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At least 163 records · Page 9

Radiative shock structure.

Shock wave structure in ionized hydrogen, using Eddington approximation to solve Rankine- Hugoniot jump equation

DIFFUSION WAVE↗

Discontinuities in the solar wind.

Discontinuities in plasma parameters of solar wind satisfy conditions of Mhd and can be treated as shock waves and stationary contact surfaces

SHOCK WAVE↗

A leaky magnetohydrodynamic waveguide model for the acceleration of high-speed solar wind streams in coronal holes

It is now reasonably well established that there is a correlation between high-speed solar wind streams and coronal holes. It has been concluded that a significant addition of momentum and/or energy in the region of supersonic flow is needed to explain the observed particle flux and flow speed observed in the high-speed streams. The most likely source of this additional momentum appears to be magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves propagating up from the solar surface. The present investigation is concerned with the propagation of MHD waves in a structure of finite transverse size, taking into account the consequences for the acceleration of high-speed solar wind streams. A waveguide solution for a model coronal hole is described, giving attention to a geometric or ray analysis of the slab waveguide, a wave mode analysis, an analytic solution of the dispersion relation for high-frequency waves, and the calculation of the time-averaged wave force.

Davila, J. M.↗

Modelling of solar magnetic field and prominence structures

Using plasma theory, the interaction is studied between high frequency and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves from which a set of coupling equations resulted. On the basis of this formalism, the modulation instabilities of an electromagnetic soliton in a current sheet are examined, and it is shown that there is a resistive instability at the onset of the magnetic field reconnection. This mechanism could be used to explain the onset of solar flares and prominences. To improve the resolution of vector magnetic fields at the sun's surface, state-of-the-art optics is examined to improve the design and fabrication of a new spaceborne solar vector magnetograph as part of the SAMEX (Solar Active Measurements Experiment) program.

Wu, Shi Tsan↗

Intensive MHD-structures penetration in the middle atmosphere initiated in the ionospheric cusp under quiet geomagnetic conditions

In connection with the recently detected quasiperiodical magnetic disturbances in the ionospheric cusp, the penetration of compressional surface magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves through the middle atmosphere is modelled numerically. For the COSPAR International Reference Atmosphere (CIRA) 72 model the respective energy density flux of the disturbances in the middle atmosphere is determined. On the basis of the developed model certain conclusions are reached about the height distribution of the structures (energy losses, currents, etc.) initiated by intensive magnetic cusp disturbances.

Mateev, L. N.↗

Local magnetohydrodynamic instabilities and the wave-driven dynamo in accretion disks

We consider the consequences of magnetic buoyancy and the magnetic shearing instability (MSI) on the strength and organization of the magnetic field in a thin accretion disk. We discuss a model in which the wave-driven dynamo growth rate is balanced by the dissipative effects of the MSI. As in earlier work, the net helicity is due to small advective motions driven by nonlinear interactions between internal waves. Assuming a simple model of the internal wave spectrum generated from the primary m = 1 internal waves, we find that the magnetic energy density saturates at about (H/r) exp 4/3 times the local pressure (where H is the disk thickness and r is its radius). On very small scales the shearing instability will produce an isotropic fluctuating field. For a stationary disk this is equivalent to a dimensionless 'viscosity' of about (H/r) exp 4/3. The vertical and radial diffusion coefficients will be comparable to each other. Magnetic buoyancy will be largely suppressed by the turbulence due to the MSI. We present a rough estimate of its effects and find that it removes magnetic flux from the disk at a rate comparable to that caused by turbulent diffusion.

Vishniac, Ethan T.↗

Spectral polarization analysis of the interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations

A new computational method and algorithm, based on complex Fourier analysis, is used to derive the spectral density of plane and circularly polarized fluctuation components of the interplanetary magnetic field. Applications of the method have been made using HEOS 2 (1 AU), Pioneer 10 (5 AU), Pioneer 11 (20 AU), and International Cometary Explorer (ICE) (Giocabini-Zinner's comet) data sets. The results show the existence of circularly polarized magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in all cases.

Polygiannakis, J. M.↗

The study of coronal plasma structures and fluctuations with Faraday rotation measurements

