scholarly journals Radial Sizes and Expansion Behavior of ICMEs in Solar Cycles 23 and 24

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wageesh Mishra ◽  
Urmi Doshi ◽  
Nandita Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
Radial Expansion ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Expansion Behavior ◽  
Cycle 24 ◽  
Later Phase ◽  
Radial Propagation

We attempt to understand the influence of the heliospheric state on the expansion behavior of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and their interplanetary counterparts (ICMEs) in solar cycles 23 and 24. Our study focuses on the distributions of the radial sizes and duration of ICMEs, their sheaths, and magnetic clouds (MCs). We find that the average radial size of ICMEs (MCs) at 1 AU in cycle 24 is decreased by ∼33% (∼24%) of its value in cycle 23. This is unexpected as the reduced total pressure in cycle 24 should have allowed the ICMEs in cycle 24 to expand considerably to larger sizes at 1 AU. To understand this, we study the evolution of radial expansion speeds of CME-MC pairs between the Sun and Earth based on their remote and in situ observations. We find that radial expansion speeds of MCs at 1 AU in solar cycles 23 and 24 are only 9 and 6%, respectively, of their radial propagation speeds. Also, the fraction of radial propagation speeds as expansion speeds of CMEs close to the Sun are not considerably different between solar cycles 23 and 24. We also find a constant (0.63 ± 0.1) dimensionless expansion parameter of MCs at 1 AU for both solar cycles 23 and 24. We suggest that the reduced heliospheric pressure in cycle 24 is compensated by the reduced magnetic content inside CMEs/MCs, which did not allow the CMEs/MCs to expand enough in the later phase of their propagation. Furthermore, the average radial sizes of sheaths are the same in both cycles, which is unexpected, given the weaker CMEs/ICMEs in cycle 24. We discuss the possible causes and consequences of our findings relevant for future studies.

scholarly journals Evolutionary signatures in complex ejecta and their driven shocks

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 3679-3698 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Farrugia ◽  
D. B. Berdichevsky
Keyword(s):  
Radial Distance ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Form Complex ◽  
Event Sequences ◽  
Solar Observations ◽  
Halo Cmes

Abstract. We examine interplanetary signatures of ejecta-ejecta interactions. To this end, two time intervals of inner-heliospheric (≤1AU) observations separated by 2 solar cycles are chosen where ejecta/magnetic clouds are in the process of interacting to form complex ejecta. At the Sun, both intervals are characterized by many coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and flares. In each case, a complement of observations from various instruments on two spacecraft are examined in order to bring out the in-situ signatures of ejecta-ejecta interactions and their relation to solar observations. In the first interval (April 1979), data are shown from Helios-2 and ISEE-3, separated by ~0.33AU in radial distance and 28° in heliographic longitude. In the second interval (March-April 2001), data from the SOHO and Wind probes are combined, relating effects at the Sun and their manifestations at 1AU on one of Wind's distant prograde orbits. At ~0.67AU, Helios-2 observes two individual ejecta which have merged by the time they are observed at 1AU by ISEE-3. In March 2001, two distinct Halo CMEs (H-CMEs) are observed on SOHO on 28-29 March approaching each other with a relative speed of 500kms-1 within 30 solar radii. In order to isolate signatures of ejecta-ejecta interactions, the two event intervals are compared with expectations for pristine (isolated) ejecta near the last solar minimum, extensive observations on which were given by Berdichevsky et al. (2002). The observations from these two event sequences are then intercompared. In both event sequences, coalescence/merging was accompanied by the following signatures: heating of the plasma, acceleration of the leading ejecta and deceleration of the trailing ejecta, compressed field and plasma in the leading ejecta, disappearance of shocks and the strengthening of shocks driven by the accelerated ejecta. A search for reconnection signatures at the interface between the two ejecta in the March 2001 event was inconclusive because the measured changes in the plasma velocity tangential to the interface (Δνt) were not correlated with Δ(Bt /ρ). This was possibly due to lack of sufficient magnetic shear across the interface. The ejecta mergers altered interplanetary parameters considerably, leading to contrasting geoeffects despite broadly similar solar activity. The complex ejecta on 31 March 2001 caused a double-dip ring current enhancement, resulting in two great storms (Dst, corrected for the effect of magnetopause currents, <-450nT), while the merger on 5 April 1979 produced only a corrected Dst of ~-100nT, mainly due to effects of magnetopause currents.

