scholarly journals Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of the Solar Corona with an Effective Implicit Strategy

2021 ◽  
Vol 257 (2) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Xueshang Feng ◽  
Haopeng Wang ◽  
Changqing Xiang ◽  
Xiaojing Liu ◽  
Man Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract In this paper, we design an effective and robust model to solve the 3D single-fluid solar wind plasma magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) problem of low plasma β. This MHD model is formulated on a six-component composite grid system free of polar singularities. The computational domain ranges from the solar surface to the super-Alfvénic region. As common to all MHD codes, this code must handle the physical positivity-preserving property, time-step enlargement, and magnetic field divergence-free maintenance. To maintain physical positivity, we employ a positivity-preserving Harten–Lax–van Leer Riemann solver and take a self-adjusting and positivity-preserving method for variable reconstruction. To loosen the time-step limitation, we resort to the implicit lower–upper symmetric Gauss–Seidel method and keep the sparse Jacobian matrix diagonally dominant to improve the convergence rate. To deal with the constant theme of a magnetic field that is divergence-free, we adopt a globally solenoidality-preserving approach. After establishing the solar wind model, we use its explicit and implicit versions to numerically investigate the steady-state solar wind in Carrington rotations (CRs) 2172 and 2210. Both simulations achieve almost the same results for the two CRs and are basically consistent with solar coronal observations and mapped in situ interplanetary measurements. Furthermore, we use the implicit method to conduct an ad hoc simulation by multiplying the initial magnetic field of CR 2172 with a factor of 6. The simulation shows that the model can robustly and efficiently deal with the problem of a plasma β as low as about 5 × 10−7. Therefore, the established implicit solar wind MHD model is very promising for simulating complex and strong magnetic environments.

Author(s):  
Timur Sh. KOMBAEV ◽  
Mikhail K. ARTEMOV ◽  
Valentin K. SYSOEV ◽  
Dmitry S. DEZHIN

It is proposed to develop a small spacecraft for an experiment using high-temperature superconductors (HTS) and shape memory materials. The purpose of the experiment is to test a technological capability of creating a strong magnetic field on the small spacecraft using HTS and shape memory materials for deployed large-area structures, and study the magnetic field interaction with the solar wind plasma and the resulting force impact on the small spacecraft. This article is of a polemical character and makes it possible to take a fresh look at the applicability of new technologies in space-system engineering. Key words: high-temperature superconductors, shape memory materials, solar wind, spacecraft.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harlan Spence ◽  
Kristopher Klein ◽  
HelioSwarm Science Team

<p>Recently selected for phase A study for NASA’s Heliophysics MidEx Announcement of Opportunity, the HelioSwarm Observatory proposes to transform our understanding of the physics of turbulence in space and astrophysical plasmas by deploying nine spacecraft to measure the local plasma and magnetic field conditions at many points, with separations between the spacecraft spanning MHD and ion scales.  HelioSwarm resolves the transfer and dissipation of turbulent energy in weakly-collisional magnetized plasmas with a novel configuration of spacecraft in the solar wind. These simultaneous multi-point, multi-scale measurements of space plasmas allow us to reach closure on two science goals comprised of six science objectives: (1) reveal how turbulent energy is transferred in the most probable, undisturbed solar wind plasma and distributed as a function of scale and time; (2) reveal how this turbulent cascade of energy varies with the background magnetic field and plasma parameters in more extreme solar wind environments; (3) quantify the transfer of turbulent energy between fields, flows, and ion heat; (4) identify thermodynamic impacts of intermittent structures on ion distributions; (5) determine how solar wind turbulence affects and is affected by large-scale solar wind structures; and (6) determine how strongly driven turbulence differs from that in the undisturbed solar wind. </p>


Author(s):  
Liudmila Rakhmanova ◽  
Maria Riazantseva ◽  
Georgy Zastenker

Crossing the Earth’s bow shock is known to crucially affect solar wind plasma including changes in turbulent cascade. The present review summarizes results of more than 15 years of experimental exploration into magnetosheath turbulence. Great contributions to understanding turbulence development inside the magnetosheath was made by means of recent multi-spacecraft missions. We introduce the main results provided by them together with first observations of the turbulent cascade based on direct plasma measurements by the Spektr-R spacecraft in the magnetosheath. Recent results on solar wind effects on turbulence in the magnetosheath are also discussed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Kroisz ◽  
Lukas Drescher ◽  
Manuela Temmer ◽  
Sandro Krauss ◽  
Barbara Süsser-Rechberger ◽  
...  

