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  • 1. Bader, A.
    et al.
    Wieser, G. Stenberg
    Andre, M.
    Wieser, M.
    Futaana, Y.
    Persson, Moa
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Nilsson, H.
    Zhang, T. L.
    Proton Temperature Anisotropies in the Plasma Environment of Venus2019In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 124, no 5, p. 3312-3330Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Velocity distribution functions (VDFs) are a key to understanding the interplay between particles and waves in a plasma. Any deviation from an isotropic Maxwellian distribution may be unstable and result in wave generation. Using data from the ion mass spectrometer IMA (Ion Mass Analyzer) and the magnetometer (MAG) onboard Venus Express, we study proton distributions in the plasma environment of Venus. We focus on the temperature anisotropy, that is, the ratio between the proton temperature perpendicular (T-perpendicular to) and parallel (T-parallel to) to the background magnetic field. We calculate average values of T-perpendicular to and T-parallel to for different spatial areas around Venus. In addition we present spatial maps of the average of the two temperatures and of their average ratio. Our results show that the proton distributions in the solar wind are quite isotropic, while at the bow shock stronger perpendicular than parallel heating makes the downstream VDFs slightly anisotropic (T-perpendicular to/T-parallel to > 1) and possibly unstable to generation of proton cyclotron waves or mirror mode waves. Both wave modes have previously been observed in Venus's magnetosheath. The perpendicular heating is strongest in the near-subsolar magnetosheath (T-perpendicular to/ T-parallel to approximate to 3/2), which is also where mirror mode waves are most frequently observed. We believe that the mirror mode waves observed here are indeed generated by the anisotropy. In the magnetotail we observe planetary protons with largely isotropic VDFs, originating from Venus's ionosphere.

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  • 2.
    Bergman, Sofia
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Stenberg Wieser, Gabriella
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Wieser, Martin
    Johansson, Fredrik
    Eriksson, Anders
    The Influence of Spacecraft Charging on Low‐Energy Ion Measurements Made by RPC‐ICA on Rosetta2020In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 125, no 1, article id e2019JA027478Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Spacecraft charging is problematic for low‐energy plasma measurements. The charged particles are attracted to or repelled from the charged spacecraft, affecting both the energy and direction of travel of the particles. The Ion Composition Analyzer (RPC‐ICA) on board the Rosetta spacecraft is suffering from this effect. RPC‐ICA was measuring positive ions in the vicinity of comet 67P/Churyumov‐Gerasimenko, covering an energy range of a few eV/q to 40 keV/q. The low‐energy part of the data is, however, heavily distorted by the negatively charged spacecraft. In this study we use the Spacecraft Plasma Interaction Software to model the influence of the spacecraft potential on the ion trajectories and the corresponding distortion of the field of view (FOV) of the instrument. The results show that the measurements are not significantly distorted when the ion energy corresponds to at least twice the spacecraft potential. Below this energy the FOV is often heavily distorted, but the distortion differs between different viewing directions. Generally, ions entering the instrument close to the aperture plane are less affected than those entering with extreme elevation angles.

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  • 3.
    Bergman, Sofia
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Stenberg Wieser, Gabriella
    Wieser, Martin
    Johansson, Fredrik Leffe
    Eriksson, Anders
    The Influence of Varying Spacecraft Potentials and Debye Lengths on In Situ Low-Energy Ion Measurements2020In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 125, no 4, article id e2020JA027870Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Low‐energy ions are difficult to measure, mainly due to spacecraft charging. The ions areattracted to or repelled from the charged surface prior to detection, which changes both the energy andtravel direction of the ions. This results in distortions of the data, and the changed travel directions distort the effective field of view (FOV) of the instrument performing the measurements. The ion composition analyzer (RPC‐ICA) was measuring positive ions down to an energy of a few eV around comet67P/Churyumov‐Gerasimenko. Low‐energy ions play important parts in processes in the cometary environment, but the FOV of RPC‐ICA has been shown to get severely distorted at low ion energies. Several factors are believed to affect the distortion level. In this study we use the Spacecraft Plasma Interaction Software (SPIS) to investigate the influence of varying spacecraft potentials and Debye lengths on the FOV distortion of RPC‐ICA. We show that the distortion level is dependent on the Debye length of the surrounding plasma, but the sensitivity varies substantially between different viewing directions of the instrument. We also show that a small nonlinearity exists in the relation between FOV distortion, ion energy, and spacecraft potential, mainly caused by the photoemission and bulk flow of the cometary plasma.

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  • 4.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China; Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Aizawa, S.
    Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology, Toulouse, France.
    Tailward Flows in the Vicinity of Fast Earthward Flows2021In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 4, article id e2020JA028978Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The occurrence of tailward flows in the magnetotail plasma sheet is closely linked to the dynamics of earthward bursty bulk flows (BBFs). Tailward flows that are observed in the vicinity of these BBFs (or TWABs – Tailward flows around BBFs) may hold unique information on its origin. In this study, we conduct a statistical survey on TWABs by using data from the Cluster mission. We find that TWABs are observed in the vicinity of ∼75% of the BBFs and their occurrence does not depend on BBF velocity magnitude. TWABs have a flow convection pattern consistent with the general tailward flows (GTWs) in the plasma sheet and they do not resemble vortical-like flows. However, TWABs have a flow velocity magnitude twice larger than the GTWs. The plasma density and temperature of TWABs are comparable with BBFs. It is more common to observe a TWAB succeeding than preceding a BBF. However, there is no distinctive difference (in flow pattern, plasma density and temperature) between preceding and succeeding TWABs. We suggest that TWABs are likely the “freshly” rebounded BBFs from the near-Earth region where the magnetic field is stronger. TWABs may represent the early stage of the evolution of tailward flows in the plasma sheet. We also discuss and argue that other mechanisms such as shear-induced vortical flows and tailward slipping of depleted flux tubes cannot be the principal causes of TWABs.

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  • 5.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Kullen, A.
    Space and Plasma Physics, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Dawn-Dusk Ion Flow Asymmetry in the Plasma Sheet: Interplanetary Magnetic Field By Versus Distance With Respect to the Neutral Sheet2022In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 127, no 4, article id e2021JA030208Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Previous studies have shown that the average dawn-dusk component of the perpendicular plasma flow in the plasma sheet (V⊥) can vary depending on the distance relative to the neutral sheet and the dawn-dusk component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF By). In this study, we combined 33 years of data from the Geotail, Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms, Cluster, and magnetospheric multiscale missions to study the slow (<200 km/s) ion flows perpendicular to the magnetic field. We find that IMF By has a hemispheric dependent influence on both the tail By and tail V⊥. Particularly, the influence is more prominent in the midnight sector (compared to both the pre- and post-midnight sectors) and at distances far from the neutral sheet (compared to the distances close to the neutral sheet). However, at distances close to the neutral sheet, there is an increased dominance of duskward flows which dominates over the systematic influence of IMF By on tail V⊥. Our results indicate that IMF By has a major influence on the magnetic flux transport in the magnetotail, mainly at distances far from the neutral sheet. The influence is weaker at distances close to the neutral sheet.

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  • 6.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Schillings, Audrey
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Ion Convection as a Function of Distance to the Neutral Sheet in Earth's Magnetotail2021In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 12, article id e2021JA029694Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We utilized 33 years of data obtained by the Geotail, THEMIS, Cluster and MMS missions to investigate the slow (<200 km/s) ion flows perpendicular to the magnetic field in Earth's magnetotail plasma sheet. By using plasma β as a proxy of distance to the neutral sheet, we find that the ion flow patterns vary systematically within the plasma sheet. Particularly, in regions farther from the neutral sheet, earthward (tailward) flows exhibit a strong tendency to diverge (converge) quasi-symmetrically, with respect to the midnight meridional plane. As the distance becomes closer toward the neutral sheet, this tendency to diverge and converge gradually weakens. Moreover, duskward flows become the dominant components in both the earthward and tailward flows. These variations in ion flow patterns with distance to neutral sheet are hemispherically independent. We suggest that the spatial profiles of the electric and diamagnetic drift vary with distance to the neutral sheet and are therefore responsible for the varying ion flow patterns.

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  • 7. Cresswell-Moorcock, Kathy
    et al.
    Rodger, Craig J.
    Kero, Antti
    Collier, Andrew B.
    Clilverd, Mark A.
    Häggström, Ingemar
    Pitkänen, Timo
    A reexamination of latitudinal limits of substorm-produced energetic electron precipitation2013In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 118, p. 6694-6705Article in journal (Refereed)
  • 8.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    In Which Magnetotail Hemisphere is a Satellite? Problems Using in Situ Magnetic Field Data2021In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 2, article id e2020JA028923Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In Earth's magnetotail plasma sheet, the sunward-tailward Bx component of the magnetic field is often used to separate the region above and below the cross-tail current sheet. Using a three-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic simulation, we show that high-speed flows do not only affect the north-south magnetic field component (causing dipolarization fronts), but also the sunward-tailward component via the formation of a magnetic dent. This dent is such that, in the Northern Hemisphere, the magnetic field is tailward while in the Southern Hemisphere, it is earthward. This is opposite to the expected signatures where Bx > 0 (Bx < 0) above (below) the neutral sheet. Therefore, the direction of the magnetic field cannot always be used to identify in which hemisphere an in situ spacecraft is located. In addition, the cross-tail currents associated with the dent is different from the currents in a tail without a dent. From the simulation, we suggest that the observation of a dawnward current and a tailward magnetic tension force, possibly together with an increase in the plasma beta, may indicate the presence of a magnetic dent. To exemplify, we also present data of a high-speed flow observed by the Cluster mission, and we show that the changing sign of Bx is likely due to such a dent, and not to the spacecraft moving across the neutral sheet.

