On the equilibrium of the magnetopause current layer
Magnetopause current layer equilibrium based on numerical solution of uniform magnetic field confinement by warm plasma with net parallel velocity
Sonnerup, B. U. OE.↗
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Soft electrons as a possible heat source for Jupiter's thermosphere
The 850 K exospheric temperature inferred for Jupiter from the radio-occultation experiments on Pioneers 10 and 11 is shown to imply a heat input of 0.25-0.5 erg/sq cm/sec. One possible source of this energy is precipitation of electrons from a warm plasma (temperature corresponding to energies of the order of 30-500 eV). A mechanism is suggested wherein the presence of this plasma can be accounted for by centrifugal acceleration and adiabatic compression of ionospheric electrons and protons. Present ideas of the source strength of ionospheric plasma, however, give heating rates that are too small by one to two orders of magnitude, although inferences from direct plasma measurements suggest that the required plasma is indeed present.
Hunten, D. M.↗
Egress spectra of the new eclipsing supergiant 22 Vulpeculae
The G-type primary in the single-lined spectroscopic binary 22 Vul (HD 192713, Gp3 Ib-II, period 249 days) was found by IUE to eclipse its recently identified B9 main sequence companion. The system thus joins Zeta Aurigae systems in which a hot dwarf provides a probe of extended atmospheres by going behind a cool supergiant. The IUE data were obtained at scattered dates following two conjunctions. Outside of eclipse, a wind from the system with terminal velocity of 300 k/sec is conspicuous in the Mg II lines. Enhanced Fe II absorption seen well away from geometrical eclipse implies an extensive envelope around the G star. There is a close correspondence between the 22 Vul spectra and those of interacting binaries, suggesting common properties due to relatively dense, warm plasmas in these systems.
Ake, T. B., III↗
The ion cyclotron dispersion relation in a proton-alpha solar wind
Solutions to the WKB warm plasma dispersion relation are investigated for the case of a proton-alpha plasma, to determine when parallel ion cyclotron waves can propagate at the alpha particle gyrofrequency. Examples are given of the behavior of the dispersion curves in this resonant regime, for several types of plasma states that are appropriate to the fast solar wind. It is found that while ion cyclotron waves can propagate at the alpha particle gyrofrequency for a bounded set of plasma parameters, use of the correct dispersion relation will probably make resonant cyclotron acceleration of solar wind plasma particles less feasible as a mechanism for the generation of the observed preferential effects.
Isenberg, P. A.↗
The onset of Alfvenic turbulence
An investigation is conducted on how low-frequency MHD oscillations in a warm plasma may undergo a transition from a coherent state to one of turbulence. A driven/dissipative derivative nonlinear Schroedinger equation is derived from the fluid equations. The time evolution of an arbitrary spectrum of waves is analyzed in the case where one k-mode is unstable, with the rest damped. It is found that the transition from order to chaos in the driven/dissipative system is correlated with the existence or absence of 'breathing' solitons in the associated conservative system.
Ghosh, S.↗
The theory of magnetohydrodynamic wave generation by localized sources. II - Collisionless dissipation of wave packets
The dispersion equation of Barnes (1966) is used to study the dissipation of asymptotic wave packets generated by localized periodic sources. The solutions of the equation are linear waves, damped by Landau and transit-time processes, in a collisionless warm plasma. For the case of an ideal MHD system, most of the waves emitted from a source are shown to cancel asympotically through destructive interference. The modes transporting significant flux to asymptotic distances are found to be Alfven waves and fast waves with theta (the angle between the magnetic field and the characteristics of the far-field waves) of about 0 and about pi/2.
Collins, William↗
Acceleration of thermal plasma in the magnetosphere
Analytic theory and numerical simulations are used here to investigate the physics of two types of mixed plasmas. The transverse acceleration of ions on auroral field lines is considered in order to determine the effects of multiion species. In the auroral zone the components of a multiion plasma, including hydrogen and oxygen, interact with each other as well as with a two-component electron plasma composed of both a magnetospheric beam and background ionospheric components. This interaction occurs as a mixed ion-ion hybrid mode. How an electron plasma, with both hot and cold components as well as ion beams, affects the plasma sheet boundary layer is examined. It is found that in the presence of this mixed electron plasma, warm ion beams can drive the electron acoustic instability; this phenomenon may be responsible for broadband electrostatic noise in the boundary layer.
Ashour-Abdalla, Maha↗
HD 51956 - A supergiant in an interacting binary
IUE ultraviolet spectral observations reveal that the F supergiant HD 51956 contains a hot companion star partially obscured by warm plasma. Variable absorption features are analogous to those in the strongly interacting system HD 207739. The F type component is apparently transferring matter to a subluminous B type star which originally was the primary component.