<p>Through advanced statistical investigation and evaluation of solar wind plasma and magnetic field data, we investigate the statistical relation between the magnetic field B<sub>z</sub> component, measured at L1, and Earth’s thermospheric neutral density. We will present preliminary results of the time series analyzes using in-situ plasma and magnetic field measurements from different spacecraft in near Earth space (e.g., ACE, Wind, DSCOVR) and relate those to derived thermospheric densities from various satellites (e.g., GRACE, CHAMP). The long and short term variations and dependencies in the solar wind data are related to variations in the neutral density of the thermosphere and geomagnetic indices. Special focus is put on the specific signatures that stem from coronal mass ejections and stream or corotating interaction regions.  The results are used to develop a novel short-term forecasting model called SODA (Satellite Orbit DecAy). This is a joint study between TU Graz and University of Graz funded by the FFG Austria (project “SWEETS”).</p>


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Baraka ◽  
L. Ben-Jaffel

Abstract. We present a follow up study of the sensitivity of the Earth's magnetosphere to solar wind activity using a particles-in-cell model (Baraka and Ben Jaffel, 2007), but here during northward Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). The formation of the magnetospheric cavity and its elongation around the planet is obtained with the classical structure of a magnetosphere with parallel lobes. An impulsive disturbance is then applied to the system by changing the bulk velocity of the solar wind to simulate a decrease in the solar wind dynamic pressure followed by its recovery. In response to the imposed drop in the solar wind velocity, a gap (abrupt depression) in the incoming solar wind plasma appears moving toward the Earth. The gap's size is a ~15 RE and is comparable to the sizes previously obtained for both Bz<0 and Bz=0. During the initial phase of the disturbance along the x-axis, the dayside magnetopause (MP) expands slower than the previous cases of IMF orientations as a result of the abrupt depression. The size of the MP expands nonlinearly due to strengthening of its outer boundary by the northward IMF. Also, during the initial 100 Δt, the MP shrank down from 13.3 RE to ~9.2 RE before it started expanding, a phenomenon that was also observed for southern IMF conditions but not during the no IMF case. As soon as they felt the solar wind depression, cusps widened at high altitude while dragged in an upright position. For the field's topology, the reconnection between magnetospheric and magnetosheath fields is clearly observed in both the northward and southward cusps areas. Also, the tail region in the northward IMF condition is more confined, in contrast to the fishtail-shape obtained in the southward IMF case. An X-point is formed in the tail at ~110 RE compared to ~103 RE and ~80 RE for Bz=0 and Bz<0, respectively. Our findings are consistent with existing reports from many space observatories (Cluster, Geotail, Themis, etc.) for which predictions are proposed to test furthermore our simulation technique.


2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 3095-3101 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Wintoft ◽  
M. Wik ◽  
H. Lundstedt ◽  
L. Eliasson

Abstract. The 7-10 November 2004 period contains two events for which the local ground magnetic field was severely disturbed and simultaneously, the solar wind displayed several shocks and negative Bz periods. Using empirical models the 10-min RMS and at Brorfelde (BFE, 11.67° E, 55.63° N), Denmark, are predicted. The models are recurrent neural networks with 10-min solar wind plasma and magnetic field data as inputs. The predictions show a good agreement during 7 November, up until around noon on 8 November, after which the predictions become significantly poorer. The correlations between observed and predicted log RMS is 0.77 during 7-8 November but drops to 0.38 during 9-10 November. For RMS the correlations for the two periods are 0.71 and 0.41, respectively. Studying the solar wind data for other L1-spacecraft (WIND and SOHO) it seems that the ACE data have a better agreement to the near-Earth solar wind during the first two days as compared to the last two days. Thus, the accuracy of the predictions depends on the location of the spacecraft and the solar wind flow direction. Another finding, for the events studied here, is that the and models showed a very different dependence on Bz. The model is almost independent of the solar wind magnetic field Bz, except at times when Bz is exceptionally large or when the overall activity is low. On the contrary, the model shows a strong dependence on Bz at all times.