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  • 9.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Volwerk, M.
    Andersson, L.
    Karlsson, T.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Mouikis, C. G.
    Nilsson, H.
    Kistler, L. M.
    Oscillatory Flows in the Magnetotail Plasma Sheet: Cluster Observations of the Distribution Function2019In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 124, no 4, p. 2736-2754Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Plasma dynamics in Earth's magnetotail is often studied using moments of the distribution function, which results in losing information on the kinetic properties of the plasma. To better understand oscillatory flows observed in the midtail plasma sheet, we investigate two events, one in each hemisphere, in the transition region between the central plasma sheet and the lobes using the 2-D ion distribution function from the Cluster 4 spacecraft. In this case study, the oscillatory flows are a manifestation of repeated ion flux enhancements with pitch angle changing from 0 degrees to 180 degrees in the Northern Hemisphere and from 180 degrees to 0 degrees in the Southern Hemisphere. Similar pitch angle signatures are observed seven times in about 80 min for the Southern Hemisphere event and three times in about 80 min for the Northern Hemisphere event. The ion flux enhancements observed for both events are slightly shifted in time between different energy channels, indicating a possible time-of-flight effect from which we estimate that the source of particle is located similar to 5-25R(E) and similar to 40-107R(E) tailward of the spacecraft for the Southern and Northern Hemisphere event, respectively. Using a test particle simulation, we obtain similar to 21-46 R-E for the Southern Hemisphere event and tailward of X similar to - 65R(E) (outside the validity region of the model) for the Northern Hemisphere event. We discuss possible sources that could cause the enhancements of ion flux.

  • 10.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Volwerk, M.
    Mann, Ingrid
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Department of Physics and Technology, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
    Nilsson, H.
    Norqvist, Patrik
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Andersson, L.
    Vaverka, Jakub
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Low-frequency oscillatory flow signatures and high-speed flows in the Earth's magnetotail2017In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 122, no 7, p. 7042-7056Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Using plasma sheet data from Cluster 1 spacecraft from 2001 till 2011, we statistically investigate oscillatory signatures in the plasma bulk flow. These periodic oscillations are compared to high-speed and quiet flows. Periodic oscillations are observed approximately 8% of the time, while high-speed flows and quiet flows are observed around 0.5% and 12% of the time, respectively. We remark that periodic oscillations can roughly occur everywhere for x(gsm) < -10 R-E and |y(gsm)| < 10 RE, while quiet flows mainly occur toward the flanks of this region and toward x = -10 R-E. The relation between the geomagnetic and solar activity and the occurrence of periodic oscillations is investigated and reveal that periodic oscillations occur for most Kp values and solar activity, while quiet flows are more common during low magnetospheric and solar activity. We find that the median oscillation frequency of periodic oscillations is 1.7 mHz and the median duration of the oscillation events is 41 min. We also observe that their associated Poynting vectors show a tendency to be earthward (S-x >= 0). Finally, the distribution of high-speed flows and periodic oscillations as a function of the velocity is investigated and reveals that thresholds lower than 200 km/s should not be used to identify high-speed flows as it could result in misinterpreting a periodic oscillations for a high-speed flow.

  • 11.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Volwerk, M.
    Karlsson, T.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Nilsson, H.
    Oxygen Ion Flow Reversals in Earth's Magnetotail: A Cluster Statistical Study2019In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 124, no 11, p. 8928-8942Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We present a statistical study of magnetotail flows that change direction from earthward to tailward using Cluster spacecraft. More precisely, we study 318 events of particle flux enhancements in the O+ data for which the pitch angle continuously changes with time, either from 0 degrees to 180 degrees or from 180 degrees to 0 degrees. These structures are called "Pitch Angle Slope Structures" (PASSes). PASSes for which the pitch angle changes from 0 degrees to 180 degrees are observed in the Northern Hemisphere while those for which the pitch angle changes from 180 degrees to 0 degrees are observed in the Southern Hemisphere. These flux enhancements result in a reversal of the flow direction from earthward to tailward regardless of the hemisphere where they are observed. Sometimes, several PASSes can be observed consecutively which can therefore result in oscillatory velocity signatures in the earth-tail direction. The PASS occurrence rate increases from 1.8% to 3.7% as the AE index increases from similar to 0 to similar to 600 nT. Also, simultaneously to PASSes, there is typically a decrease in the magnetic field magnitude due to a decrease (increase) of the sunward component of the magnetic field in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere. Finally, based on the 115 (out of 318) PASSes that show energy-dispersed structures, the distance to the source from the spacecraft is estimated to be typically R-E along the magnetic field line. This study is important as it sheds light on one of the causes of tailward velocities in Earth's magnetotail.

  • 12. Echim, M. M.
    et al.
    Lamy, H.
    De Keyser, J.
    Maggiolo, R.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium.
    Wedlund, C. L. Simon
    A Method to Estimate the Physical Properties of Magnetospheric Generators From Observations of Quiet Discrete Auroral Arcs2019In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 124, no 12, p. 10283-10293Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We discuss a method to estimate the properties of a magnetospheric generator using a quasi-electrostatic magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling model and in situ or remote sensing observations of discrete quiet arcs. We first construct an ensemble of Vlasov equilibrium solutions for generator structures formed at magnetospheric plasma interfaces. For each generator solution, we compute the ionospheric electric potential from the current continuity equation. Thus, we estimate the field-aligned potential drop that allows us to assess several properties of the discrete auroral arc, such as the field-aligned potential difference, the field-aligned current density, the flux of precipitating energy, and the height-integrated Pedersen conductance. A minimization procedure based on comparing the numerical results with observations is defined and applied to find which solution of the current continuity equation and which generator model give auroral arc properties that best fit the observations. The procedure is validated in a case study with observations by DMSP and Cluster and can be generalized to other types of data.

  • 13.
    Eliasson, Bengt
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Theoretische Physik IV, Ruhr – Universita¨t Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
    Thidé, Bo
    Zakharov simulation study of spectral features of on-demand Langmuir turbulence in an inhomogeneous plasma2008In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 113, no A2, article id A02313Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We have performed a simulation study of Langmuir turbulence in the Earth's ionosphere by means of a Zakharov model with parameters relevant for the F layer. The model includes dissipative terms to model collisions and Landau damping of the electrons and ions, and a linear density profile, which models the ionospheric plasma inhomogeneity whose length scale is of the order 10–100 km. The injection of energy into the system is modeled by a constant source term in the Zakharov equation. Langmuir turbulence is excited “on-demand” in controlled ionospheric modification experiments where the energy is provided by an HF radio beam injected into the overhead ionospheric plasma. The ensuing turbulence can be studied with radars and in the form of secondary radiation recorded by ground-based receivers. We have analyzed spectral signatures of the turbulence for different sets of parameters and different altitudes relative to the turning point of the linear Langmuir mode where the Langmuir frequency equals the local plasma frequency. By a parametric analysis, we have derived a simple scaling law, which links the spectral width of the turbulent frequency spectrum to the physical parameters in the ionosphere. The scaling law provides a quantitative relation between the physical parameters (temperatures, electron number density, ionospheric length scale, etc.) and the observed frequency spectrum. This law may be useful for interpreting experimental results.

  • 14. Engebretson, Mark J.
    et al.
    Kirkevold, Kathryn R.
    Steinmetz, Erik S.
    Pilipenko, Viacheslav A.
    Moldwin, Mark B.
    McCuen, Brett A.
    Clauer, C. R.
    Hartinger, Michael D.
    Coyle, Shane
    Opgenoorth, Hermann J.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Schillings, Audrey
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Willer, Anna N.
    Edwards, Thom R.
    Boteler, David H.
    Gerrard, Andy J.
    Freeman, Mervyn P.
    Rose, Michael C.
    Interhemispheric Comparisons of Large Nighttime Magnetic Perturbation Events Relevant to GICs2020In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 125, no 8, article id e2020JA028128Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Nearly all studies of impulsive magnetic perturbation events (MPEs) with large magnetic field variability (dB/dt) that can produce dangerous geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) have used data from the Northern Hemisphere. Here we present details of four large‐amplitude MPE events (|ΔBx| > 900 nT and |dB/dt| > 10 nT/s in at least one component) observed between 2015 and 2018 in conjugate high‐latitude regions (65–80° corrected geomagnetic latitude), using magnetometer data from (1) Pangnirtung and Iqaluit in eastern Arctic Canada and the magnetically conjugate South Pole Station in Antarctica and (2) the Greenland West Coast Chain and two magnetically conjugate chains in Antarctica, AAL‐PIP and BAS LPM. From one to three different isolated MPEs localized in corrected geomagnetic latitude were observed during three premidnight events; many were simultaneous within 3 min in both hemispheres. Their conjugate latitudinal amplitude profiles, however, matched qualitatively at best. During an extended postmidnight interval, which we associate with an interval of omega bands, multiple highly localized MPEs occurred independently in time at each station in both hemispheres. These nighttime MPEs occurred under a wide range of geomagnetic conditions, but common to each was a negative interplanetary magnetic field Bz that exhibited at least a modest increase at or near the time of the event. A comparison of perturbation amplitudes to modeled ionospheric conductances in conjugate hemispheres clearly favored a current generator model over a voltage generator model for three of the four events; neither model provided a good fit for the premidnight event that occurred near vernal equinox.