Parsons, Sidney B.↗
Particle flows to shape and voltage surface discontinuities in the electron sheath surrounding a high voltage solar array in LEO
This paper discusses the numerical modeling of electron flows from the sheath surrounding high positively biased objects in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) to regions of voltage or shape discontinuity on the biased surfaces. The sheath equations are derived from the Two-fluid, Warm Plasma Model. An equipotential corner and a plane containing strips of alternating voltage bias are treated in two dimensions. A self-consistent field solution of the sheath equations is outlined and is pursued through one cycle. The electron density field is determined by numerical solution of Poisson's equation for the electrostatic potential in the sheath using the NASCAP-LEO relation between electrostatic potential and charge density. Electron flows are calculated numerically from the electron continuity equation. Magnetic field effects are not treated.
Metz, Roger N.↗
Perpendicular electron heating by absorption of auroral kilometric radiation
We investigate the possibility of perpendicular heating of electrons and the generation of '90 deg -electron conics' by particle diffusion in velocity space due to wave-particle interaction with intense auroral kilometric radiation. This interaction is made possible by the downward shift in the R-X cutoff below the electron cyclotron frequency that occurs in the presence of warm plasma. We stimulate this condition and solve the diffusion equation using a finite difference algorithm. The results show strong perpendicular electron heating and indicate that the main characteristics of an electron conic distribution can be reproduced under these conditions.
Morgan, D. D.↗
Revisiting the Inner Magnetospheric Oxygen Torus with DE 1 RIMS
Nearly 35 years ago direct observations of cold plasmaspheric ions found enhanced O(+), O(++), and even N(+) densities in the outer plasmasphere, in particular during storm recovery conditions. Enhancements were seen inside or just outside of the plasmapause at all magnetic local times. Whereas nominal O(+) concentrations were found to be 1% or less inside the plasmasphere, enhanced O(+) in the vicinity of the plasmapause was found to reach densities comparable to H(+). Enhanced ion outflow (including oxygen) from high latitudes has also become part of our picture of storm-time phenomena. More recently it has become apparent that high latitude outflow is a source of inner magnetospheric warm ions that convect into morning and afternoon local times, to form what we now call the warm plasma cloak. Low to middle latitude ionospheric outflow and high latitude outflow are thought to result from very different processes and can be expected to contribute differently as a function of conditions and locations to the dynamic processes of energy and particle transport in the inner magnetosphere. Given the apparent proximity of their delivery to the vicinity of the plasmapause during plasmaspheric refilling conditions it becomes worthwhile to question the origin of the oxygen torus and its role in this region. While the observations do not yet exist to settle this question, there are measurements that contribute to the discussion in the new emerging context of cold plasma in the inner magnetosphere. In this paper we present and discuss DE 1 RIMS derived ion densities and temperatures that contribute to answering these outstanding questions about the origin and dynamics of the oxygen torus.
stormtime↗
Observations of Deep Ionospheric F-Region Density Depletions with FPMU Instrumentation and Their Relationship with the Global Dynamics of the June 22-23, 2015 Geomagnetic Storm
The magnetic storm that commenced on June 22, 2015 was one of the largest storms in the current solar cycle, resulting from an active region on the Sun that produced numerous coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and associated interplanetary shock waves. On June 22 at 18:36 UT the magnetosphere was impacted by the leading-edge shock wave and a sheath carrying a large and highly variable interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz with values ranging from +25 to -40 nT. During the subsequent interval from 0000 to 0800 UT, there was a second intensification of the geomagnetic storm resulting from the impact of the CME. We present dramatic responses of simultaneous particle measurements from the high-altitude Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) at high altitudes in the magnetosphere (approx. 9-12 Re) and from the low-altitude (F-region) Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) on board the International Space Station (ISS). We analyze potential causes of these dramatic particle flux dropouts by putting them in the context of storm-time electrodynamics, and support our results with numerical simulations of the global magnetosphere and ionosphere. During the sheath phase of the storm, the MMS spacecraft in the near-earth equatorial plane observed a rapid reconfiguration of the magnetic field near 1923 UT. Initially in the warm plasma sheet, particle flux dropouts were observed as they tracked the plasma-sheet to lobe transitions with the stretching and thinning of the plasma sheet. Anti-sunward flowing O+ ions of ionospheric origin were also measured during this period, confirming that the MMS spacecraft temporarily was in a lobe.
