Statistical relations between in-situ measured Bz component and thermospheric density variations

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>

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1889-1895 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Li ◽  
E. Lee ◽  
G. Parks

Abstract. Recent studies of solar wind MHD turbulence show that current-sheet-like structures are common in the solar wind and they are a significant source of solar wind MHD turbulence intermittency. While numerical simulations have suggested that such structures can arise from non-linear interactions of MHD turbulence, a recent study by Borovsky (2006), upon analyzing one year worth of ACE data, suggests that these structures may represent the magnetic walls of flux tubes that separate solar wind plasma into distinct bundles and these flux tubes are relic structures originating from boundaries of supergranules on the surface of the Sun. In this work, we examine whether there are such structures in the Earth's magnetotail, an environment vastly different from the solar wind. We use high time resolution magnetic field data of the FGM instrument onboard Cluster C1 spacecraft. The orbits of Cluster traverse through both the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosheath and magnetotail. This makes its dataset ideal for studying differences between solar wind MHD turbulence and that inside the Earth's magnetosphere. For comparison, we also perform the same analysis when Cluster C1 is in the solar wind. Using a data analysis procedure first introduced in Li (2007, 2008), we find that current-sheet-like structures can be clearly identified in the solar wind. However, similar structures do not exist inside the Earth's magnetotail. This result can be naturally explained if these structures have a solar origin as proposed by Borovsky (2006). With such a scenario, current analysis of solar wind MHD turbulence needs to be improved to include the effects due to these curent-sheet-like structures.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Chust ◽  
Olivier Le Contel ◽  
Matthieu Berthomier ◽  
Alessandro Retinò ◽  
Fouad Sahraoui ◽  
...  

<p>Solar Orbiter (SO) is an ESA/NASA mission for exploring the Sun-Heliosphere connection which has been launched in February 2020. The Low Frequency Receiver (LFR) is one of the main subsystems of the Radio and Plasma Wave (RPW) experiment on SO. It is designed for characterizing the low frequency (~0.1Hz–10kHz) electromagnetic fields & waves which develop, propagate, interact, and dissipate in the solar wind plasma. In correlation with particle observations it will help to understand the heating and acceleration processes at work during its expansion. We will present the first LFR data gathered during the Near Earth Commissioning Phase, and will compare them with MMS data recorded in similar solar wind condition.</p>


1986 ◽  
Vol 91 (A2) ◽  
pp. 1261 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Lühr ◽  
D. J. Southwood ◽  
N. Klöcker ◽  
M. Acuña ◽  
B. Häusler ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 689-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Bavassano ◽  
E. Pietropaolo ◽  
R. Bruno

Abstract. Solar wind compressive fluctuations at MHD scales have been extensively studied in the past using data from spacecraft on the ecliptic plane. In the present study, based on plasma and magnetic field measurements by Ulysses, a statistical analysis of the compressive fluctuations observed in the high-latitude solar wind is performed. Data are from the first out-of-ecliptic orbit of Ulysses, when the Sun's activity is low and the high-latitude heliosphere is characterized by the presence of a fast and relatively steady solar wind, the polar wind. Our analysis is based on the computation of hourly-scale correlation coefficients for several pairs of solar wind parameters such as velocity, density, temperature, magnetic field magnitude, and plasma pressures (thermal, magnetic, and total). The behaviour of the fluctuations in terms of their amplitude has been examined, too, and comparisons with the predictions of existing models have been performed. The results support the view that the compressive fluctuations in the polar solar wind are mainly a superposition of MHD compressive modes and of pressure-balanced structures. Nearly-incompressible effects do not seem to play a relevant role. In conclusion, our results about compressive fluctuations in the polar wind do not appear as a break with respect to previous low-latitude observations. However, our study clearly indicates that in a homogeneous environment, as the polar wind, the pressure-balanced fluctuations tend to play a major role. Key words. Interplanetary physics (MHD waves and turbulence; solar wind plasma) – Space plasma physics (turbulence)


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S335) ◽  
pp. 65-68
Author(s):  
Nandita Srivastava ◽  
Zavkiddin Mirtoshev ◽  
Wageesh Mishra

AbstractWe have studied the consequences of interacting coronal mass ejections (CMEs) of June 13-14, 2012 which were directed towards Earth and caused a moderate geomagnetic storm with Dst index ~ −86 nT. We analysed the in-situ observations of the solar wind plasma and magnetic field parameters obtained from the OMNI database for these CMEs. The in-situ observations show that the interacting CMEs arrive at Earth with the strongest (~ 150 nT) Sudden Storm Commencement (SSC) of the solar cycle 24. We compared these interacting CMEs to a similar interaction event which occurred during November 9-10, 2012. This occurred in the same phase of the solar cycle 24 but resulted in an intense geomagnetic storm (Dst ~ −108 nT), as reported by Mishra et al. (2015). Our analysis shows that in the June event, the interaction led to a merged structure at 1 AU while in the case of November 2012 event, the interacted CMEs arrived as two distinct structures at 1 AU. The geomagnetic signatures of the two cases reveal that both resulted in a single step geomagnetic storm.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Pudney ◽  
C. M. Carr ◽  
S. J. Schwartz ◽  
S. I. Howarth