  • 15.
    Fatemi, Shahab
    et al.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden ; Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Division of Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
    Holmström, Mats
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Futaana, Yoshifumi
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Lue, Charles
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Collier, Michael R.
    NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA.
    Barabash, Stas
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Stenberg, Gabriella
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Effects of protons reflected by lunar crustal magnetic fields on the global lunar plasma environment2014In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 119, no 8, p. 6095-6105Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Solar wind plasma interaction with lunar crustal magnetic fields is different than that of magnetized bodies like the Earth. Lunar crustal fields are, for typical solar wind conditions, not strong enough to form a (bow) shock upstream but rather deflect and perturb plasma and fields. Here we study the global effects of protons reflected from lunar crustal magnetic fields on the lunar plasma environment when the Moon is in the unperturbed solar wind. We employ a three-dimensional hybrid model of plasma and an observed map of reflected protons from lunar magnetic anomalies over the lunar farside. We observe that magnetic fields and plasma upstream over the lunar crustal fields compress to nearly 120% and 160% of the solar wind, respectively. We find that these disturbances convect downstream in the vicinity of the lunar wake, while their relative magnitudes decrease. In addition, solar wind protons are disturbed and heated at compression regions and their velocity distribution changes from Maxwellian to a non-Maxwellian. Finally, we show that these features persists, independent of the details of the ion reflection by the magnetic fields.

  • 16. Fatemi, Shahab
    et al.
    Lue, Charles
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Holmstrom, Mats
    Poppe, Andrew R.
    Wieser, Martin
    Barabash, Stas
    Delory, Gregory T.
    Solar wind plasma interaction with Gerasimovich lunar magnetic anomaly2015In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 120, no 6, p. 4719-4735Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We present the results of the first local hybrid simulations (particle ions and fluid electrons) for the solar wind plasma interaction with realistic lunar crustal fields. We use a three-dimensional hybrid model of plasma and an empirical model of the Gerasimovich magnetic anomaly based on Lunar Prospector observations. We examine the effects of low and high solar wind dynamic pressures on this interaction when the Gerasimovich magnetic anomaly is located at nearly 20 degrees solar zenith angle. We find that for low solar wind dynamic pressure, the crustal fields mostly deflect the solar wind plasma, form a plasma void at very close distances to the Moon (below 20km above the surface), and reflect nearly 5% of the solar wind in charged form. In contrast, during high solar wind dynamic pressure, the crustal fields are more compressed, the solar wind is less deflected, and the lunar surface is less shielded from impinging solar wind flux, but the solar wind ion reflection is more locally intensified (up to 25%) compared to low dynamic pressures. The difference is associated with an electrostatic potential that forms over the Gerasimovich magnetic anomaly as well as the effects of solar wind plasma on the crustal fields during low and high dynamic pressures. Finally, we show that an antimoonward Hall electric field is the dominant electric field for similar to 3km altitude and higher, and an ambipolar electric field has a noticeable contribution to the electric field at close distances (<3km) to the Moon.

  • 17.
    Fatemi, Shahab
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Poppe, A. R.
    Barabash, S.
    Hybrid Simulations of Solar Wind Proton Precipitation to the Surface of Mercury2020In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 125, no 4, article id e2019JA027706Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We examine the effects of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation and solar wind dynamic pressure on the solar wind proton precipitation to the surface of Mercury using a hybrid-kinetic model. We use our model to explain observations of Mercury's neutral sodium exosphere and compare our results with MESSENGER observations. For the typical solar wind dynamic pressure at Mercury our model shows a high proton flux precipitates through the magnetospheric cusps to the high latitudes on both hemispheres on the dayside, centered near the noon meridian with  ∼11° latitudinal extent in the north and ∼21° latitudinal extent in the south, which is consistent with MESSENGER observations. We show that this two-peak pattern is controlled by the radial component (Bx) of the IMF and not the Bz. Our model suggests that the southward IMF and its associated magnetic reconnection do not play a major role in controlling plasma precipitation to the surface of Mercury through the cusps. We found that the total precipitation rate through both of the cusps remain constant and independent of the IMF orientation. We also show that the solar wind proton incidence rate to the entire surface of Mercury is higher when the IMF has a northward component and nearly half of the incidence flux impacts the low latitudes on the nightside. During extreme solar events (e.g., coronal mass ejections), our model suggests that over 70 nPa solar wind dynamic pressure is required for the entire surface of Mercury to be exposed to the solar wind plasma.

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  • 18.
    Fatemi, Shahab
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Poppe, A.R.
    Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, CA, Berkeley, United States.
    Vorburger, Audrey
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
    Lindkvist, Jesper
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Ion Dynamics at the Magnetopause of Ganymede2022In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 127, no 1, article id e2021JA029863Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We study the dynamics of the thermal O+ and H+ ions at Ganymede's magnetopause when Ganymede is inside and outside of the Jovian plasma sheet using a three-dimensional hybrid model of plasma (kinetic ions, fluid electrons). We present the global structure of the electric fields and power density (E ⋅ J) in the magnetosphere of Ganymede and show that the power density at the magnetopause is mainly positive and on average is +0.95 and +0.75 nW/m3 when Ganymede is inside and outside the Jovian plasma sheet, respectively, but locally it reaches over +20 nW/m3. Our kinetic simulations show that ion velocity distributions at the vicinity of the upstream magnetopause of Ganymede are highly non-Maxwellian. We investigate the energization of the ions interacting with the magnetopause and find that the energy of those particles on average increases by a factor of 8 and 30 for the O+ and H+ ions, respectively. The energy of these ions is mostly within 1–100 keV for both species after interaction with the magnetopause, but a few percentages reach to 0.1–1 MeV. Our kinetic simulations show that a small fraction ((Formula presented.) 25%) of the corotating Jovian plasma reach the magnetopause, but among those >50% cross the high-power density regions at the magnetopause and gain energy. Finally, we compare our simulation results with Galileo observations of Ganymede's magnetopause crossings (i.e., G8 and G28 flybys). There is an excellent agreement between our simulations and observations, particularly our simulations fully capture the size and structure of the magnetosphere.

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  • 19.
    Goncharov, Oleksandr
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Royal Belgian Institute of Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Chong, G. S.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Evolution of High-Speed Jets and Plasmoids Downstream of the Quasi-Perpendicular Bow Shock2020In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 125, no 6, article id e2019JA027667Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Plasma structures with enhanced dynamic pressure, density, or speed are often observed in Earth's magnetosheath. We present a statistical study of these structures, known as jets and fast plasmoids, in the magnetosheath, downstream of both the quasi-perpendicular and quasi-parallel bow shocks. Using measurements from the four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft and OMNI solar wind data from 2015-2017, we present observations of jets during different upstream conditions and in the wide range of distances from the bow shock. Jets observed downstream of the quasi-parallel bow shock are seen to propagate deeper and faster into the magnetosheath and on toward the magnetopause. We estimate the shape of the structures by treating the leading edge as a shock surface, and the result is that the jets are elongated in the direction of propagation but also that they expand more quickly in the perpendicular direction as they propagate through the magnetosheath.

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  • 20.
    Hamrin, Maria
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Andersson, L.
    Vaivads, A.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, H.
    The use of the power density for identifying reconnection regions2015In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 120, no 10, p. 8644-8662Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In the vicinity of magnetic reconnection, magnetic energy is transferred into kinetic energy. A reconnection region hence corresponds to a load, and it should manifest itself as large and positive values of the power density, E·J ≫ 0, where E is the electric field and J the current density. In this article we analyze Cluster plasma sheet data from 2001–2004 to investigate the use of the power density for identifying possible magnetic reconnection events from large sets of observed data. From theoretical arguments we show that an event with   pW/m3 in the Earth's magnetotail observed by the Cluster instruments (X <− 10RE and  ) is likely to be associated with reconnection. The power density can be used as a primary indicator of potential reconnection regions, but selected events must be reviewed separately to confirm any possible reconnection signatures by looking for other signatures such as Hall electric and magnetic fields and reconnection jets. The power density can be computed from multispacecraft data, and we argue that the power density can be used as a tool for identifying possible reconnection events from large sets of data, e.g., from the Cluster and the Magnetospheric Multiscale missions.

