Fast plasma sheet flows and X line motion in the Earth's magnetotail: results from a global hybrid-Vlasov simulation

Fast plasma flows produced as outflow jets from reconnection sites or X lines are a key feature of the dynamics in the Earth's magnetosphere. We have used a polar plane simulation of the hybrid-Vlasov model Vlasiator, driven by steady southward interplanetary magnetic field and fast solar wind, to study fast plasma sheet ion flows and related magnetic field structures in the Earth's magnetotail. In the simulation, lobe reconnection starts to produce fast flows after the increasing pressure in the lobes has caused the plasma sheet to thin sufficiently. The characteristics of the earthward and tailward fast flows and embedded magnetic field structures produced by multi-point tail reconnection are in general agreement with spacecraft measurements reported in the literature. The structuring of the flows is caused by internal processes: interactions between major X points determine the earthward or tailward direction of the flow, while interactions between minor X points, associated with leading edges of magnetic islands carried by the flow, induce local minima and maxima in the flow speed. Earthward moving flows are stopped and diverted duskward in an oscillatory (bouncing) manner at the transition region between tail-like and dipolar magnetic fields. Increasing and decreasing dynamic pressure of the flows causes the transition region to shift earthward and tailward, respectively. The leading edge of the train of earthward flow bursts is associated with an earthward propagating dipolarization front, while the leading edge of the train of tailward flow bursts is associated with a tailward propagating plasmoid. The impact of the dipolarization front with the dipole field causes magnetic field variations in the Pi2 range. Major X points can move either earthward or tailward, although tailward motion is more common. They are generally not advected by the ambient flow. Instead, their velocity is better described by local parameters, such that an X point moves in the direction of increasing reconnection electric field strength. Our results indicate that ion kinetics might be sufficient to describe the behavior of plasma sheet bulk ion flows produced by tail reconnection in global near-Earth simulations. Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; plasma sheet) – space plasma physics (numerical simulation studies)

Magnetosphere dynamics during the 14 November 2012 storm inferred from TWINS, AMPERE, Van Allen Probes, and BATS-R-US–CRCM

During the 14 November 2012 geomagnetic storm, the Van Allen Probes spacecraft observed a number of sharp decreases (“dropouts”) in particle fluxes for ions and electrons of different energies. In this paper, we investigate the global magnetosphere dynamics and magnetosphere–ionosphere (M–I) coupling during the dropout events using multipoint measurements by Van Allen Probes, TWINS, and AMPERE together with the output of the two-way coupled global BATS-R-US–CRCM model. We find different behavior for two pairs of dropouts. For one pair, the same pattern was repeated: (1) weak nightside Region 1 and 2 Birkeland currents before and during the dropout; (2) intensification of Region 2 currents after the dropout; and (3) a particle injection detected by TWINS after the dropout. The model predicted similar behavior of Birkeland currents. TWINS low-altitude emissions demonstrated high variability during these intervals, indicating high geomagnetic activity in the near-Earth tail region. For the second pair of dropouts, the structure of both Birkeland currents and ENA emissions was relatively stable. The model also showed quasi-stationary behavior of Birkeland currents and simulated ENA emissions with gradual ring current buildup. We confirm that the first pair of dropouts was caused by large-scale motions of the OCB (open–closed boundary) during substorm activity. We show the new result that this OCB motion was associated with global changes in Birkeland (M–I coupling) currents and strong modulation of low-altitude ion precipitation. The second pair of dropouts is the result of smaller OCB disturbances not related to magnetospheric substorms. The local observations of the first pair of dropouts result from a global magnetospheric reconfiguration, which is manifested by ion injections and enhanced ion precipitation detected by TWINS and changes in the structure of Birkeland currents detected by AMPERE. This study demonstrates that multipoint measurements along with the global model results enable the reconstruction of a more complete system-level picture of the dropout events and provides insight into M–I coupling aspects that have not previously been investigated. Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (magnetosphere–ionosphere interactions; magnetospheric configuration and dynamics); space plasma physics (numerical simulation studies)

First current density measurements in the ring current region using simultaneous multi-spacecraft CLUSTER-FGM data