scholarly journals A numerical study of the interaction between two ejecta in the interplanetary medium: one- and two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 3741-3749 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gonzalez-Esparza ◽  
A. Santillán ◽  
J. Ferrer
Keyword(s):  
Hydrodynamic Model ◽  
Physical Mechanism ◽  
Interplanetary Medium ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Hydrodynamic Simulations

Abstract. We studied the heliospheric evolution in one and two dimensions of the interaction between two ejecta-like disturbances beyond the critical point: a faster ejecta 2 overtaking a previously launched slower ejecta 1. The study is based on a hydrodynamic model using the ZEUS-3-D code. This model can be applied to those cases where the interaction occurs far away from the Sun and there is no merging (magnetic reconnection) between the two ejecta. The simulation shows that when the faster ejecta 2 overtakes ejecta 1 there is an interchange of momentum between the two ejecta, where the leading ejecta 1 accelerates and the tracking ejecta 2 decelerates. Both ejecta tend to arrive at 1AU having similar speeds, but with the front of ejecta 1 propagating faster than the front of ejecta 2. The momentum is transferred from ejecta 2 to ejecta 1 when the shock initially driven by ejecta 2 passes through ejecta 1. Eventually the two shock waves driven by the two ejecta merge together into a single stronger shock. The 2-D simulation shows that the evolution of the interaction can be very complex and there are very different signatures of the same event at different viewing angles; however, the transferring of momentum between the two ejecta follows the same physical mechanism described above. These results are in qualitative agreement with in-situ plasma observations of "multiple magnetic clouds" detected at 1AU.

scholarly journals Photospheric activity of the Sun with VIRGO and GOLF

2017 ◽  
Vol 608 ◽  
pp. A87 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Salabert ◽  
R. A. García ◽  
A. Jiménez ◽  
L. Bertello ◽  
E. Corsaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Activity ◽  
Radial Velocity ◽  
Wavelength Dependence ◽  
Solar Photosphere ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Quasi Biennial Oscillation ◽  
Photometric Observations ◽  
Cycle 24 ◽  
Biennial Oscillation

We study the variability of solar activity using new photospheric proxies originally developed for the analysis of stellar magnetism with the CoRoT and Kepler photometric observations. These proxies were obtained by tracking the temporal modulations in the observations associated with the spots and magnetic features as the Sun rotates. We analyzed 21 yr of observations, spanning solar cycles 23 and 24, collected by the space-based photometric VIRGO and radial velocity GOLF instruments on board the SoHO satellite. We then calculated the photospheric activity proxy Sph is for each of the three VIRGO photometers and the associated Svel proxy from the radial velocity GOLF observations. Comparisons with several standard solar activity proxies sensitive to different layers of the Sun demonstrate that these new activity proxies, Sph and Svel, provide a new manner to monitor solar activity. We show that both the long- and short-term magnetic variabilities respectively associated with the 11-yr cycle and the quasi-biennial oscillation are well monitored, and that the magnetic field interaction between the subsurface, photosphere, and chromosphere of the Sun was modified between Cycle 24 and Cycle 23. Furthermore, the photometric proxies show a wavelength dependence of the response function of the solar photosphere among the three channels of the VIRGO photometers, providing inputs for the study of the stellar magnetism of Sun-like stars.

scholarly journals Configuration of a Magnetic Cloud From Solar Orbiter and Wind Spacecraft In-situ Measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Hu ◽  
Wen He ◽  
Lingling Zhao ◽  
Edward Lu
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flux Rope ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Field Configuration ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Wind Spacecraft