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  • 21.
    Hamrin, Maria
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels,Belgium.
    Goncharov, Oleksandr
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Fuselier, S.
    Mukherjee, J.
    Vaivads, A.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Institute of Space Sciences,Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Torbert, R. B.
    Giles, B.
    Can Reconnection be Triggered as a Solar Wind Directional Discontinuity Crosses the Bow Shock?: A Case of Asymmetric Reconnection2019In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 124, no 11, p. 8507-8523Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Here we present some unique observations of reconnection at a quasi-perpendicular bow shock as an interplanetary directional discontinuity (DD) is crossing it simultaneously with the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. There are no burst data, but available data show indications of ongoing reconnection at the shock southward of MMS: a bifurcated current sheet with signatures of Hall magnetic and electric fields, normal magnetic fields indicating a magnetic connection between the two reconnecting regions, field-aligned currents and electric fields, E . J > 0 indicating a conversion of magnetic to kinetic energy, and subspin resolution ion energy-time spectrograms indicating ions being accelerated away from the X-line. The DD is also observed by four upstream spacecraft (ACE, WIND, Geotail, and ARTEMIS P1) and one downstream in the magnetosheath (Cluster 4), but none of them resolve signatures of ongoing reconnection. We therefore suggest that reconnection was temporarily triggered as the DD was compressed by the shock. Reconnection at the bow shock is inevitably asymmetric with both the density and magnetic field strength being higher on one side of the X-line (magnetosheath side) than on the other side where the plasma flow also is supersonic (solar wind side). This is different from the asymmetry exhibited at the more commonly studied case of asymmetric reconnection at the magnetopause. Asymmetric reconnection of the bow shock type has never been studied before, and the data discussed here present some first indications of the properties of the reconnection region for this type of reconnection.

  • 22.
    Hamrin, Maria
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium.
    Lindkvist, Jesper
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Lindqvist, Per-Arne
    Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Ergun, Robert E.
    Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, USA.
    Giles, Barbara L.
    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA.
    Bow shock generator current systems: MMS observations of possible current closure2018In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 123, p. 242-258Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We use data from the first two dayside seasons of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission to study current systems associated with quasi‐perpendicular bow shocks of generator type. We have analyzed 154 MMS bow shock crossings near the equatorial plane. We compute the current density during the crossings and conclude that the component perpendicular to the shock normal (J⊥) is consistent with a pileup of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) inside the magnetosheath. For predominantly southward IMF, we observe a component Jn parallel (antiparallel) to the normal for GSM Y> 0 (<0), and oppositely directed for northward IMF. This indicates current closure across the equatorial magnetosheath, and it is observed for IMF clock angles near 0∘ and 180∘. To our knowledge, these are the first observational evidence for bow shock current closure across the magnetosheath. Since we observe no clear signatures of |J⊥| decreasing toward large |Y| we suggest that the main region of current closure is further tailward, outside MMS probing region. For IMF clock angles near 90∘, we find indications of the current system being tilted toward the north‐south direction, obtaining a significant Jz component, and we suggest that the current closes off the equatorial plane at higher latitudes where the spacecraft are not probing. The observations are complicated for several reasons. For example, variations in the solar wind and the magnetospheric currents and loads affect the closure, and Jn is distributed over large regions, making it difficult to resolve inside the magnetosheath proper.

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  • 23.
    Hamrin, Maria
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Norqvist, Patrik
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Karlsson, T.
    Nilsson, H.
    Fu, H. S.
    Buchert, S.
    Andre, M.
    Marghitu, O.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Klecker, B.
    Kistler, L. M.
    Dandouras, I.
    The evolution of flux pileup regions in the plasma sheet: Cluster observations2013In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 118, no 10, p. 6279-6290Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Bursty bulk flows (BBFs) play an important role for the mass, energy, and magnetic flux transport in the plasma sheet, and the flow pattern in and around a BBF has important consequences for the localized energy conversion between the electromagnetic and plasma mechanical energy forms. The plasma flow signature in and around BBFs is often rather complicated. Return flows and plasma vortices are expected to exist at the flanks of the main flow channel, especially near the inner plasma sheet boundary, but also farther down-tail. A dipolarization front (DF) is often observed at the leading edge of a BBF, and a flux pileup region (FPR) behind the DF. Here we present Cluster data of three FPRs associated with vortex flows observed in the midtail plasma sheet on 15 August 2001. According to the principles of Fu et al. (2011, 2012c), two of the FPRs are considered to be in an early stage of evolution (growing FPRs). The third FPR is in a later stage of evolution (decaying FPR). For the first time, the detailed energy conversion properties during various stages of the FPR evolution have been measured. We show that the later stage FPR has a more complex vortex pattern than the two earlier stage FPRs. The two early stage FPR correspond to generators, E<bold></bold>J<0, while the later stage FPR only shows weak generator characteristics and is instead dominated by load signatures at the DF, E<bold></bold>J>0. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is one of the first times BBF-related plasma vortices have been observed to propagate over the spacecraft in the midtail plasma sheet at geocentric distances of about 18R(E). Our observations are compared to recent simulation results and previous observations.

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  • 24.
    Hamrin, Maria
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Norqvist, Patrik
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Karlsson, T.
    Nilsson, H.
    Andre, M.
    Buchert, S.
    Vaivads, A.
    Marghitu, O.
    Klecker, B.
    Kistler, L. M.
    Dandouras, I.
    Evidence for the braking of flow bursts as they propagate toward the Earth2014In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 119, no 11, p. 9004-9018Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In this article we use energy conversion arguments to investigate the possible braking of flow bursts as they propagate toward the Earth. By using EJ data (E and J are the electric field and the current density) observed by Cluster in the magnetotail plasma sheet, we find indications of a plasma deceleration in the region -20 R-E < X < - 15 R-E. Our results suggest a braking mechanism where compressed magnetic flux tubes in so-called dipolarization fronts (DFs) can decelerate incoming flow bursts. Our results also show that energy conversion arguments can be used for studying flow braking and that the position of the flow velocity peak with respect to the DF can be used as a single-spacecraft proxy when determining energy conversion properties. Such a single-spacecraft proxy is invaluable whenever multispacecraft data are not available. In a superposed epoch study, we find that a flow burst with the velocity peak behind the DF is likely to decelerate and transfer energy from the particles to the fields. For flow bursts with the peak flow at or ahead of the DF we see no indications of braking, but instead we find an energy transfer from the fields to the particles. From our results we obtain an estimate of the magnitude of the deceleration of the flow bursts, and we find that it is consistent with previous investigations.

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  • 25.
    Hamrin, Maria
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Schillings, Audrey
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Opgenoorth, Hermann J.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Nesbit-Östman, Sara
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Krämer, Eva
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Araújo, Juan Carlos
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Mathematics Education.
    Baddeley, Lisa
    Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Gjerloev, Jesper
    Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA.
    Barnes, R. J.
    Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA.
    Space weather disturbances in non-stormy times: occurrence of dB/dt spikes during three solar cycles2023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 10, article id e2023JA031804Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Spatio-temporal variations of ionospheric currents cause rapid magnetic field variations at ground level and Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) that can be harmful for human infrastructure. The risk for large excursions in the magnetic field time derivative, “dB/dt spikes”, is known to be high during geomagnetic storms and substorms. However, less is known about the occurrence of spikes during non-stormy times. We use data from ground-based globally covering magnetometers (SuperMAG database) from the years 1985–2021. We investigate the spike occurrence (|dB/dt| > 100 nT/min) as a function of magnetic local time (MLT), magnetic latitude (Mlat), and the solar cycle phases during non-stormy times (−15 nT ≤ SYM-H < 0). We sort our data into substorm (AL < 200 nT) intervals (“SUB”) and less active intervals between consecutive substorms (“nonSUB”). We find that spikes commonly occur in both SUBs and nonSUBs during non-stormy times (3–23 spikes/day), covering 18–12 MLT and 65°–80° Mlat. This also implies a risk for infrastructure damage during non-stormy times, especially when several spikes occur nearby in space and time, possibly causing infrastructure weathering. We find that spikes are more common in the declining phase of the solar cycle, and that the occurrence of SUB spikes propagates from one midnight to one morning hotspot with ∼10 min in MLT for each minute in universal time (UTC). Finally, we discuss causes for the spikes in terms of spatio-temporal variations of ionospheric currents.

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  • 26. Juusola, Liisa
    et al.
    Kubyshkina, Marina
    Nakamura, Rumi
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Amm, Olaf
    Kauristie, Kirsti
    Partamies, Noora
    Rème, Henry
    Snekvik, Kristian
    Whiter, Daniel
    Ionospheric signatures of a plasma sheet rebound flow during a substorm onset2013In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 118, p. 350-363Article in journal (Refereed)
  • 27. Karlsson, T.
    et al.
    Kullen, A.
    Liljeblad, E.
    Brenning, N.
    Nilsson, H.
    Gunell, H.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    On the origin of magnetosheath plasmoids and their relation to magnetosheath jets2015In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 120, no 9, p. 7390-7403Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We investigate localized magnetosheath and solar wind density enhancements, associated with clear magnetic field changes, and therefore referred to as magnetosheath/solar wind plasmoids, respectively. Using Cluster data, we show that there are two distinct populations of magnetosheath plasmoids, one associated with a decrease of magnetic field strength (diamagnetic plasmoids), and one with an increased magnetic field strength (paramagnetic plasmoids). The diamagnetic magnetosheath plasmoids have scale sizes of the order of 1-10 RE, while the paramagnetic ones are an order of magnitude smaller. The diamagnetic plasmoids are not associated with any change in the magnetosheath plasma flow velocity, and they are classified as embedded plasmoids in the terminology of Karlsson et al. (2012). The paramagnetic plasmoids may either be embedded or associated with increases in flow velocity (fast plasmoids). A search for plasmoids in the pristine solar wind resulted in identification of 62 diamagnetic plasmoids with very similar properties to the magnetosheath diamagnetic plasmoids, making it probable that the solar wind is the source of these structures. No paramagnetic plasmoids are found in the pristine solar wind, indicating that these are instead created at the bow shock or in the magnetosheath. We discuss the relation of the plasmoids to the phenomenon of magnetosheath jets, with which they have many properties in common, and suggest that the paramagnetic plasmoids can be regarded as a subset of these or a closely related phenomenon. We also discuss how the results from this study relate to theories addressing the formation of magnetosheath jets.

