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At least 73 records · Page 4

Selection Effects in Identifying Magnetic Clouds and the Importance of the Closest Approach Parameter

This study is motivated by the unusually low number of magnetic clouds (MCs) that are strictly identified within interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), as observed at 1 AU; this is usually estimated to be around 30% or lower. But a looser definition of MCs may significantly increase this percentage. Another motivation is the unexpected shape of the occurrence distribution of the observers' "closest approach distances" (measured from a MC's axis, and called CA) which drops off somewhat rapidly as |CA| (in % of MC radius) approaches 100%, based on earlier studies. We suggest, for various geometrical and physical reasons, that the |CA|-distribution should be somewhere between a uniform one and the one actually observed, and therefore the 30% estimate should be higher. So we ask, When there is a failure to identify a MC within an ICME, is it occasionally due to a large |CA| passage, making MC identification more difficult, i.e., is it due to an event selection effect? In attempting to answer this question we examine WIND data to obtain an accurate distribution of the number of MCs vs. |CA| distance, whether the event is ICME-related or not, where initially a large number of cases (N=98) are considered. This gives a frequence distribution that is far from uniform, confirming earlier studies. This along with the fact that there are many ICME identification-parameters that do not depend on |CA| suggest that, indeed an MC event selection effect may explain at least part of the low ratio of (No. MCs)/(No. ICMEs). We also show that there is an acceptable geometrical and physical consistency in the relationships for both average "normalized" magnetic field intensity change and field direction change vs. |CA| within a MC, suggesting that our estimates of |CA|, B(sub 0) (magnetic field intensity on the axis), and choice of a proper "cloud coordinate" system (all needed in the analysis) are acceptably accurate. Therefore the MC fitting model (Lepping et al., 1990) is adequate, on average, for our analysis. However, this selection effect is not likely to completely answer our original question, on the unexpected ratio of MCs to ICMEs, so we must look for other factors, such as peculiarities of CME birth conditions. As a by-product of this analysis, we determine that the first order structural effects within a MC due to its interaction with the solar wind, plus the MC's usual expansion at 1 AU (i.e., the non-force free components of the MC's field) are, on average, weakly dependent on radial distance from the MC's axis; that is, in the outer reaches of a typical MC the non-force free effects show up, but even there they are rather weak. Finally, we show that it is not likely that a MC's size distribution statistically controls the occurrence distribution of the estimated |CA|s.

Lepping, R. P.

New Understanding of Mercury's Magnetosphere from MESSENGER'S First Flyby

Observations by the MESSENGER spacecraft on 14 January 2008 have revealed new features of the solar system's smallest planetary magnetosphere. The interplanetary magnetic field orientation was unfavorable for large inputs of energy from the solar wind and no evidence of magnetic substorms, internal magnetic reconnection, or energetic particle acceleration was detected. Large-scale rotations of the magnetic field were measured along the dusk flank of the magnetosphere and ultra-tow frequency waves were frequently observed beginning near closest approach. Outbound the spacecraft encountered two current-sheet boundaries across which the magnetic field intensity decreased in a step-like manner. The outer current sheet is the magnetopause boundary. The inner current sheet is similar in structure, but weaker and -1000 km closer to the planet. Between these two current sheets the magnetic field intensity is depressed by the diamagnetic effect of planetary ions created by the photo-ionization of Mercury's exosphere.

Slavin, James A.

Magnetic field dissipation in D-sheets

The effects of magnetic field annihilation at a tangential or rotational discontinuity in a resistive plasma are examined. The magnetic field intensity profile depends on (1) the field intensities far from the current sheet (+ and - infinity), (2) the angle between the two intensities, and (3) the electrical resistivity. For a tangential discontinuity, the theory predicts a depression in B, centered at the discontinuity, and it predicts a monotonic transition. The theory provides satisfactory fits to the magnetic field intensity and proton temperature profiles observed for two extremely broad D-sheets in the solar wind. Assuming a diffusion time 10 days, one obtains effective resistivities or approximately = 3 x 10 to the 12th power and 2 x 10 to the 13th power emu for the D-sheets. Either resistivity at directional discontinuities is much lower than 10 to the 12th power emu or annihilation does not always occur at discontinuities.

Burlaga, L. F.

Status of MSBS study at NAL

Two Magnetic Suspension and Balance Systems (MSBS) at the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) in Japan are introduced. They are the 10 cm MSBS and the 60 cm MSBS. They have 10 cm x 10 cm and 60 cm x 60 cm test sections. The control of suspending a model at the 10 cm MSBS is six degrees of freedom including the rolling moment control. The model for the rolling moment control has two pairs of small extra permanent magnets at both its ends plus a main cylindrical magnet. The rolling moment is generated by the magnetic forces acting on the extra magnets by controlled current passing through the four side coils independently. Test results show the roll angle of the model is controlled in this way. The dynamic calibration test was carried out at the MSBS in five degrees of freedom without the rolling moment control. The model is a simple cylindrical magnet magnetized along its axis. The obtained results show that the dynamic calibration with measured magnetic field intensity is much superior to that with the coil currents. The 60 cm MSBS was designed with some data obtained at the 10 cm one. It is fundamentally proportional to the 10 cm one in size and coil positions. The measured magnetic field intensity is not so strong as expected at design. It was operated first in 1993. The control is three degrees of freedom in the longitudinal direction.

