A Provably Positive, Divergence-free Constrained Transport Scheme for the Simulation of Solar Wind

2021 ◽  
Vol 257 (2) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Man Zhang ◽  
Xueshang Feng ◽  
Xiaojing Liu ◽  
Liping Yang
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Reconstruction Process ◽  
Wave Speeds ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
Divergence Free ◽  
Constrained Transport

Abstract In this paper, we present a provably positive, divergence-free constrained transport (CT) scheme to simulate the steady-state solar wind ambient with the three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics numerical model. The positivity can be lost in two ways: one way is in the reconstruction process, and the other is in the updating process when the variables are advanced to the next time step. We adopt a self-adjusting strategy to bring the density and pressure into the permitted range in the reconstruction process, and use modified wave speeds in the Harten–Lax–van Leer flux to ensure the positivity in the updating process. The CT method can keep the magnetic fields divergence-free if the magnetic fields are divergence-free initially. Thus, we combine the least-squares reconstruction of the magnetic fields with the divergence-free constraints to make the magnetic fields globally solenoidal initially. Furthermore, we adopt a radial basis function method to interpolate variables at boundaries that can keep the magnetic field locally divergence-free. To verify the capability of the model in producing structured solar wind, the modeled results are compared with Parker Solar Probe (PSP) in situ observations during its first two encounters, as well as Wind observations at 1 au. Additionally, a solar maximum solar wind background is simulated to show the property of the model’s ability to preserve the positivity. The results show that the model can provide a relatively satisfactory comparison with PSP or Wind observations, and the divergence error is about 10−10 for all of the tests in this paper.

scholarly journals Understanding the origins of the heliosphere: integrating observations and measurements from Parker Solar Probe, Solar Orbiter, and other space- and ground-based observatories

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. A4 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Velli ◽  
L. K. Harra ◽  
A. Vourlidas ◽  
N. Schwadron ◽  
O. Panasenco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Solar Wind ◽  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Energetic Particles ◽  
Solar Energetic Particles ◽  
Coronal Plasma ◽  
Solar Dynamics Observatory ◽  
Surface Magnetic Field ◽  
In Situ Observations

Context. The launch of Parker Solar Probe (PSP) in 2018, followed by Solar Orbiter (SO) in February 2020, has opened a new window in the exploration of solar magnetic activity and the origin of the heliosphere. These missions, together with other space observatories dedicated to solar observations, such as the Solar Dynamics Observatory, Hinode, IRIS, STEREO, and SOHO, with complementary in situ observations from WIND and ACE, and ground based multi-wavelength observations including the DKIST observatory that has just seen first light, promise to revolutionize our understanding of the solar atmosphere and of solar activity, from the generation and emergence of the Sun’s magnetic field to the creation of the solar wind and the acceleration of solar energetic particles. Aims. Here we describe the scientific objectives of the PSP and SO missions, and highlight the potential for discovery arising from synergistic observations. Here we put particular emphasis on how the combined remote sensing and in situ observations of SO, that bracket the outer coronal and inner heliospheric observations by PSP, may provide a reconstruction of the solar wind and magnetic field expansion from the Sun out to beyond the orbit of Mercury in the first phases of the mission. In the later, out-of-ecliptic portions of the SO mission, the solar surface magnetic field measurements from SO and the multi-point white-light observations from both PSP and SO will shed light on the dynamic, intermittent solar wind escaping from helmet streamers, pseudo-streamers, and the confined coronal plasma, and on solar energetic particle transport. Methods. Joint measurements during PSP–SO alignments, and magnetic connections along the same flux tube complemented by alignments with Earth, dual PSP–Earth, and SO-Earth, as well as with STEREO-A, SOHO, and BepiColumbo will allow a better understanding of the in situ evolution of solar-wind plasma flows and the full three-dimensional distribution of the solar wind from a purely observational point of view. Spectroscopic observations of the corona, and optical and radio observations, combined with direct in situ observations of the accelerating solar wind will provide a new foundation for understanding the fundamental physical processes leading to the energy transformations from solar photospheric flows and magnetic fields into the hot coronal plasma and magnetic fields and finally into the bulk kinetic energy of the solar wind and solar energetic particles. Results. We discuss the initial PSP observations, which already provide a compelling rationale for new measurement campaigns by SO, along with ground- and space-based assets within the synergistic context described above.

