabilities; solar wind-magnetosphere interactions)

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 542-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Saka ◽  
H. Akaki ◽  
O. Watanabe ◽  
M. Shinohara ◽  
D. N. Baker

Abstract. Fluxgate magnetometer data recorded at the dip-equator (Huancayo, Peru; 1.44°N, 355.9° in geomagnetic coordinates; 12.1°S, 75.2°W in geographic coordinates; L = 1.00) with higher accuracy of timing (0.1 s) and amplitude resolution (0.01 nT) were utilized to survey an onset of Pi 2 pulsations in the midnight sector (2100–0100 LT) during PROMIS (Polar Region and Outer Magnetosphere International Study) periods (1 March–20 June, 1986). It is found that changing field line magnitude and vector as observed by magnetometer on board the synchronous satellites in the midnight sector often takes place simultaneously with the onset of Pi 2 pulsations at the dip-equator. The field disturbances that follow thereafter tend to last for some time both at the geosynchronous altitudes and the dip-equator. In this report, we examine the initial response of the field lines in space, and attempt to classify how the field line vector changed in the meridional plane. Key words. Magnetospheric physics · Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics · MHD waves and instabilities · Plasmasphere


1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 868-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Wright ◽  
T. K. Yeoman

Abstract. The DOPE (Doppler Pulsation Experiment) HF Doppler sounder located near Tromsø, Norway (geographic: 69.6°N 19.2°E; L = 6.3) is deployed to observe signatures, in the high-latitude ionosphere, of magnetospheric ULF waves. A type of wave has been identified which exhibits no simultaneous ground magnetic signature. They can be subdivided into two classes which occur in the dawn and dusk local time sectors respectively. They generally have frequencies greater than the resonance fundamentals of local field lines. It is suggested that these may be the signatures of high-m ULF waves where the ground magnetic signature has been strongly attenuated as a result of the scale size of the waves. The dawn population demonstrate similarities to a type of magnetospheric wave known as giant (Pg) pulsations which tend to be resonant at higher harmonics on magnetic field lines. In contrast, the waves occurring in the dusk sector are believed to be related to the storm-time Pc5s previously reported in VHF radar data. Dst measurements support these observations by indicating that the dawn and dusk classes of waves occur respectively during geomagnetically quiet and more active intervals.Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; ionosphere-magnetosphere interactions) · Magnetospheric physics (MHD waves and instabilities)


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Wright ◽  
T. K. Yeoman ◽  
L. J. Baddeley ◽  
J. A. Davies ◽  
R. S. Dhillon ◽  
...  

Abstract. The EISCAT high power heating facility at Tromsø, northern Norway, has been utilised to generate artificial radar backscatter in the fields of view of the CUTLASS HF radars. It has been demonstrated that this technique offers a means of making very accurate and high resolution observations of naturally occurring ULF waves. During such experiments, the usually narrow radar spectral widths associated with artificial irregularities increase at times when small scale-sized (high m-number) ULF waves are observed. Possible mechanisms by which these particle-driven high-m waves may modify the observed spectral widths have been investigated. The results are found to be consistent with Pc1 (ion-cyclotron) wave activity, causing aliasing of the radar spectra, in agreement with previous modelling work. The observations also support recent suggestions that Pc1 waves may be modulated by the action of longer period ULF standing waves, which are simultaneously detected on the magnetospheric field lines. Drifting ring current protons with energies of ∼ 10keV are indicated as a common plasma source population for both wave types. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (MHD waves and instabilities) – Space plasma physics (wave-particle interactions) – Ionosphere (active experiments)


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. Hudson ◽  
R. E. Denton ◽  
M. R. Lessard ◽  
E. G. Miftakhova ◽  
R. R. Anderson