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) represent one type of the major eruption from the Sun. Their interplanetary counterparts, the interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs), are the direct manifestations of these structures when they propagate into the heliosphere and encounter one or more observing spacecraft. The ICMEs generally exhibit a set of distinctive signatures from the in-situ spacecraft measurements. A particular subset of ICMEs, the so-called Magnetic Clouds (MCs), is more uniquely defined and has been studied for decades, based on in-situ magnetic field and plasma measurements. By utilizing the latest multiple spacecraft measurements and analysis tools, we report a detailed study of the internal magnetic field configuration of an MC event observed by both the Solar Orbiter (SO) and Wind spacecraft in the solar wind near the Sun-Earth line. Both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) models are applied to reveal the flux rope configurations of the MC. Various geometrical as well as physical parameters are derived and found to be similar within error estimates for the two methods. These results quantitatively characterize the coherent MC flux rope structure crossed by the two spacecraft along different paths. The implication for the radial evolution of this MC event is also discussed.

scholarly journals Magnetic clouds seen at different locations in the heliosphere

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Rodriguez ◽  
A. N. Zhukov ◽  
S. Dasso ◽  
C. H. Mandrini ◽  
H. Cremades ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Interplanetary Space ◽  
Field Configuration ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
Magnetic Characteristics ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Plasma Species ◽  
In Situ Observations

Abstract. We analyze two magnetic clouds (MCs) observed in different points of the heliosphere. The main aim of the present study is to provide a link between the different aspects of this phenomenon, starting with information on the origins of the MCs at the Sun and following by the analysis of in-situ observations at 1 AU and at Ulysses. The candidate source regions were identified in SOHO/EIT and SOHO/MDI observations. They were correlated with H-α images that were obtained from ground-based observatories. Hints on the internal magnetic field configuration of the associated coronal mass ejections are obtained from LASCO C2 images. In interplanetary space, magnetic and plasma moments of the distribution function of plasma species (ACE/Ulysses) were analyzed together with information on the plasma composition, and the results were compared between both spacecraft in order to understand how these structures interact and evolve in their cruise from the Sun to 5 AU. Additionally, estimates of global magnitudes of magnetic fluxes and helicity were obtained from magnetic field models applied to the data in interplanetary space. We have found that these magnetic characteristics were well kept from their solar source, up to 5 AU where Ulysses provided valuable information which, together with that obtained from ACE, can help to reinforce the correct matching of solar events and their interplanetary counterparts.

The Structural Connection between Coronal Mass Ejection Flux Ropes near the Sun and at 1 au

2021 ◽  
Vol 922 (1) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
H. Xie ◽  
N. Gopalswamy ◽  
S. Akiyama
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Ultraviolet ◽  
Neutral Line ◽  
Flux Rope ◽  
Axial Direction ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Weather Forecasts ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Structural Connection

Abstract We have performed the first comprehensive statistical analysis comparing flux rope (FR) structures of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) near the Sun and at 1 au, using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory and Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory measurements for the two full solar cycles 23 and 24. This study aims to investigate the physical connection of 102 magnetic FRs among solar source regions, CMEs in the extended corona, and magnetic clouds (MCs) near Earth. Our main results are as follows: (1) We confirmed that the hemispheric-helicity rule holds true for ∼87% of our 102 events. For the 13 events that do not follow this rule, the FR axis directions and helicity signs can be inferred from soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet images and magnetogram data in the source regions (e.g., coronal arcade skews, Fe xii stalks, sigmoids, and magnetic tongues). (2) Around 25% of the 102 events have rotations >40° between the MC and CME-FR axial orientations. (3) For ∼56% of these rotational events, the FR rotations occurred within the COR2 field of view, which can be predicted from the CME tilts obtained from FR fitting models. In addition, we found that for 89% of the 19 stealth CMEs under study, we were able to use coronal neutral line locations and tilts to predict the FR helicity and its axial direction in the MCs. The above results should help improve the prediction of FR structures in situ. We discuss their implications on space weather forecasts.

scholarly journals Probable Value for the Next Sunspot Minimum

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Virginia Mabel Silbergleit
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cycle ◽  
Solar Minimum ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Additional Insight ◽  
Sunspot Minimum ◽  
Sunspot Numbers ◽  
Solar Cycle 24 ◽  
Cycle 24

Gumbel’s first distribution is applied to smoothed monthly mean sunspot numbers for solar cycles 10 to 24. According to that, the next minimum for solar cycle 24-25 transition would be the deepest solar minimum of the last 150 years. This study provides an additional insight about changes in the Sun which are currently happening.