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  • 28.
    Khurana, Krishan K.
    et al.
    Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics and Dept. of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
    Fatemi, Shahab
    Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.
    Lindkvist, Jesper
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna.
    Roussos, Elias
    Max Planck Institute, Göttingen, Germany.
    Krupp, Norbert
    Max Planck Institute, Göttingen, Germany.
    Holmström, Mats
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna.
    Russell, Christopher T.
    Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics and Dept. of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
    Dougherty, Michele K.
    Imperial College, London, U.K.
    The role of plasma slowdown in the generation of Rhea's Alfvén wings2017In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 122, no 2, p. 1778-1788Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alfvén wings are known to form when a conducting or mass-loading object slows down a flowing plasma in its vicinity. Alfvén wings are not expected to be generated when an inert moon such as Rhea interacts with Saturn's magnetosphere, where the plasma impacting the moon is absorbed and the magnetic flux passes unimpeded through the moon. However, in two close polar passes of Rhea, Cassini clearly observed magnetic field signatures consistent with Alfvén wings. In addition, observations from a high-inclination flyby (Distance > 100 R Rh ) of Rhea on 3 June 2010 showed that the Alfvén wings continue to propagate away from Rhea even at this large distance. We have performed three-dimensional hybrid simulations of Rhea's interaction with Saturn's magnetosphere which show that the wake refilling process generates a plasma density gradient directed in the direction of corotating plasma. The resulting plasma pressure gradient exerts a force directed toward Rhea and slows down the plasma streaming into the wake along field lines. As on the same field lines, outside of the wake, the plasma continues to move close to its full speed, this differential motion of plasma bends the magnetic flux tubes, generating Alfvén wings in the wake. The current system excited by the Alfvén wings transfers momentum to the wake plasma extracting it from plasma outside the wake. Our work demonstrates that Alfvén wings can be excited even when a moon does not possess a conducting exosphere.

  • 29.
    Krämer, Eva
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Karlsson, T.
    Division of Space and Plasma Physics, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Steinvall, K.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden.
    Goncharov, O.
    Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
    André, Mats
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden.
    Waves in Magnetosheath Jets—Classification and the Search for Generation Mechanisms Using MMS Burst Mode Data2023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 7, article id e2023JA031621Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Magnetosheath jets are localized dynamic pressure enhancements in the magnetosheath. We make use of the high time resolution burst mode data of the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission for an analysis of waves in plasmas associated with three magnetosheath jets. We find both electromagnetic and electrostatic waves over the frequency range from 0 to 4 kHz that can be probed by the instruments on board the MMS spacecraft. At high frequencies we find electrostatic solitary waves, electron acoustic waves, and whistler waves. Electron acoustic waves and whistler waves show the typical properties expected from theory assuming approximations of a homogeneous plasma and linearity. In addition, 0.2 Hz waves in the magnetic field, 1 Hz electromagnetic waves, and lower hybrid waves are observed. For these waves the approximation of a homogeneous plasma does not hold anymore and the observed waves show properties from several different basic wave modes. In addition, we investigate how the various types of waves are generated. We show evidence that, the 1 Hz waves are connected to gradients in the density and magnetic field. The whistler waves are generated by a butterfly-shaped pitch-angle distribution and the electron acoustic waves by a cold electron population. The lower hybrid waves are probably generated by currents at the boundary of the jets. As for the other waves we can only speculate about the generation mechanism due to limitations of the instruments. Studying waves in jets will help to address the microphysics in jets which can help to understand the evolution of jets better.

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  • 30.
    Lester, Mark
    et al.
    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.
    Sanchez-Cano, Beatriz
    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.
    Potts, Daniel
    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.
    Lillis, Rob
    Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, CA, Berkeley, United States.
    Cartacci, Marco
    Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome, Italy.
    Bernardini, Fabrizio
    Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome, Italy.
    Orosei, Roberto
    Istituto di Radioastronomia, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Bologna, Italy.
    Perry, Matthew
    Planetary Science Institute, CO, Lakewood, United States.
    Putzig, Nathaniel
    Planetary Science Institute, CO, Lakewood, United States.
    Campbell, Bruce
    Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Smithsonian Institution, DC, Washington, United States.
    Blelly, Pierre-Louis
    Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Toulouse, France.
    Milan, Steve
    School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.
    Opgenoorth, Hermann J.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.
    Witasse, Olivier
    European Space Agency (ESA), European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands.
    Redrojo, Elena M. M.
    Valquer Laboratorios, Villaminaya, Spain.
    Russell, Aaron
    Planetary Science Institute, CO, Lakewood, United States.
    The Impact of Energetic Particles on the Martian Ionosphere During a Full Solar Cycle of Radar Observations: Radar Blackouts2022In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 127, no 2, article id e2021JA029535Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We present the first long-term characterization of ionization layers in the lower ionosphere of Mars (below ∼90 km), a region inaccessible to orbital in-situ observations, based on an analysis of radar echo blackouts observed on Mars Express and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter from 2006 to 2017. A blackout occurs when the expected surface reflection is partly or totally attenuated for portions of an observation. Enhanced ionization at altitudes of 60–90 km, below the main ionospheric electron density peak, leads to increased absorption of the radar signal, resulting in the blackouts. We find that (a) MARSIS, operating at frequencies between 1.8 and 5 MHz, suffered more blackouts than SHARAD, which has a higher carrier frequency (20 MHz), (b) there is a clear correlation of blackout occurrence with solar cycle, (c) there is no apparent relationship between blackout occurrence and crustal magnetic fields, and (d) blackouts occur during both nightside and dayside observations, although the peak occurrence is deep on the nightside. Analysis of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Solar Energetic Particle electron counts between 20 and 200 keV demonstrates that these electrons are likely responsible for attenuating the radar signals. We investigate the minimum SEP electron fluxes required to ionize the lower atmosphere and produce measurable attenuation. When both radars experience a blackout, the SEP electron fluxes are at their highest. Based on several case studies, we find that the average SEP spectrum responsible for a blackout is particularly enhanced at its higher energy end, that is, above 70 keV.

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  • 31.
    Lindkvist, Jesper
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna.
    Holmström, Mats
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna.
    Khurana, Krishan K.
    Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.
    Fatemi, Shahab
    Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley.
    Barabash, Stas
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna.
    Callisto plasma interactions: Hybrid modeling including induction by a subsurface ocean2015In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 120, no 6, p. 4877-4889Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    By using a hybrid plasma solver (ions as particles and electrons as a fluid), we have modeled the interaction between Callisto and Jupiter's magnetosphere for variable ambient plasma parameters. We compared the results with the magnetometer data from flybys (C3, C9, and C10) by the Galileo spacecraft. Modeling the interaction between Callisto and Jupiter's magnetosphere is important to establish the origin of the magnetic field perturbations observed by Galileo and thought to be related to a subsurface ocean. Using typical upstream magnetospheric plasma parameters and a magnetic dipole corresponding to the inductive response inside the moon, we show that the model results agree well with observations for the C3 and C9 flybys, but agrees poorly with the C10 flyby close to Callisto. The study does support the existence of a subsurface ocean at Callisto.

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  • 32. Liuzzo, Lucas
    et al.
    Poppe, Andrew R.
    Paranicas, Christopher
    Nenon, Quentin
    Fatemi, Shahab
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, K iruna, Sweden.
    Simon, Sven
    Variability in the Energetic Electron Bombardment of Ganymede2020In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 125, no 9, article id e2020JA028347Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This study examines the bombardment of energetic magnetospheric electrons onto Ganymede as a function of Jovian magnetic latitude. We use the output from a three-dimensional, hybrid model to constrain features of the electromagnetic environment during the G1, G8, and G28 Galileo encounters when Ganymede was located far above, within, or far below Jupiter's magnetospheric current sheet, respectively. To quantify electron fluxes, we use a test-particle model and trace relativistic electrons at discrete energies between 4.5 keV =E = 100MeV while exposed to these fields. For each location with respect to Jupiter's current sheet, electrons of all energies bombard Ganymede's poles with average number and energy fluxes of 1 center dot 108 cm-2 s-1 and 3 . 109 keV cm-2 s-1, respectively. However, bombardment is locally inhomogeneous: poleward of the open-closed field line boundary, fluxes are enhanced in the trailing hemisphere but reduced in the leading hemisphere. When embedded within the Jovian current sheet, closed field lines of Ganymede's minimagnetosphere shield electrons below 40MeV from accessing the equator. Above these energies, equatorial fluxes are longitudinally inhomogeneous between the sub-Jovian and anti-Jovian hemispheres, but the averaged number flux (4 . 103 cm-2 s-1) is comparable to the flux deposited here by each of the dominant energetic ion species near Ganymede. When located outside of the Jovian current sheet, electrons below 100 keV enter Ganymede's minimagnetosphere via the downstream reconnection region and bombard the leading apex, while electrons of all energies are shielded from the trailing apex. Averaged over a full synodic rotation period of Jupiter, the energetic electron flux pattern agrees well with brightness features observed across Ganymede's polar and equatorial surface.