scholarly journals A Model for Coronal Inflows and In/Out Pairs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
White Light ◽  
Mass Density ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Solar Wind Plasma ◽  
Slow Solar Wind ◽  
Intrinsic Variability ◽  
Density Depletion ◽  
In Situ Observations

<div> <div> <div> <p>We present a three-dimensional (3D) numerical magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model of the white-light coronagraph observational phenomena known as coronal inflows and in/out pairs. Coronal inflows in the LASCO/C2 field of view (approximately 2–6 Rs) were thought to arise from the dynamic and intermittent release of solar wind plasma associated with the helmet streamer belt as the counterpart to outward-propagating streamer blobs, formed by magnetic reconnection. The MHD simulation results show relatively narrow lanes of density depletion form high in the corona and propagate inward with sinuous motion that has been characterized as "tadpole-like" in coronagraph imagery. The height–time evolution and velocity profiles of the simulation inflows and in/out pairs are compared to their corresponding observations and a detailed analysis of the underlying magnetic field structure associated with the synthetic white-light and mass density evolution is presented. Understanding the physical origin of this structured component of the slow solar wind’s intrinsic variability could make a significant contribution to solar wind modeling and the interpretation of remote and in situ observations from Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter.</p> </div> </div> </div>

scholarly journals MESSENGER observations of planetary ion enhancements at Mercury’s northern magnetospheric cusp during Flux Transfer Event Showers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weijie Sun ◽  
James Slavin ◽  
Anna Milillo ◽  
Ryan Dewey ◽  
Stefano Orsini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Transfer Event ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
Flux Transfer ◽  
Magnetospheric Cusp ◽  
Upward Moving ◽  
Entry Layer

Abstract At Mercury, several processes can release ions and neutrals out of the planet’s surface. Here we present enhancements of dayside planetary ions in the solar wind entry layer during flux transfer event (FTE) “showers” near Mercury’s northern magnetospheric cusp. In this entry layer, solar wind ions are accelerated and move downward (i.e. planetward) toward the cusps, which sputter upward-moving planetary ions within 1 minute. The precipitation rate is enhanced by an order of magnitude during FTE showers and the neutral density of the exosphere can vary by >10% due to this FTE-driven sputtering. These in situ observations of enhanced planetary ions in the entry layer likely correspond to an escape channel of Mercury’s planetary ions, and the large-scale variations of the exosphere observed on minute-timescales by ground-based telescopes. Comprehensive, future multi-point measurements made by BepiColombo will greatly enhance our understanding of the processes contributing to Mercury’s dynamic exosphere and magnetosphere.

scholarly journals Evidence for Particle Acceleration During Magnetospheric Substorms

1994 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 531-539
Author(s):  
Ramon E. Lopez ◽  
Daniel N. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Particle Acceleration ◽  
Energy Release ◽  
Acceleration Of Particles ◽  
Magnetospheric Substorms ◽  
Geomagnetic Tail ◽  
Dissipation Of Energy ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
Current Systems

AbstractMagnetospheric substorms represent the episodic dissipation of energy stored in the geomagnetic tail that was previously extracted from the solar wind. This energy release produces activity throughout the entire magnetosphere-ionosphere system, and it results in a wide variety of phenomena such as auroral intensifications and the generation of new current systems. All of these phenomena involve the acceleration of particles, sometimes up to several MeV. In this paper we present a brief overview of substorm phenomenology. We then review some of the evidence for particle acceleration in Earth’s magnetosphere during substorms. Such in situ observations in this most accessible of all cosmic plasma domains may hold important clues to understanding acceleration processes in more distant astrophysical systems.Subject headings: acceleration of particles — Earth — solar wind

scholarly journals Development of a three-dimensional growth prediction model for the Japanese scallop in Funka Bay, Japan, using OGCM and MODIS