Sawada, Hideo

Solar polar coronal hole - A mathematical simulation

The northern polar region of the sun was studied during July 1973 by Munro and Jackson through use of the white-light coronagraph and the X-ray photographs produced by the Skylab mission. They described the northern polar hole as nearly axisymmetric and gave the geometry and density distribution under this approximation. The present work gives quasi-radial approximation to the full magnetohydrodynamic equations for axisymmetric, polytropic solar wind flow to simulate this polar hole, with the benefit that model temperature and magnetic field intensities and distributions in this particular polar hole can be deduced. It is concluded that from 2 out to 5 solar radii the temperature varies only slightly with radius, but is larger near the center of the polar hole than at the edge. It is also found that the magnetic field intensity at 2 solar radii could be about 1 gauss at the center of the hole, decreasing toward the edge of the hole. If this is extrapolated to the surface, a field as high as 20 gauss is suggested.

Suess, S. T.

Quantum-mechanical treatment of an electron undergoing synchrotron radiation.

The problem of an electron moving perpendicular to an intense magnetic field is approached from the framework of quantum mechanics. A numerical solution to the related rate equations describing the probabilities of occupation of the electron's energy states is put forth along with the expected errors involved. The quantum-mechanical approach is found to predict a significant amount of energy broadening with time for an initially monoenergetic electron beam entering a region of an intense magnetic field as long as the product of initial energy and magnetic field is of order 50 MG BeV or larger.

White, D.

Modeling the Jovian current sheet and inner magnetosphere

Voyager 1 and 2 magnetic field observations confirm and extend the earlier Pioneer 10 detection of the Jovian magnetodisc, a region of enhanced charged particles and plasma and reduced magnetic field intensity located near the magnetic equatorial plane. Modeling of the azimuthal current sheet by a finite thickness annulus of inner radius 5 Jovian radii, 5-Jovian radii thickness, and extending to about 50 Jovian radii provides detailed fits of the vector magnetic field perturbations observed in relation to the planetary field for distances less than 30 Jovian radii. Field line geometry is also investigated, and better insight into the phenomena of charged particle absorption by the Galilean satellites is obtained which provides improved explanations of observed effects due to Ganymede.

Connerney, J. E. P.

Sources of magnetic fields in recurrent interplanetary streams

The paper examines sources of magnetic fields in recurrent streams observed by the Imp 8 and Heos spacecraft at 1 AU and by Mariner 10 en route to Mercury between October 31, 1973 and February 9, 1974, during Carrington rotations 1607-1610. Although most fields and plasmas at 1 AU were related to coronal holes and the magnetic field lines were open in those holes, some of the magnetic fields and plasmas at 1 AU were related to open field line regions on the sun which were not associated with known coronal holes, indicating that open field lines may be more basic than coronal holes as sources of the solar wind. Magnetic field intensities in five equatorial coronal holes, certain photospheric magnetic fields, and the coronal footprints of the sector boundaries on the source surface are characterized.

Burlaga, L. F.

Interplanetary stream magnetism - Kinematic effects

The particle density and the magnetic-field intensity and direction are calculated for volume elements of the solar wind as a function of the initial magnetic-field direction and the initial speed gradient. It is assumed that the velocity is constant and radial. These assumptions are approximately valid between about 0.1 and 1.0 AU for many streams. Time profiles of the particle density, field intensity, and velocity are calculated for corotating streams, neglecting effects of pressure gradients. The compression and rarefaction of the magnetic field depend sensitively on the initial field direction. By averaging over a typical stream, it is found that the average radial field intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the heliocentric distance, whereas the average intensity in the direction of the planets' motion does not vary in a simple way, consistent with deep space observations. Changes of field direction may be very large, depending on the initial angle; but when the initial angle at 0.1 AU is such that the base of the field line corotates with the sun, the spiral angle is the preferred direction at 1 AU. The theory is also applicable to nonstationary flows.

Burlaga, L. F.

Magnetospheric ULF waves observed during the major magnetospheric compression of November 1, 1984

The magnetospheric ULF waves observed during the magnetospheric compression event of November 1, 1984, were investigated using the magnetic field and medium-energy ion data obtained by the AMPTE Charge Composition Explorer. The electric field of ULF waves was inferred from the particle data, using a method developed on the basis of the gyration acceleration mechanism. Three types of waves were found: (1) a 10-15-min wave with perturbations in the magnetic field intensity and in the flux of ions; (2) a 3-5-min standing Alfven wave with perturbations in the azimuthal magnetic field component and in the radial component of the electric field; and (3) a 2-5-min irregular disturbance near the magnetopause, which involves all components of the magnetic field and the intensity of the ion flux. The origins of these waves are discussed.

Takahashi, K.

Sources of magnetic fields in recurrent interplanetary streams

The sources of magnetic fields in recurrent streams were examined. Most fields and plasmas at 1 AU were related to coronal holes, and the magnetic field lines were open in those holes. Some of the magnetic fields and plasmas were related to open field line regions on the sun which were not associated with known coronal holes, indicating that open field lines are more basic than coronal holes as sources of the solar wind. Magnetic field intensities in five equatorial coronal holes ranged from 2G to 18G. Average measured photospheric magnetic fields along the footprints of the corresponding unipolar fields on circular equatorial arcs at 2.5 solar radii had a similar range and average, but in two cases the intensities were approximately three times higher than the projected intensities. The coronal footprints of the sector boundaries on the source surface at 2.5 solar radii, meandered between -45 deg and +45 deg latitude, and their inclination ranged from near zero to near ninety degrees.

Burlaga, L. F.

Tail of the magnetosphere.

Tangential stress effects on magnetosphere tail with regard to magnetic field intensity and direction, trapped particle fluxes and low energy cosmic ray cut-off

GEOMAGNETICALLY TRAPPED PARTICLE