  • 33.
    Lue, Charles
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Futaana, Yoshifumi
    Barabash, Stas
    Saito, Yoshifumi
    Nishino, Masaki
    Wieser, Martin
    Asamura, Kazushi
    Bhardwaj, Anil
    Wurz, Peter
    Scattering characteristics and imaging of energetic neutral atoms from the Moon in the terrestrial magnetosheath2016In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 121, no 1, p. 432-445Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We study hydrogen energetic neutral atom (ENA) emissions from the lunar surface, when the Moon is inside the terrestrial magnetosheath. The ENAs are generated by neutralization and backscattering of incident protons of solar wind origin. First, we model the effect of the increased ion temperature in the magnetosheath (>10 times larger than that in the undisturbed solar wind) on the ENA scattering characteristics. Then, we apply these models to ENA measurements by Chandrayaan-1 and simultaneous ion measurements by Kaguya at the Moon, in the magnetosheath. We produce maps of the ENA scattering fraction, covering a region at the lunar near-side that includes mare and highland surfaces and several lunar magnetic anomalies. We see clear signatures of plasma shielding by the magnetic anomalies. The maps are made at different lunar local times, and the results indicate an extended influence and altered morphology of the magnetic anomalies at shallower incidence angles of the magnetosheath protons. The scattering fraction from the unmagnetized regions remains consistent with that in the undisturbed solar wind (10%-20%). Moreover, the observed ENA energy spectra are well reproduced by our temperature-dependent model. We conclude that the ENA scattering process is unchanged in the magnetosheath. Similarly to the undisturbed solar wind case, it is only magnetic anomalies that provide contrast in the ENA maps, not any selenomorphological features such as mare and highland regions.

  • 34. Maggiolo, R.
    et al.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    De Keyser, J.
    Pitkanen, T.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Cessateur, G.
    Gunell, H.
    Maes, L.
    The Delayed Time Response of Geomagnetic Activity to the Solar Wind2017In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 122, no 11, p. 109-127Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We investigate the lagged correlation between a selection of geomagnetic indices and solar wind parameters for a complete solar cycle, from 2000 to 2011. We first discuss the mathematical assumptions required for such a correlation analysis. The solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices have inherent timescales that smooth the variations of the correlation coefficients with time lag. Furthermore, the solar wind structure associated with corotating interaction regions and coronal mass ejections, and the compression regions ahead of them, strongly impacts the lagged correlation analysis results. This work shows that such bias must be taken into account in a correct interpretation of correlations. We then evidence that the magnetospheric response time to solar wind parameters involves multiple timescales. The simultaneous and quick response of the PC and AE indices to solar wind dynamic pressure with a delay of similar to 5 min suggests that magnetospheric compression by solar wind can trigger substorm activity. We find that the PC and AE indices respond to interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B-Z with a response time of respectively similar to 20 and similar to 35 min. The response of the SYM-H index takes longer (similar to 80 min) and is less sharp, SYM-H being statistically significantly correlated to the IMF B-Z observed up to more than similar to 10 h before. Our results suggest that the solar wind velocity's dominant impact on geomagnetic activity is caused by the compression regions at the interface of fast/slow solar wind regimes, which are very geo-effective as they are associated with high solar wind pressure and strong interplanetary magnetic field.

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  • 35.
    Maggiolo, R.
    et al.
    Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium.
    Maes, L.
    Max Planck Institute for Solar Systen Research, Göttingen, Germany.
    Cessateur, G.
    Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium.
    Darrouzet, F.
    Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium.
    De Keyser, J.
    Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium; Center for Mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, KULeuven, Heverlee, Belgium.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    The earth's magnetic field enhances solar energy deposition in the upper atmosphere2022In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 127, no 12, article id e2022JA030899Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The presence of a large-scale planetary magnetic field is thought to be a protective factor for atmospheres, preventing them from being blown off by the solar wind. We focus on one key aspect of atmospheric escape: how does a planetary magnetic fields affect the energy transfer from the Sun to the atmosphere? We estimate the solar wind energy currently dissipated in the Earth's atmosphere using empirical formulas derived from observations. We show that it is significantly higher than the energy dissipated in the atmosphere of a hypothetical unmagnetized Earth. Consequently, we conclude that the Earth's magnetic field enhances the solar energy dissipation in the Earth's atmosphere and that, contrary to the old paradigm, an intrinsic magnetic field does not necessarily reduces atmospheric loss.

  • 36.
    Moeslinger, Anja
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Nilsson, Hans
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Stenberg Wieser, G.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Goetz, C.
    Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom.
    Indirect observations of electric fields at comet 67P2023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 9, article id e2023JA031746Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    No spacecraft visiting a comet has been equipped with instruments to directly measure the static electric field. However, the electric field can occasionally be estimated indirectly by observing its effects on the ion velocity distribution. We present such observations made by the Rosetta spacecraft on 19 April 2016, 35 km from the nucleus. At this time comet 67P was at a low outgassing rate and the plasma environment was relatively stable. The ion velocity distributions show the cometary ions on the first half of their gyration. We estimate the bulk drift velocity and the gyration speed from the distributions. By using the local measured magnetic field and assuming an E × B drift of the gyrocentre, we get an estimate for the average electric field driving this ion motion. We analyze a period of 13 hr, during which the plasma environment does not change drastically. We find that the average strength of the perpendicular electric field component is 0.21 mV/m. The direction of the electric field is mostly anti-sunward. This is in agreement with previous results based on different methods.

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  • 37.
    Möslinger, Anja
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Wieser, G. Stenberg
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Nilsson, H.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Williamson, H.N.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    LLera, K.
    Southwest Research Institute, TX, San Antonio, United States.
    Odelstad, E.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden.
    Richter, I.
    Institut für Geophysik und Extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.
    Solar wind protons forming partial ring distributions at comet 67P2023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 2, article id e2022JA031082Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We present partial ring distributions of solar wind protons observed by the Rosetta spacecraft at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The formation of ring distributions is usually associated with high activity comets, where the spatial scales are larger than multiple ion gyroradii. Our observations are made at a low-activity comet at a heliocentric distance of 2.8 AU on 19 April 2016, and the partial rings occur at a spatial scale comparable to the ion gyroradius. We use a new visualization method to simultaneously show the angular distribution of median energy and differential flux. A fitting procedure extracts the bulk speed of the solar wind protons, separated into components parallel and perpendicular to the gyration plane, as well as the gyration velocity. The results are compared with models and put into context of the global comet environment. We find that the formation mechanism of these partial rings of solar wind protons is entirely different from the well-known partial rings of cometary pickup ions at high-activity comets. A density enhancement layer of solar wind protons around the comet is a focal point for proton trajectories originating from different regions of the upstream solar wind. If the spacecraft location coincides with this density enhancement layer, the different trajectories are observed as an energy-angle dispersion and manifest as partial rings in velocity space.

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  • 38. Nilsson, Hans
    et al.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Karlsson, Tomas
    Slapak, Rikard
    Andersson, Laila
    Gunell, Herbert
    Schillings, Audrey
    Vaivads, Andris
    Oxygen ion response to proton bursty bulk flows2016In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 121, no 8, p. 7535-7546Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We have used Cluster spacecraft data from the years 2001 to 2005 to study how oxygen ions respond to bursty bulk flows (BBFs) as identified from proton data. We here define bursty bulk flows as periods of proton perpendicular velocities more than 100 km/s and a peak perpendicular velocity in the structure of more than 200 km/s, observed in a region with plasma beta above 1 in the near-Earth central tail region. We find that during proton BBFs only a minor increase in the O+ velocity is seen. The different behavior of the two ion species is further shown by statistics of H+ and O+ flow also outside BBFs: For perpendicular earthward velocities of H+ above about 100 km/s, the O+ perpendicular velocity is consistently lower, most commonly being a few tens of kilometers per second earthward. In summary, O+ ions in the plasma sheet experience less acceleration than H+ ions and are not fully frozen in to the magnetic field. Therefore, H+ and O+ motion is decoupled, and O+ ions have a slower earthward motion. This is particularly clear during BBFs. This may add further to the increased relative abundance of O+ ions in the plasma sheet during magnetic storms. The data indicate that O+ is typically less accelerated in association with plasma sheet X lines as compared to H+.