Abstract. In-situ magnetic field measurements are of critical importance in understanding how the Sun creates and controls the heliosphere. To ensure the measurements are accurate, it is necessary to track the combined slowly varying spacecraft magnetic field and magnetometer zero offset – the systematic error in the sensor measurements. For a 3-axis stabilised spacecraft, in-flight correction of zero offsets primarily relies on the use of Alfvénic rotations in the magnetic field. We present a method to automatically determine a key parameter related to the ambient compressional variance of the signal (which determines the selection criteria for identifying clear Alfvénic rotations). We apply our method to different solar wind conditions, performing a statistical analysis of the data periods required to achieve a 70% chance of calculating an offset using Helios datasets. We find that 70% of 40 min data periods in regions of fast solar wind possess sufficient rotational content to calculate an offset. To achieve the same 70% calculation probability in regions of slow solar wind requires data periods of 2 h duration. We also find that 40 min data periods at perihelion compared to 1 h and 40 min data periods at aphelion are required to achieve the same 70% calculation probability. We compare our method with previous work that uses a fixed parameter approach and demonstrate an improvement in the calculation probability of up to 10% at aphelion and 5% at perihelion.


The first spacecraft encounter with a comet took place on 11 September 1985 when the International Cometary Explorer spacecraft passed through the tail of Comet Giacobini-Zinner at a distance of 7800 km from the nucleus. It provided the first definitive in-situ information concerning the interaction of a cometary atmosphere with the flowing solar-wind plasma, and the results of initial analyses are reviewed in this paper. Large-scale mhd aspects of the interaction largely conform to prior expectation. The flow surrounding the comet is mass-loaded and slowed by situ ionization and pick-up of heavy cometary neutrals, and the solar-wind magnetic field consequently becomes draped around the obstacle, and forms an induced magnetotail. Substantial evidence exists for the permanent presence of a weak shock lying in the subsolar mass-loaded region upstream from the comet, through whether the spacecraft itself passed through shocks on the cometary flanks remains controversial. There is no doubt, however, that a sharp boundary was observed both inbound and outbound (centred on ca. 09h29 and 12h20 U.T.) whose width is an energetic heavyion Larmor radius ( ca. 10 4 km), where the flow is deflected away from the comet and slowed, and where the magnetic field and plasma become compressed and very turbulent. The location of this boundary is also consistent with that expected for a weak shock based upon the known Giacobini-Zinner water-molecule production rate. An unexpected feature of the interaction was the extreme levels of field and plasma turbulence, and broadband wave activity observed in the region of massloaded flow.


2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 3113-3125 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Démoulin

Abstract. Magnetic clouds (MCs), and more generally, interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), are believed to be the interplanetary counterparts of CMEs. The link has usually been shown by taking into account the CME launch position on the Sun, the expected time delay and by comparing the orientation of the coronal and interplanetary magnetic field. Making such a link more quantitative is challenging since it requires a relation between very different kinds of magnetic field measurements: (i) photospheric magnetic maps, which are observed from a distant vantage point (remote sensing) and (ii) in-situ measurements of MCs, which provide precise, directly measured, magnetic field data merely from one-dimensional linear samples. The association between events in these different domains can be made using adequate coronal and MC models. Then, global quantities like magnetic fluxes and helicity can be derived and compared. This review paper describes all the general trends found in the above association criteria. A special focus is given for the cases which do not follow the earlier derived mean laws since interesting physics is usually involved.


Author(s):  
M. A. Pudney ◽  
C. M. Carr ◽  
S. J. Schwartz ◽  
S. I. Howarth

Abstract. In-situ magnetic field measurements are of critical importance in understanding how the Sun creates and controls the heliosphere. To ensure the measurements are accurate, it is necessary to track the combined slowly-varying spacecraft magnetic field and magnetometer zero offset – the systematic error in the sensor measurements. For a 3-axis stabilised spacecraft, in-flight correction of zero offsets primarily relies on the use of Alfvénic rotations in the magnetic field. We present a method to automatically determine a key parameter related to the ambient compressional variance of the signal (which determines the selection criteria for identifying clear Alfvénic rotations). We apply our method to different solar wind conditions, performing a statistical analysis of the data periods required to achieve a 70% chance of calculating an offset using Helios datasets. We find that 70% of 40 min data periods in regions of fast solar wind possess sufficient rotational content to calculate an offset. To achieve the same 70% calculation probability in regions of slow solar wind requires data periods of 2 h duration. We also find that 40 min data periods at perihelion compared to 1 h and 40 min data periods at aphelion are required to achieve the same 70% calculation probability. We compare our method with previous work that uses a fixed parameter approach and demonstrate an improvement in the calculation probability of up to 10% at aphelion and 5% at perihelion.


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