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 2684-2699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Sei-Ichi Saitoh ◽  
Yu Ihara ◽  
Satoshi Nakada ◽  
Makoto Kanamori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Model ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Temperature Data ◽  
Japanese Scallop ◽  
Growth Prediction ◽  
Chl A ◽  
Funka Bay ◽  
Dimensional Growth ◽  
In Situ Observations

Abstract The Japanese scallop (Patinopecten (Mizuhopecten) yessoensis) is an important commercial species in Funka Bay, Japan, where it is farmed using the hanging culture method. Our study was based on 6 years (from 2006 to 2011) of monthly in situ observations of scallop growth at Yakumo station. To produce a basic spatial distribution dataset, we developed an interpolation solution for the shortage of Chl-a concentration data available from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite. Additionally, we integrated four-dimensional variational (4D-VAR) assimilation water temperature data from ocean general circulation models (OGCMs), with four vertical levels (6, 10, 14, and 18 m) from the sea surface. Statistical models, including generalized additive models (GAMs) and generalized linear models, were applied to in situ observation data, satellite data, and 4D-VAR data to identify the influence of environment factors (interpolated Chl-a, temperature, and depth) on the growth of scallops, and to develop a three-dimensional growth prediction model for the Japanese scallops in Funka Bay. We considered three methods to simulate the growth process of scallops (accumulation, summation, and product), and used them to select the most suitable model. All the interpolated Chl-a concentrations and 4D-VAR temperature data were verified by shipboard data. The results revealed that GAM, using an accumulation method that was based on a combination of integrated temperature, integrated log Chl-a, depth, and number of days, was best able to predict the vertical and spatial growth of the Japanese scallop. The predictions were verified by in situ observations from different depths (R2 = 0.83–0.94). From the distribution of three-dimensional predicted scallop growth maps at each depth, it was suggested that the growth of the Japanese scallop was most favourable at 6 m and least favourable at 18 m, although variations occurred in each aquaculture region in different years. These variations were probably due to the ocean environment and climate variation.

scholarly journals Three-dimensional in situ observations of short fatigue crack growth in magnesium

2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (17) ◽  
pp. 6761-6771 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. King ◽  
W. Ludwig ◽  
M. Herbig ◽  
J.-Y. Buffière ◽  
A.A. Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Crack ◽  
Fatigue Crack Growth ◽  
Crack Growth ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Short Fatigue Crack ◽  
In Situ Observations

scholarly journals MHD Modeling of the Background Solar Wind in the Inner Heliosphere From 0.1 to 5.5 AU: Comparison With In Situ Observations

Space Weather ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. X. Wang ◽  
X. C. Guo ◽  
C. Wang ◽  
V. Florinski ◽  
F. Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Mhd Modeling ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
Inner Heliosphere

Solar Orbiter observations of magnetic Kelvin-Helmholtz waves in the solar wind

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rungployphan Kieokaew ◽  
Benoit Lavraud ◽  
David Ruffolo ◽  
William Matthaeus ◽  
Yan Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Heliospheric Current Sheet ◽  
Shear Instability ◽  
Slow Solar Wind ◽  
Flow Shear ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Nonlinear Shear ◽  
Wind Source

<p>The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) is a nonlinear shear-driven instability that develops at the interfaces between shear flows in plasmas. KHI is ubiquitous in plasmas and has been observed in situ at planetary interfaces and at the boundaries of coronal mass ejections in remote-sensing observations. KHI is also expected to develop at flow shear interfaces in the solar wind, but while it was hypothesized to play an important role in the mixing of plasmas and exciting solar wind fluctuations, its direct observation in the solar wind was still lacking. We report first in-situ observations of ongoing KHI in the solar wind using Solar Orbiter during its cruise phase. The KHI is found in a shear layer in the slow solar wind near the Heliospheric Current Sheet. We find that the observed conditions satisfy the KHI onset criterion from linear theory and the steepening of the shear boundary layer is consistent with the development of KH vortices. We further investigate the solar wind source of this event to understand the conditions that support KH growth. In addition, we set up a local MHD simulation using the empirical values to reproduce the observed KHI. This observed KHI in the solar wind provides robust evidence that shear instability develops in the solar wind, with obvious implications in the driving of solar wind fluctuations and turbulence. The reasons for the lack of previous such measurements are also discussed.</p>