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  • 39.
    Norenius, Linus
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Goncharov, O.
    Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
    Gunell, Herbert
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Opgenoorth, Hermann J.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Partamies, N.
    Department of Geophysics, The University Centre in Svalbard, Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway; Birkeland Centre for Space Science, Bergen, Norway.
    Baddeley, L.
    Department of Geophysics, The University Centre in Svalbard, Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway; Birkeland Centre for Space Science, Bergen, Norway.
    Ground-Based Magnetometer Response to Impacting Magnetosheath Jets2021In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 8, article id e2021JA029115Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Localized dynamic pressure pulses in the magnetosheath, or jets, have been a popular topic for discussion in recent decades. Studies show that they can propagate through the magnetosheath and impact the magnetopause, possibly showing up as geoeffective elements at ground level. However, questions still remain on how geoeffective they can be. Previous studies have been limited to case studies during few days and with only a handful of events. In this study we have found 65 cases of impacting jets using observations from the Multiscale Magnetospheric mission during 2015–2017. We examine their geoeffectiveness using ground-based magnetometers (GMAGs). From our statistics we find that GMAGs observe responses as fluctuations in the geomagnetic field with amplitudes of 34 nT, frequencies of 1.9 mHz, and damping times of 370 s. Further, the parallel length and the maximum dynamic pressure of the jet dictate the amplitude of the observed GMAG response. Longer and higher pressure jets inducing larger amplitude responses in GMAG horizontal components. The median time required for the signal to be detected by GMAGs is 190 s. We also examine if jets can be harmful for human infrastructure and cannot exclude that such events could exist.

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  • 40.
    Park, Jong-Sun
    et al.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shi, Quan Qi
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Nowada, Motoharu
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shue, Jih-Hong
    Institute of Space Science, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
    Kim, Khan-Hyuk
    School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
    Lee, Dong-Hun
    School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
    Zong, Qiu-Gang
    Institute of Space Physics and Applied Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China.
    Degeling, Alexander W.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Tian, An Min
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China; Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
    Zhang, Yongliang
    The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, MD, Laurel, United States.
    Rae, I. Jonathan
    Department of Space and Climate Physics, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, United Kingdom.
    Hairston, Marc R.
    William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, Richardson, United States.
    Transpolar Arcs During a Prolonged Radial Interplanetary Magnetic Field Interval2021In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 6, article id e2021JA029197Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Transpolar arcs (TPAs) are believed to predominantly occur under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions with their hemispheric asymmetry controlled by the Sun-Earth (radial) component of the IMF. In this study, we present observations of TPAs that appear in both the northern and southern hemispheres even during a prolonged interval of radially oriented IMF. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F16 and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellites observed TPAs on the dawnside polar cap in both hemispheres (one TPA structure in the southern hemisphere and two in the northern hemisphere) during an interval of nearly earthward-oriented IMF on October 29, 2005. The southern hemisphere TPA and one of the northern hemisphere TPAs are associated with electron and ion precipitation and mostly sunward plasma flow (with shears) relative to their surroundings. Meanwhile, the other TPA in the northern hemisphere is associated with an electron-only precipitation and antisunward flow relative to its surroundings. Our observations indicate the following: (a) the TPA formation is not limited to northward IMF conditions; (b) the TPAs can be located on both closed field lines rooted in the polar cap of both hemispheres and open field lines connected to the northward field lines draped over one hemisphere of the magnetopause. We believe that the TPAs presented here are the result of both indirect and direct processes of solar wind energy transfer to the high-latitude ionosphere.

  • 41.
    Park, Jong-Sun
    et al.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shi, Quan Qi
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shi, Xueling
    Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, VA, Blacksburg, United States; High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, CO, Boulder, United States.
    Shue, Jih-Hong
    Institute of Space Science, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
    Degeling, Alexander W.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Nowada, Motoharu
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Tian, An Min
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Kim, Khan-Hyuk
    School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, South Korea.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Zhang, Yongliang
    The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, MD, Laurel, United States.
    Radial Interplanetary Magnetic Field-Induced North-South Asymmetry in the Solar Wind-Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling: A Case Study2022In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 127, no 2, article id e2021JA030020Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In this paper, we present a case study of the radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bx)-induced asymmetric solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere (SW-M-I) coupling between the northern and southern polar caps using ground-based and satellite-based data. Under prolonged conditions of strong earthward IMF on 5 March 2015, we find significant discrepancies between polar cap north (PCN) and polar cap south (PCS) magnetic indices with a negative bay-like change in the PCN and a positive bay-like change in the PCS. The difference between these indices (PCN-PCS) reaches a minimum of −1.63 mV/m, which is approximately three times higher in absolute value than the values for most of the time on this day (within ±0.5 mV/m). The high-latitude plasma convection also shows an asymmetric feature such that there exists an additional convection cell near the noon sector in the northern polar cap, but not in the southern polar cap. Meanwhile, negative bays in the north-south component of ground magnetic field perturbations (less than 50 nT) observed in the nightside auroral region of the Northern Hemisphere are accompanied with the brightening and widening of the nightside auroral oval in the Southern Hemisphere, implying a weak, but clear energy transfer to the nightside ionosphere of both hemispheres. After the hemispheric asymmetries in the polar caps disappear, a substorm onset takes place. All these observations indicate that IMF Bx-induced single lobe reconnection that occurred in the Northern Hemisphere plays an important role in hemispheric asymmetry in the energy transfer from the solar wind to the polar cap through the magnetosphere.

  • 42.
    Park, Jong-Sun
    et al.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shi, Quan Qi
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shue, Jih-Hong
    Department of Space Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
    Degeling, Alexander W.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Nowada, Motoharu
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Tian, An Min
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Kim, Khan-Hyuk
    School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Gjerloev, Jesper W.
    Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, MD, Laurel, United States.
    Auroral electrojet activity for long-duration radial interplanetary magnetic field events2023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 3, article id e2022JA030816Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In this paper, we provide statistical evidence that the level of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere (SW-M-I) coupling is weaker under radial (Sun-Earth component dominant) interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions than non-radial IMF conditions. This is performed by analyzing auroral electrojet activity (using SuperMAG auroral electrojet indices) in the sunlit and dark ionospheres for long-duration (at least 4 hr) radial IMF events and comparing against the same for long-duration azimuthal (dusk-dawn component dominant) IMF events. We show that the north-south IMF component (IMF Bz) plays a crucial role in controlling the level of auroral electrojet activity as a negative half-wave rectifier even for both IMF orientation categories. However, it is found that the magnitudes of the auroral electrojet indices are generally lower for radial IMF than for azimuthal IMF under similar sets of solar wind (radial bulk velocity and number density) and IMF Bz conditions, regardless of whether these indices are derived in the sunlit or dark regions. Moreover, the efficiency of coupling functions is lower for radial IMF than for azimuthal IMF, implying that increased coupling strength due to the azimuthal IMF component alone cannot well explain weaker auroral electrojets during radial IMF periods. Lastly, the contribution of the radial IMF component itself to auroral electrojet activity is also lower compared to the azimuthal IMF component. Our results suggest that the level of SW-M-I coupling characterized by auroral electrojet activity can be modulated by the radial IMF component, although the effect of this component is weaker than the other two IMF components.

  • 43.
    Pellinen-Wannberg, Asta K.
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Haggstrom, Ingemar
    Sanchez, Juan Diego Carrillo
    Plane, John M. C.
    Westman, Assar
    Strong E region ionization caused by the 1767 trail during the 2002 Leonids2014In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 119, no 9, p. 7880-7888Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Intensive E region ionization extending up to 140 km altitude and lasting for several hours was observed with the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) UHF radar during the 2002 Leonids meteor shower maximum. The level of global geomagnetic disturbance as well as the local geomagnetic and auroral activity in northern Scandinavia were low during the event. Thus, the ionization cannot be explained by intensive precipitation. The layer was 30-40 km thick, so it cannot be classified as a sporadic E layer which are typically just a few kilometers wide. Incoherent scatter radars have not to date reported any notable meteor shower-related increases in the average background ionization. The 2002 Leonids storm flux, however, was so high that it might have been able to induce such an event. The Chemical Ablation Model is used to estimate deposition rates of individual meteors. The resulting electron production, arising from hyperthermal collisions of ablated atoms with atmospheric molecules, is related to the predicted Leonid flux values and observed ionization on 19 November 2002. The EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) located at some 1000 km north of the UHF site did not observe any excess ionization during the same period. The high-latitude electrodynamic conditions recorded by the SuperDARN radar network show that the ESR was within a strongly drifting convection cell continuously fed by fresh plasma while the UHF radar was outside the polar convection region maintaining the ionization.