The inner magnetosphere's current mapping is one of the key elements for current loop closure inside the entire magnetosphere. A method for directly computing the current is the multi-spacecraft curlometer technique, which is based on the application of Maxwell-Ampère's law. This requires the use of four-point magnetic field high resolution measurements. The FGM experiment on board the four Cluster spacecraft allows, for the first time, an instantaneous calculation of the magnetic field gradients and thus a measurement of the local current density. This technique requires, however, a careful study concerning all the factors that can affect the accuracy of the J estimate, such as the tetrahedral geometry of the four spacecraft, or the size and orientation of the current structure sampled. The first part of this paper is thus providing a detailed analysis of the method accuracy, and points out the limitations of this technique in the region of interest. The second part is an analysis of the ring current region, which reveals, for the first time, the large latitudinal extent of the ring current, for all magnetic activity levels, as well as the latitudinal evolution of the perpendicular (and parallel) components of the current along the diffuse auroral zone. Our analysis also points out the sharp transition between two distinct plasma regions, with the existence of high diamagnetic currents at the interface, as well as the filamentation of the current inside the inner plasma sheet. A statistical study over multiple perigee passes of Cluster (at about 4 RE from the Earth) reveals the azimuthal extent of the partial ring current. It also reveals that, at these distances and all along the evening sector, there isn't necessarily a strong dependence of the local current density value on the magnetic activity level. This is a direct consequence of the ring current morphology evolution, as well as the relative positioning of the spacecraft with respect to the bulk of the ring current. It also proves the existence of a substantial ring current at these distances, all over the evening and the post-midnight sector. Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (Current systems; Energetic particles, trapped; Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics)

Statistics of high-altitude and high-latitude O⁺ ion outflows observed by Cluster/CIS

The persistent outflows of O+ ions observed by the Cluster CIS/CODIF instrument were studied statistically in the high-altitude (from 3 up to 11 RE) and high-latitude (from 70 to ~90 deg invariant latitude, ILAT) polar region. The principal results are: (1) Outflowing O+ ions with more than 1keV are observed above 10 RE geocentric distance and above 85deg ILAT location; (2) at 6-8 RE geocentric distance, the latitudinal distribution of O+ ion outflow is consistent with velocity filter dispersion from a source equatorward and below the spacecraft (e.g. the cusp/cleft); (3) however, at 8-12 RE geocentric distance the distribution of O+ outflows cannot be explained by velocity filter only. The results suggest that additional energization or acceleration processes for outflowing O+ ions occur at high altitudes and high latitudes in the dayside polar region. Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics, Solar wind-magnetosphere interactions)

Proton isotropy boundaries as measured on mid- and low-altitude satellites

Polar CAMMICE MICS proton pitch angle distributions with energies of 31-80 keV were analyzed to determine the locations where anisotropic pitch angle distributions (perpendicular flux dominating) change to isotropic distributions. We compared the positions of these mid-altitude isotropic distribution boundaries (IDB) for different activity conditions with low-altitude isotropic boundaries (IB) observed by NOAA 12. Although the obtained statistical properties of IDBs were quite similar to those of IBs, a small difference in latitudes, most pronounced on the nightside and dayside, was found. We selected several events during which simultaneous observations in the same local time sector were available from Polar at mid-altitudes, and NOAA or DMSP at low-altitudes. Magnetic field mapping using the Tsyganenko T01 model with the observed solar wind input parameters showed that the low- and mid-altitude isotropization boundaries were closely located, which leads us to suggest that the Polar IDB and low-altitude IBs are related. Furthermore, we introduced a procedure to control the difference between the observed and model magnetic field to reduce the large scatter in the mapping. We showed that the isotropic distribution boundary (IDB) lies in the region where Rc/ρ~6, that is at the boundary of the region where the non-adiabatic pitch angle scattering is strong enough. We therefore conclude that the scattering in the large field line curvature regions in the nightside current sheet is the main mechanism producing isotropization for the main portion of proton population in the tail current sheet. This mechanism controls the observed positions of both IB and IDB boundaries. Thus, this tail region can be probed, in its turn, with observations of these isotropy boundaries. Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (Energetic particles, Precipitating; Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; Magnetotail)

Statistics of Joule heating in the auroral zone and polar cap using Astrid-2 satellite Poynting flux

We make a statistical study of ionospheric Joule heating with the Poynting flux method using six months of Astrid-2/EMMA electric and magnetic field data during 1999 (solar maximum year). For the background magnetic field we use the IGRF model. Our results are in agreement with earlier statistical satellite studies using both the ΣPE2 method and the Poynting flux method. We present a rather comprehensive set of fitted Joule heating formulas expressing the Joule heating in given magnetic local time (MLT) and invariant latitude (ILAT) range under given solar illumination conditions as a function of the Kp index, the AE index, the Akasofu epsilon parameter and the solar wind kinetic energy flux. The study thus provides improved and more detailed estimates of the statistical Joule heating. Such estimates are necessary building blocks for future quantitative studies of the power budget in the magnetosphere and in the nightside auroral region. Key words. Ionosphere (electric fields and currents; ionosphere-magnetosphere interactions) – Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics)