Abstract. A study of Pc-5 magnetic pulsations using data from the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) was carried out. Three-component dynamic magnetic field spectrograms have been used to survey ULF pulsation activity for the approximate fourteen month lifetime of CRRES. Two-hour panels of dynamic spectra were examined to find events which fall into two basic categories: 1) toroidal modes (fundamental and harmonic resonances) and 2) poloidal modes, which include compressional oscillations. The occurence rates were determined as a function of L value and local time. The main result is a comparable probability of occurence of toroidal mode oscillations on the dawn and dusk sides of the magnetosphere inside geosynchronous orbit, while poloidal mode oscillations occur predominantly along the dusk side, consistent with high azimuthal mode number excitation by ring current ions. Pc-5 pulsations following Storm Sudden Commencements (SSCs) were examined separately. The spatial distribution of modes for the SSC events was consistent with the statistical study for the lifetime of CRRES. The toroidal fundamental (and harmonic) resonances are the dominant mode seen on the dawn-side of the magnetosphere following SSCs. Power is mixed in all three components. In the 21 dusk side SSC events there were only a few examples of purely compressional (two) or radial (one) power in the CRRES study, a few more examples of purely toroidal modes (six), with all three components predominant in about half (ten) of the events. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (MHD waves and instabilities; magnetospheric configuration and dynamics) – Space plasma physics (waves and instabilities)


2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 1089-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Korth ◽  
Z. Y. Pu

Abstract. In this paper, we present an interpretation of the observed field-aligned acceleration events measured by GEOS-2 near the night-side synchronous orbit at substorm onsets (Chen et al., 2000). We show that field-aligned acceleration of ions (with pitch angle asymmetry) is closely related to strong short-lived electric fields in the Ey direction. The acceleration is associated with either rapid dipolarization or further stretching of local magnetic field lines. Theoretical analysis suggests that a centrifugal mechanism is a likely candidate for the parallel energization. Equatorward or anti-equatorward energization occurs when the tail current sheet is thinner tailward or earthward of the spacecraft, respectively. The magnetic field topology leading to anti-equatorward energization corresponds to a situation where the near-Earth tail undergoes further compression and the inner edge of the plasma sheet extends inwards as close as the night-side geosynchronous altitudes.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; plasma sheet; storms and sub-storms)


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshiaki Sofue

Abstract Propagation of fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) compression waves is traced in the Galactic Center with a poloidal magnetic cylinder. MHD waves ejected from the nucleus are reflected and guided along the magnetic field, exhibiting vertically stretched fronts. The radio threads and non-thermal filaments are explained as due to tangential views of the waves driven by sporadic activity in Sgr A$^*$, or by multiple supernovae. In the latter case, the threads could be extremely deformed relics of old supernova remnants exploded in the nucleus.


2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A32
Author(s):  
Roberto Soler

Observations show that transverse magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and flows are often simultaneously present in magnetic loops of the solar corona. The waves are resonantly damped in the Alfvén continuum because of plasma and/or magnetic field nonuniformity across the loop. The resonant damping is relevant in the context of coronal heating, since it provides a mechanism to cascade energy down to the dissipative scales. It has been theoretically shown that the presence of flow affects the waves propagation and damping, but most of the studies rely on the unjustified assumption that the transverse nonuniformity is confined to a boundary layer much thinner than the radius of the loop. Here we present a semi-analytic technique to explore the effect of flow on resonant MHD waves in coronal flux tubes with thick nonuniform boundaries. We extend a published method, which was originally developed for a static plasma, in order to incorporate the effect of flow. We allowed the flow velocity to continuously vary within the nonuniform boundary from the internal velocity to the external velocity. The analytic part of the method is based on expressing the wave perturbations in the thick nonuniform boundary of the loop as a Frobenius series that contains a singular term accounting for the Alfvén resonance, while the numerical part of the method consists of solving iteratively the transcendental dispersion relation together with the equation for the Alfvén resonance position. As an application of this method, we investigated the impact of flow on the phase velocity and resonant damping length of MHD kink waves. With the present method, we consistently recover results in the thin boundary approximation obtained in previous studies. We have extended those results to the case of thick boundaries. We also explored the error associated with the use of the thin boundary approximation beyond its regime of applicability.