Coffey, Victoria↗
Resonance cone structure in a warm inhomogeneous bounded plasma with lower-hybrid resonance layers
The paper presents a theoretical study of the problem of the wave fields excited by a gap source at the edge of an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma with a pair of lower-hybrid resonance layers present and bounded by conducting walls. The approach used is that of a solution as a sum of multiply reflected extraordinary mode and ion-thermal resonance cones as an alternative to the guided-wave mode approach. A diagrammatic scheme for writing the solution is given which can be used to determine in great detail the structure and properties of the resonance cones and the way they transform across the back-to-back hybrid layers. Evanescent resonance cones are shown to exist in the high-density region between the hybrid resonance layers and to tunnel through to the other side, maintaining this general structure if the layer is relatively thin.
Grabbe, C. L.↗
Resonance-rectification effects in warm magnetoplasmas.
Resonance rectification in plasma with static magnetic field explained by warm plasma permittivity component perpendicular to field
Crawford, F. W.↗
Formation of Electrostatic Potential Drops in the Auroral Zone
In order to examine the self-consistent formation of large-scale quasi-static parallel electric fields in the auroral zone on a micro/meso scale, a particle in cell simulation has been developed. The code resolves electron Debye length scales so that electron micro-processes are included and a variable grid scheme is used such that the overall length scale of the simulation is of the order of an Earth radii along the magnetic field. The simulation is electrostatic and includes the magnetic mirror force, as well as two types of plasmas, a cold dense ionospheric plasma and a warm tenuous magnetospheric plasma. In order to study the formation of parallel electric fields in the auroral zone, different magnetospheric ion and electron inflow boundary conditions are used to drive the system. It has been found that for conditions in the primary (upward) current region an upward directed quasi-static electric field can form across the system due to magnetic mirroring of the magnetospheric ions and electrons at different altitudes. For conditions in the return (downward) current region it is shown that a quasi-static parallel electric field in the opposite sense of that in the primary current region is formed, i.e., the parallel electric field is directed earthward. The conditions for how these different electric fields can be formed are discussed using satellite observations and numerical simulations.
Schriver, D.↗
Electrostatic ion cyclotron, beam-plasma, and lower hybrid waves excited by an electron beam
It is pointed out that electrostatic ion cyclotron (EIC) waves have been extensively investigated in connection with both space and laboratory plasmas. The present investigation has the objective to study the excitation of low-frequency waves in a multiion plasma by electron beams. The frequencies considered range from below the lowest gyrofrequency of the heaviest ion to about the lower hybrid frequency. It is shown that electron-beam instabilities can produce peaks in the growth rate below the cyclotron frequency of each ion species if nonzero perpendicular wave number effects are included in the ion dynamics. The dispersion relations for neutralized ion Bernstein (NIB) and pure ion Bernstein (PIB) waves are considered along with an instability analysis for a cold plasma and warm electron beam, the electron beam-plasma mode, banded ion cyclotron (EIC) waves with small perpendicular wavelengths, and the growth lengths of the waves.
Singh, N.↗
Further observations on resonance cones in non-Maxwellian plasmas
Results on the angular distribution of the electrostatic potential of a pulsating point charge in a warm magnetized plasma permeated by an electron beam are presented. The theoretical formulation for a finite magnetic field is given, and the solution of the resonance cone dispersion relation is presented. Numerical results on the angular distribution of the potential are shown, and the propagation of waves outside the resonance cones is described. It is demonstrated that with the inclusions of a finite magnetic field, the field patterns of a point charge are qualitatively similar to those obtained for a uniaxial plasma. The Cerenkov radiation occurs at angles much smaller than the cold-cone angle, even with the finite magnetic field. When the beam velocity is well above the thermal velocity of the background electrons, a characteristic wave propagation occurs between the cold-cone angles.
Thiemann, H.↗
Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations of Large-Amplitude Parallel, Electrostatic Waves Associated with Magnetic Reconnection at the Magnetopause
We report observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale satellites of large-amplitude, parallel, electrostatic waves associated with magnetic reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause. The observed waves have parallel electric fields (E(sub parallel)) with amplitudes on the order of 100 mV/m and display nonlinear characteristics that suggest a possible net E(sub parallel). These waves are observed within the ion diffusion region and adjacent to (within several electron skin depths) the electron diffusion region. They are in or near the magnetosphere side current layer. Simulation results support that the strong electrostatic linear and nonlinear wave activities appear to be driven by a two stream instability, which is a consequence of mixing cold (less than 10eV) plasma in the magnetosphere with warm (approximately 100eV) plasma from the magnetosheath on a freshly reconnected magnetic field line. The frequent observation of these waves suggests that cold plasma is often present near the magnetopause.
Ergun, R. E.↗