scholarly journals Un-interrupted Sun-as-a-star Helioseismic Observations over Multiple Solar Cycles

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (S340) ◽  
pp. 27-30
Author(s):  
Kiran Jain ◽  
Sushanta Tripathy ◽  
Frank Hill ◽  
David Salabert ◽  
Rafael A. García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Layer ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Current Cycle ◽  
Cycle 24

AbstractWe analyze Sun-as-a-star observations spanning over solar cycles 22 – 24 from the ground-based network BiSON and solar cycles 23 – 24 collected by the space-based VIRGO and GOLF instruments on board the SoHO satellite. Using simultaneous observations from all three instruments, our analysis suggests that the structural and magnetic changes responsible for modifying the frequencies remained comparable between cycle 23 and cycle 24 but differ from cycle 22. Thus we infer that the magnetic layer of the Sun has become thinner since the beginning of cycle 23 and continues during the current cycle.

scholarly journals Evolution of interplanetary coronal mass ejections and magnetic clouds in the heliosphere

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (S300) ◽  
pp. 245-254
Author(s):  
Pascal Démoulin
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Coronal Mass Ejections ◽  
Magnetic Measurements ◽  
Flux Rope ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections

AbstractInterplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs), and more specifically Magnetic Clouds (MCs), are detected with in situ plasma and magnetic measurements. They are the continuation of the CMEs observed with imagers closer to the Sun. A review of their properties is presented with a focus on their magnetic configuration and its evolution. Many recent observations, both in situ and with imagers, point to a key role of flux ropes, a conclusion which is also supported by present coronal eruptive models. Then, is a flux rope generically present in an ICME? How to quantify its 3D physical properties when it is detected locally as a MC? Is it a simple flux rope? How does it evolve in the solar wind? This paper reviews our present answers and limited understanding to these questions.

scholarly journals On the relationship between magnetic cloud field polarity and geoeffectiveness

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1037-1050 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. K. J. Kilpua ◽  
Y. Li ◽  
J. G. Luhmann ◽  
L. K. Jian ◽  
C. T. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Opposite Polarity ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
Solar Cycles ◽  
Field Polarity ◽  
Wind Structure ◽  
Intense Storm ◽  
Solar Wind Structure ◽  
Speed Solar Wind ◽  
Cycle 24

Abstract. In this paper, we have investigated geoeffectivity of near-Earth magnetic clouds during two periods concentrated around the last two solar minima. The studied magnetic clouds were categorised according to the behaviour of the Z-component of the interplanetary magnetic field (BZ) into bipolar (BZ changes sign) and unipolar (BZ maintains its sign) clouds. The magnetic structure of bipolar clouds followed the solar cycle rule deduced from observations over three previous solar cycles, except during the early rising phase of cycle 24 when both BZ polarities were identified almost with the same frequency. We found a clear difference in the number of unipolar clouds whose axial field points south (S-type) between our two study periods. In particular, it seems that the lack of S-type unipolar clouds contributed to relatively low geomagnetic activity in the early rising phase of cycle 24. We estimated the level of magnetospheric activity using a Dst prediction formula with the measured BZ and by reversing the sign of BZ. We found that bipolar clouds with fields rotating south-to-north (SN) and north-to-south (NS) were equally geoeffective, but their geoeffectiveness was clearly modified by the ambient solar wind structure. Geoeffectivity of NS-polarity clouds was enhanced when they were followed by a higher-speed solar wind, while the majority of geoeffective SN-polarity clouds lacked the trailing faster wind. A leading shock increased the geoeffectiveness of both NS- and SN-polarity clouds, in particular, in the case of an intense storm. We found that in 1995–1998, SN-polarity clouds were more geoeffective, while in 2006–2011 NS-polarity clouds produced more storms. A considerably larger fraction of events were trailed by a higher-speed solar wind during our latter study period, which presumably increased geoeffectivity of NS-polarity. Thus, our study demonstrates that during low and moderate solar activity, geoeffectivity of opposite polarity bipolar clouds may depend significantly on the surrounding solar wind structure. In addition, different polarities also give different temporal storm evolutions: a storm from an SN-polarity cloud is expected to occur, on average, half-a-day earlier than a storm from an NS-polarity cloud.

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