2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 1947-1953 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Zimbardo ◽  
A. Greco ◽  
A. L. Taktakishvili ◽  
P. Veltri ◽  
L. M. Zelenyi

Abstract. The influence of magnetic turbulence in the near-Earth magnetotail on ion motion is investigated by numerical simulation. The magnetotail current sheet is modelled as a magnetic field reversal with a normal magnetic field com-ponent Bn , plus a three-dimensional spectrum of magnetic fluctuations dB which represents the observed magnetic turbulence. The dawn-dusk electric field Ey is also considered. A test particle simulation is performed using different values of Bn and of the fluctuation level dB/B0. We show that when the magnetic fluctuations are taken into account, the particle dynamics is deeply affected, giving rise to an increase in the cross tail transport, ion heating, and current sheet thickness. For strong enough turbulence, the current splits in two layers, in agreement with recent Cluster observations.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics) – Interplanetary physics (MHD waves and turbulence) – Electromagnetics (numerical methods)


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Baumjohann ◽  
E. Georgescu ◽  
K.-H. Fornacon ◽  
H. U. Auster ◽  
R. A. Treumann ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Equator-S magnetometer is very sensitive and has a sampling rate normally of 128 Hz. The high sampling rate for the first time allows detection of ELF waves between the ion cyclotron and the lower hybrid frequencies in the equatorial dawnside magnetosphere. The characteristics of these waves are virtually identical to the lion roars typically seen at the bottom of the magnetic troughs of magnetosheath mirror waves. The magnetospheric lion roars are near-monochromatic packets of electron whistler waves lasting for a few wave cycles only, typically 0.2 s. They are right-hand circularly polarized waves with typical amplitudes of 0.5 nT at around one tenth of the electron gyrofrequency. The cone angle between wave vector and ambient field is nearly always smaller than 1°.Key words: Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; MHD waves and instabilities; plasma waves and instabilities)


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Willis ◽  
A. C. Holder ◽  
C. J. Davis

Abstract. Possible configurations of the magnetic field in the outer magnetosphere during geomagnetic polarity reversals are investigated by considering the idealized problem of a magnetic multipole of order m and degree n located at the centre of a spherical cavity surrounded by a boundless perfect diamagnetic medium. In this illustrative idealization, the fixed spherical (magnetopause) boundary layer behaves as a perfectly conducting surface that shields the external diamagnetic medium from the compressed multipole magnetic field, which is therefore confined within the spherical cavity. For a general magnetic multipole of degree n, the non-radial components of magnetic induction just inside the magnetopause are increased by the factor {1 + [(n + 1)/n]} relative to their corresponding values in the absence of the perfectly conducting spherical magnetopause. An exact equation is derived for the magnetic field lines of an individual zonal (m = 0), or axisymmetric, magnetic multipole of arbitrary degree n located at the centre of the magnetospheric cavity. For such a zonal magnetic multipole, there are always two neutral points and n-1 neutral rings on the spherical magnetopause surface. The two neutral points are located at the poles of the spherical magnetopause. If n is even, one of the neutral rings is coincident with the equator; otherwise, the neutral rings are located symmetrically with respect to the equator. The actual existence of idealized higher-degree (n>1) axisymmetric magnetospheres would necessarily imply multiple (n + 1) magnetospheric cusps and multiple (n) ring currents. Exact equations are also derived for the magnetic field lines of an individual non-axisymmetric magnetic multipole, confined by a perfectly conducting spherical magnetopause, in two special cases; namely, a symmetric sectorial multipole (m = n) and an antisymmetric sectorial multipole (m = n-1). For both these non-axisymmetric magnetic multipoles, there exists on the spherical magnetopause surface a set of neutral points linked by a network of magnetic field lines. Novel magnetospheric processes are likely to arise from the existence of magnetic neutral lines that extend from the magnetopause to the surface of the Earth. Finally, magnetic field lines that are confined to, or perpendicular to, either special meridional planes or the equatorial plane, when the multipole is in free space, continue to be confined to, or perpendicular to, these same planes when the perfectly conducting magnetopause is present.Key words. Geomagnetism and paleomagnetism (reversals-process, time scale, magnetostratigraphy) · Magnetospheric physics (magnetopause, cusp, and boundary layers; magnetospheric configuration and dynamics)


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