On the propagation of bubbles in the geomagnetic tail

Using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we investigate the propagation of low-entropy magnetic flux tubes ("bubbles") in the magnetotail. Our simulations address fundamental properties of the propagation and dynamics of such flux tubes rather than the actual formation process. We find that the early evolution, after a sudden reduction of pressure and entropy on a localized flux tube, is governed by re-establishing the balance of the total pressure in the dawn-dusk and north-south directions through compression on a time scale less than about 20s for the typical magnetotail. The compression returns the equatorial pressure to its original unperturbed value, due to the fact that the magnetic field contributes only little to the total pressure, while farther away from the equatorial plane the magnetic field compression dominates. As a consequence the pressure is no longer constant along a flux tube. The subsequent evolution is characterized by earthward propagation at speeds of the order of 200-400km/s, depending on the initial amount of depletion and the cross-tail extent of a bubble. Simple acceleration without depletion does not lead to significant earthward propagation. It hence seems that both the entropy reduction and the plasma acceleration play an important role in the generation of fast plasma flows and their propagation into the near tail. Earthward moving bubbles are found to be associated with field-aligned current systems, directed earthward on the dawnward edge and tailward on the duskward edge. This is consistent with current systems attributed to observed bursty bulk flows and their auroral effects.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; magnetotail; plasma sheet)nguage:

Morphology of the ring current derived from magnetic field observations

Our examination of the 20 years of magnetospheric magnetic field data from ISEE, AMPTE/CCE and Polar missions has allowed us to quantify how the ring current flows and closes in the magnetosphere at a variety of disturbance levels. Using intercalibrated magnetic field data from the three spacecraft, we are able to construct the statistical magnetic field maps and derive 3-dimensional current density by the simple device of taking the curl of the statistically determined magnetic field. The results show that there are two ring currents, an inner one that flows eastward at ~3 RE and a main westward ring current at ~4–7 RE for all levels of geomagnetic disturbances. In general, the in-situ observations show that the ring current varies as the Dst index decreases, as we would expect it to change. An unexpected result is how asymmetric it is in local time. Some current clearly circles the magnetosphere but much of the energetic plasma stays in the night hemisphere. These energetic particles appear not to be able to readily convect into the dayside magnetosphere. During quiet times, the symmetric and partial ring currents are similar in strength (~0.5MA) and the peak of the westward ring current is close to local midnight. It is the partial ring current that exhibits most drastic intensification as the level of disturbances increases. Under the condition of moderate magnetic storms, the total partial ring current reaches ~3MA, whereas the total symmetric ring current is ~1MA. Thus, the partial ring current contributes dominantly to the decrease in the Dst index. As the ring current strengthens the peak of the partial ring current shifts duskward to the pre-midnight sector. The partial ring current is closed by a meridional current system through the ionosphere, mainly the field-aligned current, which maximizes at local times near the dawn and dusk. The closure currents flow in the sense of region-2 field-aligned currents, downward into the ionosphere near the dusk and upward out of the ionosphere near the dawn. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (current systems; storms and substorms; magnetospheric configuration and dynamics)

Long-term evolution of magnetospheric current systems during storms

We present a method to model the storm-time magnetospheric magnetic field using representations of the magnetic field arising from the various magnetospheric current systems. We incorporate the effects of magnetotail changes during substorms by introducing an additional localized thin current sheet into the Tsyganenko T89 model. To represent the storm-time ring current the T89 ring current is replaced by a bean-shaped current system, which has a cross section that is close to the observed distribution of trapped particles in the inner magnetosphere and has an eastward flowing inner and westward flowing outer components. In addition to the symmetric ring current, an asymmetric partial ring current is taken into account with closing Region 2 sense field-aligned currents. Magnetopause currents are varied in accordance with solar wind dynamic pressure variations. Three moderate geomagnetic storms when Dst reached about –150 nT and one big storm with Dst about –250 nT are modelled. The model free parameters are specified for each time step separately using observations from GOES 8 and 9, Polar, Interball and Geotail satellites and Dst measurements. The model gives a high time-resolution field representation of the large-scale magnetic field, and a very good reproduction of the Dst index. It is shown that the ring current is most important during intense storms, whereas the near-Earth tail currents contribute more to the Dst index than the ring current during moderate storms. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (Current systems; Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; Storms and substorms)