2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1347-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Riley ◽  
Z. Mikić ◽  
J. A. Linker

Abstract. In this study we describe a series of MHD simulations covering the time period from 12 January 1999 to 19 September 2001 (Carrington Rotation 1945 to 1980). This interval coincided with: (1) the Sun’s approach toward solar maximum; and (2) Ulysses’ second descent to the southern polar regions, rapid latitude scan, and arrival into the northern polar regions. We focus on the evolution of several key parameters during this time, including the photospheric magnetic field, the computed coronal hole boundaries, the computed velocity profile near the Sun, and the plasma and magnetic field parameters at the location of Ulysses. The model results provide a global context for interpreting the often complex in situ measurements. We also present a heuristic explanation of stream dynamics to describe the morphology of interaction regions at solar maximum and contrast it with the picture that resulted from Ulysses’ first orbit, which occurred during more quiescent solar conditions. The simulation results described here are available at: http://sun.saic.com.Key words. Interplanetary physics (Interplanetary magnetic fields; solar wind plasma; sources of the solar wind)


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stas Barabash ◽  
Andrii Voshchepynets ◽  
Mats Holmström ◽  
Futaana Yoshifumi ◽  
Robin Ramstad

&lt;p&gt;Induced magnetospheres of non-magnetized atmospheric bodies like Mars and Venus are formed by magnetic fields of ionospheric currents induced by the convective electric field E = - V x B/c of the solar wind. The induced magnetic fields create a magnetic barrier which forms a void of the solar wind plasma, an induced magnetosphere. But what happens when the interplanetary magnetic field is mostly radial and the convective field E &amp;#8776; 0? Do a magnetic barrier and solar wind void form? If yes, how such a degenerate induced magnetosphere work? The question is directly related to the problem of the atmospheric escape due to the interaction with the solar and stellar winds. The radial interplanetary magnetic field in the inner solar system is typical for the ancient Sun conditions and exoplanets on near-star orbits. Also, the radial interplanetary field may provide stronger coupling of the near-planet environment with the solar/stellar winds and thus effectively channels the solar/stellar wind energy to the ionospheric ions. We review the current works on the subject, show examples of degenerate induced magnetospheres of Mars and Venus from Mars Express, Venus Express, and MAVEN measurements and hybrid simulations, discuss physics of degenerate induced magnetospheres, and impact of such configurations on the escape processes.&lt;/p&gt;


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Réka Winslow ◽  
Amy Murphy ◽  
Nathan Schwadron ◽  
Noé Lugaz ◽  
Wenyuan Yu ◽  
...  

&lt;p&gt;Small flux ropes (SFRs) are interplanetary magnetic flux ropes with durations from a few minutes to a few hours. We have built a comprehensive catalog of SFRs at Mercury using magnetometer data from the orbital phase of the MESSENGER mission (2011-2015). In the absence of solar wind plasma measurements, we developed strict identification criteria for SFRs in the magnetometer observations, including conducting force-free field fits for each flux rope. We identified a total of 48 events that met our strict criteria, with events ranging in duration from 2.5 minutes to 4 hours. Using superposed epoch analysis, we obtained the generic SFR magnetic field profile at Mercury. Due to the large variation in Mercury's heliocentric distance (0.31-0.47 AU), we split the data into two distance bins. We found that the average SFR profile is more symmetric &quot;farther from the Sun&quot;, in line with the idea that SFRs form closer to the Sun and undergo a relaxation process in the solar wind. Based on this result, as well as the SFR durations and the magnetic field strength fall-off with heliocentric distance, we infer that the SFRs observed at Mercury are expanding as they propagate with the solar wind. We also determined that the SFR occurrence frequency is nearly four times as high at Mercury as for similarly detected events at 1 AU. Most interestingly, we found two SFR populations in our dataset, one likely generated in a quasi-periodic formation process near the heliospheric current sheet, and the other formed away from the current sheet in isolated events.&lt;/p&gt;


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Zhang ◽  
C. Wang ◽  
B. B. Tang ◽  
H. Li

Abstract. We employ a global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model, namely the PPMLR-MHD model, to investigate the effect of the solar wind conditions, such as the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) clock angle, southward IMF magnitude and solar wind speed, on the average pattern of the ionospheric equivalent current systems (ECS). A new method to derive ECS from the MHD model is proposed and applied, which takes account of the oblique magnetic field line effects. The model results indicate that when the IMF is due northward, the ECS are very weak while the current over polar region is stronger than the lower latitude; when the IMF rotates southward, the two-cell current system dominates, the eastward electrojet on the afternoon sector and the westward electrojet on the dawn sector increase rapidly while the westward electrojet is stronger than the eastward electrojet. Under southward IMF, the intensity of the westward electrojet and eastward electrojet both increase with the increase of the southward IMF magnitude and solar wind speed, and the increase is very sharp for the westward electrojet. Furthermore, we compare the geomagnetic perturbations on the ground represented by the simulated average ECS with the observation-based statistical results under similar solar wind conditions. It is found that the model results generally match with the observations, but the underestimation of the eastward equivalent current on the dusk sector is the main limitation of the present model.


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