We report dual-frequency, polarimetric measurements of Faraday rotation of extragalactic radio sources viewed through the solar corona. The observations were made at the Very Large Array in 1990 during solar maximum. Of the nine observed, an excess rotation measure of -12.6 rad/sq m was detected for one source (0010+005), which was observed at an elongation of about 9 solar radii. This measurement is in fair agreement with an a priori model rotation measure of -8.6 rad/sq m estimated from coronal potential field models and the electron density model of Paetzold et al. (1992). Our measurement provides a value for the coronal magnetic field strength at 9 solar radii given a knowledge of the magnetic field sector structure, of 12.5 +/- 2.3 mG. Rotation measurements of 0010+005 were made approximately once per hour over an 11 hr period. During this interval, a slow change of about 1 rad/sq m/hr in rotation measure was detected. Although we are not absolutely certain that this drift is not unremoved ionospheric Faraday rotation, extensive analysis of data from the other sources suggests that this is not the case (Sakurai & Spangler 1994). The very long timescale for this variation argues against the agency of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) waves, and we suggest occultation of 0010+005 by relatively static plasma structures in the corona. We filtered our rotation measure time series to search for variations on an hourly timescale, such as those reported by Hollweg et al. (1992), which could be attributed to coronal MHD waves. We were unable to detect such fluctuations and can report only an upper limit to the rms variation of 1.6 rad/sq m. This upper limit is of the same order, but slightly larger than the values typically reported by Hollweg et al. (1982). This upper limit to the rotation measure fluctuations limits the dimensionless wave amplitude (delta B)/B in the corona to be less than 0.7. Using the number, we estimate the MHD wave flux at the coronal base to be less than 1.6 x 10(exp 5) ergs/sq cm/s. This is less than the amount of wave energy flux required by wave-driven models of the solar wind. Finally, we discuss a number of ways in which such observations could be improved in the future.

Sakurai, Takayuki↗

Structure, Shape and Movement of the Termination Shock

In this paper we review current ideas concerning the morphology and dynamics of the heliospheric termination shock. The mean distance of the shock is expected to lie somewhere in the range 50-200 AU, and should vary with latitude, depending on mean latitude variation of the dynamical pressure of the solar wind. The shock is expected to move in response to variation in upstream solar wind conditions, so that at any particular instant the termination shock will resemble a distorted asymmetric balloon with some parts moving inward and others moving outward. The simplest model of the shock is that of an infinitely thin gasdynamic or magnetohydrodynamic shock wave, which moves inward or outward at speeds of approximately 100 kilometers per second. The structure and motion of the shock will be strongly modified if an appreciable fraction of the incident solar wind energy goes into acceleration of energetic particles, specifically the anomalous cosmic rays.

Barnes, Aaron↗

Statistical Analysis of Periodic Oscillations in LASCO Coronal Mass Ejection Speeds

A large set of coronal mass ejections (CMEs, 3463) has been selected to study their periodic oscillations in speed in the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) missions Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) field of view. These events, reported in the SOHOLASCO catalog in the period of time 19962004, were selected based on having at least 11 height-time measurements. This selection criterion allows us to construct at least ten-point speed distance profiles and evaluate kinematic properties of CMEs with a reasonable accuracy. To identify quasi-periodic oscillations in the speed of the CMEs a sinusoidal function was fitted to speed distance profiles and the speed time profiles. Of the considered events 22 revealed periodic velocity fluctuations. These speed oscillations have on average amplitude equal to 87 kms(exp -1) and period 7.8R /241 min (in distance-time). The study shows that speed oscillations are a common phenomenon associated with CME propagation implying that all the CMEs have a similar magnetic flux-rope structure. The nature of oscillations can be explained in terms of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves excited during the eruption process. More accurate detection of these modes could, in the future, enable us to characterize magnetic structures in space (space seismology).

Michalek, G.↗

Numerical study of two-dimensional non-plane MHD wave propagation in a supersonic, superalfvenic magnetohydrodynamic flow

The features of a 2.5-dimensional time-dependent MHD numerical code used to simulate the propagation of finite amplitude MHD waves through an inhomogeneous, supersonic superalfvenic medium are described. Basic equations for conservation of mass, momentum, and free energy in a unit volume plasma gas and for magnetic induction are defined. Initial conditions are functions of the radial coordinates and disturbances are introduced at the lower boundary. A set of finite difference equations based on a Lax-Wendroff scheme is used for the simulation. The model is applied to analyzing a solar flare shock wave in steady-state and global transient conditions while propagating at 1 AU heliolongitude.

Han, S. M.↗

Hall MHD waves: A fundamental departure from their MHD counterparts

It is demonstrated through a succinct derivation as to how the linear waves in Hall magnetohydrodynamics (HMHD) constitute a fundamental departure from the standard MHD waves. Apart from modifying the conventional MHD spectrum, the Hall current induces a distinct and new branch consisting of purely circularly polarized waves that may become the representative shear waves.

Astrophysics↗

Numerical simulation of large-scale field-aligned current generation from finite-amplitude magnetosonic waves

A two-dimensional numerical simulation of finite-amplitude magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) magnetosonic waves is performed under a finite-velocity background convection condition. Isothermal cases are considered for simplicity. External dissipation is introduced by assuming that the field-aligned currents are generated in proportion to the accumulated charges. The simulation results are as follows: Paired field-aligned currents are found from the simulated waves. The flow directions of these field-aligned currents depend on the angle between the background convection and the wave normal, and hence two pairs of field-aligned currents are found from a bowed wave if we look at the overall structure. The majority of these field-aligned currents are closed within each pair rather than between two wings. These features are not observed under slow background convection. The result could be applied to the cusp current system and the substorm current system.

Yamauchi, M.↗