On the Bow-Shock dynamics in response to a Quasi-Perpendicular interaction with different Solar Wind conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Cazzola ◽  
Dominique Fontaine ◽  
Philippe Savoini
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Computer Simulations ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Bow Shock ◽  
Hybrid Code ◽  
Mach Numbers ◽  
The Imf

<p>This work will be giving new insights into the global Quasi-Perpendicular interaction effects of the Solar Wind with a realistic three-dimensional terrestrial-like curved Bow Shock (BS) by means of hybrid computer simulations.<br>The Bow-Shock profoundly changes its behavior for different incoming Solar Wind conditions. For Alfvénic Mach numbers greater than a specific threshold, the Bow-Shock shows an intense rippling phenomenon propagating along its surface, as well as the formation of a set of waves in the near-Earth flanks.<br>A similar rippling has been observed from different independent in-situ satellite crossings, as well as studied with ad-hoc computer simulations configured with 2D-planar shocks, conclusively confirming the highly kinetic nature of this phenomenon. Yet, the possible effects of a global three-dimensional curved interaction are still poorly described.<br>As such, we have performed a series of 3D simulations at different Alfvénic Mach numbers, different plasma beta - ratio between the thermal to the magnetic pressures - and different incoming Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) configurations with the hybrid code LatHyS, which was already successfully used for similar past analyses.<br>Particularly, we have found that the ripples follow a pattern not directly driven by the IMF direction as initially expected, but rather a Nose-to-Flanks propagation with the rippling onset region  being significantly displaced from the nose position. Additionally, this phenomenon seems to be mainly confined to the plane on where the IMF direction lies, with the perpendicular cross-sections showing only a slight oscillation.<br>Finally, we have observes a significant ions acceleration in the local perpendicular directions along the flanks modulations, which is most likely related to the local IMF-BS normal fluctuations occurring in the ripples boundary.</p>

Understanding Solar Wind Formation by Identifying the Origins of In Situ Observations 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Wallace ◽  
Nicholeen M. Viall ◽  
Charles N. Arge
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Solar Wind Speed ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Heliospheric Current Sheet ◽  
Slow Solar Wind ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Flux Transport ◽  
Model Driven ◽  
In Situ Observations

<p>Solar wind formation can be separated into three physical steps – source, release, and acceleration – that each leave distinct observational signatures on plasma parcels.  The Wang-Sheeley-Arge (WSA) model driven by Air Force Data Assimilative Photospheric Flux Transport (ADAPT) time-dependent photospheric field maps now has the ability to connect in situ observations more rigorously to their precise source at the Sun, allowing us to investigate the physical processes involved in solar wind formation.   In this talk, I will highlight my PhD dissertation research in which we use the ADAPT-WSA model to either characterize the solar wind emerging from specific sources, or investigate the formation process of various solar wind populations.  In the first study, we test the well-known inverse relationship between expansion factor (f<sub>s</sub>) and observed solar wind speed (v<sub>obs</sub>) for solar wind that emerges from a large sampling of pseudostreamers, to investigate if field line expansion plays a physical role in accelerating the solar wind from this source region.  We find that there is no correlation between f<sub>s</sub> and v<sub>obs</sub> at pseudostreamer cusps. In the second study, we determine the source locations of the first identified quasiperiodic density structures (PDSs) inside 0.6 au. Our modeling provides confirmation of these events forming via magnetic reconnection both near to and far from the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) – a direct test of the Separatrix-web (S-web) theory of slow solar wind formation.  In the final study, we use our methodology to identify the source regions of the first observations from the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission.  Our modeling enabled us to characterize the closest to the Sun observed coronal mass ejection (CME) to date as a streamer blowout.  We close with future ways that ADAPT-WSA can be used to test outstanding questions of solar wind formation.</p>

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