  • 44.
    Persson, Moa
    et al.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Futaana, Yoshifumi
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Nilsson, Hans
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Stenberg Wieser, Gabriella
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Fedorov, Andrei
    IRAP, CNRS, Toulouse, France.
    Zhang, T. L.
    Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria.
    Barabash, Stas
    Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria.
    Heavy Ion Flows in the Upper Ionosphere of the Venusian North Pole2019In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 124, no 6, p. 4597-4607Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We investigate the heavy ion density and velocity in the Venusian upper ionosphere near the North Pole, using the Ion Mass Analyzer, a part of the Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms 4, together with the magnetic field instruments on Venus Express. The measurements were made during June-July 2014, covering the aerobraking campaign with lowered altitude measurements (similar to 130 km). The plasma scale heights are similar to 15 km below 150-km altitude and similar to 200 km at 150-400-km altitude. A clear trend of dusk-to-dawn heavy ion flow across the polar ionosphere was found, with speeds of similar to 2-10 km/s. In addition, the flow has a significant downward radial velocity component. The flow pattern does not depend on the interplanetary magnetic field directions nor the ionospheric magnetization states. Instead, we suggest a thermal pressure gradient between the equatorial and polar terminator regions, induced by the decrease in density between the regions, as the dominant mechanism driving the ion flow. Plain Language Summary We have calculated the ion density and velocities in the Venusian polar ionosphere using measurements from the Ion Mass Analyzer on board the Venus Express spacecraft. During June-July 2014 the periapsis was lowered to similar to 130 km, which allowed for measurements down to low altitudes of the ionosphere near the North Pole. The plasma scale heights are similar to 15 km below 150-km altitude and similar to 200 km at 150-400 km, which is similar to what was found near the equatorial region by the Pioneer Venus mission. In addition, there is a clear trend of dusk-to-dawn flow, along the terminator, for the heavy ions. This is surprising, as a general flow from day-to-night is expected for the Venusian ionosphere due to the long nights and significant heating of the dayside upper atmosphere. The interplanetary magnetic field direction does not appear to affect the ion flow pattern. Instead, we propose a thermal pressure gradient as the dominant accelerating mechanism, induced by the decrease in density from the equator toward the pole.

  • 45. Pitkänen, Timo
    et al.
    Aikio, Anita T.
    Juusola, Liisa
    Observations of polar cap flow channel and plasma sheet flow bursts during substorm expansion2013In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 118, p. 774-784Article in journal (Refereed)
  • 46.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Kullen, A.
    Space and Plasma Physics, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Karlsson, T.
    Space and Plasma Physics, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Park, J.-S.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Nowada, M.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Yao, S.T.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Degeling, A.W.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Tian, A.M.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Shi, Q.Q.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Statistical survey of magnetic forces associated with earthward bursty bulk flows measured by MMS 2017–20212023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 5, article id e2022JA031094Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We investigate the magnetic forces (the magnetic pressure gradient force, the curvature force, and their sum the j × B-force) associated with earthward bursty bulk flows (BBFs) using Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) data from five tail seasons (2017–2021). For the first time, the magnetic forces are inferred downtail of XGSM = −20 RE and in the GSM XY and YZ planes. The results suggest that BBFs tend to be accelerated earthward by the magnetic pressure gradient force tailward of ∼19 RE and decelerated closer to that distance in the 2017–2018 data. The force magnitudes increase with distance. This is in accordance with earlier Cluster results. In the 2019–2021 data, the pressure gradient force magnitudes are generally smaller and no clear distance for the acceleration reversal can be determined. The curvature forces for both 2017–2018 and 2019–2021 BBFs indicate earthward acceleration independent of distance, consistent with the Cluster measurements. The sum, the j × B-force, suggests for the 2017–2018 BBFs earthward acceleration tailward of XGSM ∼15 RE and deceleration within that distance, also consistent with Cluster. In contrast, the 2019–2021 BBFs show general earthward acceleration by j × B independent of distance. In the GSM XY plane, the average (j × B)xy vectors are earthward, and in the premidnight and postmidnight dawnward for the 2017–2018 BBFs. For 2019–2021, the average (× B)xy vectors have components toward the tail center. In the GSM YZ plane, the average (j × B)yz vectors are toward the neutral sheet.

  • 47.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Kullen, A.
    Space and Plasma Physics, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
    Vanhamäki, H.
    Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
    Park, J.-S.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Nowada, M.
    Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Schillings, Audrey
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Krämer, Eva
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Fast Earthward Convection in the Magnetotail and Nonzero IMF By: MMS Statistics2023In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 128, no 12, article id e2023JA031593Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We statistically investigate convective earthward fast flows using data measured by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the tail plasma sheet during 2017–2021. We focus on “frozen in” fast flows and investigate the importance of different electric field components in the Sun-Earth (V⊥x) and dusk-dawn (V⊥y) velocity components perpendicular to the magnetic field. We find that a majority of the fast flow events (52% of 429) have the north-south electric field component (Ez) as the most relevant or dominating component whereas 26% are so-called conventional type fast flows with Ey and Ex as the relevant components. The rest of the flow events, 22%, fall into the two ’mixed’ categories, of which almost all these fast flows, 20% of 429, have Ey and Ez important for V⊥x and V⊥y, respectively. There is no Y-location preference for any type of the fast flows. The conventional fast flows are detected rather close to the neutral sheet whereas the other types can be measured farther away. Typical total speeds are highest in the mixed category. Typical perpendicular speeds are comparably high in the conventional and mixed categories. The slowest fast flows are measured in the Ez category. Most of the fast flow events are measured in the substorm recovery phase. Prevailing interplanetary magnetic field By conditions influence the V⊥y direction and the influence is most efficient for the Ez-dominated fast flows.

  • 48.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Chong, Ghai Siung
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Kullen, A.
    Relevance of the North-South Electric Field Component in the Propagation of Fast Convective Earthward Flows in the Magnetotail: An Event Study2021In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 7, article id e2021JA029233Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Fast earthward plasma flows are commonly observed in the magnetotail plasma sheet. These flows are often termed as bursty bulk flows because of their bursty nature, and they are considered to be generated by magnetic reconnection. Close to the neutral sheet (B-x similar to 0), the fast flows are considered to be associated with an enhanced dawn-to-dusk electric field (E-y > 0), which together with the northward magnetic field component (B-z > 0) protrude the plasma earthward via enhanced E x B-drift. Sometimes, reversals in the dawn-dusk velocity component perpendicular to the magnetic field (V-perpendicular to y) are measured in association with B-x sign changes in the flows. This suggests that the electric field component in the north-south direction (E-z) can play a role in determining the dawn-dusk direction of the enhanced drift. We present data measured by the Magnetospheric Multiscale, which demonstrate that E-z can have a dictating role for V-perpendicular to y of fast flows. Furthermore, it is shown that the critical contribution of E-z is not limited only to V-perpendicular to y, but it can also dominantly determine the enhanced drift of the fast flows in the X direction (V-perpendicular to x). The latter can occur also near and at the neutral sheet, which adds an alternative configuration to the conventional picture of E-y and B-z being the main players in driving the earthward fast flows. The domination of E-z in the studied events appears with potential signatures of an influence of a nonzero dawn-dusk component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF B-y) on the magnetotail.

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  • 49.
    Pitkänen, Timo
    et al.
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics. Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, China.
    Kullen, A.
    Shi, Q. Q.
    Hamrin, Maria
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    De Spiegeleer, Alexandre
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Nishimura, Y.
    Convection electric field and plasma convection in a twisted magnetotail: t THEMIS case study 1-2 January 20092018In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 123, no 9, p. 7486-7497Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We investigate THEMIS satellite measurements made in a tail-aligned constellation during a time interval on 1-2 January 2009, which has previously been attributed to an interval of an interplanetary magnetic fieldB(y)-driven magnetotail twisting. We find evidence for that the orientation of the convection electric field in the tail is twist-mode dependent. For earthward flow and a negative twist (induced tail B-y < 0), the electric field is found to have northward E-z and tailward E-x components. During a positive twist (induced tail B-y > 0), the directions of E-z and E-x are reversed. The E-y component shows the expected dawn-to-dusk direction for earthward flow. The electric field components preserve their orientation across the neutral sheet, and a quasi-collinear field is observed irrespective to the tail distance. The electric field associated with the tailward flow has an opposite direction compared to the earthward flow for the negative twist. For the positive twist, the results are less clear. The corresponding plasma convection and thus the magnetic flux transport have an opposite dawn-dusk direction above and below the neutral sheet. The directions depend on the tail twist mode. The hemispherically asymmetric earthward plasma flows are suggested to be a manifestation of an asymmetric Dungey cycle in a twisted magnetotail. The role of tailward flows deserve further investigation.

  • 50.
    Pontoni, Angèle
    et al.
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Shimoyama, Manabu
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Futaana, Yoshifumi
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Fatemi, Shahab
    Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Physics.
    Poppe, A.R.
    Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, CA, Berkeley, United States.
    Wieser, Martin
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Barabash, Stas
    Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden.
    Simulations of Energetic Neutral Atom Sputtering From Ganymede in Preparation for the JUICE Mission2022In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 127, no 1, article id e2021JA029439Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Jovian magnetospheric plasma irradiates the surface of Ganymede and is postulated to be the primary agent that changes the surface brightness of Ganymede, leading to asymmetries between polar and equatorial regions as well as between the trailing and leading hemispheres. As impinging ions sputter surface constituents as neutrals, ion precipitation patterns can be remotely imaged using the Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENA) measurement technique. Here we calculate the expected sputtered ENA flux from the surface of Ganymede to help interpret future observations by ENA instruments, particularly the Jovian Neutrals Analyzer (JNA) onboard the JUpiter ICy moon Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft. We use sputtering models developed based on laboratory experiments to calculate sputtered fluxes of H2O, O2, and H2. The input ion population used in this study is the result of test particle simulations using electric and magnetic fields from a hybrid simulation of Ganymede's environment. This population includes a thermal component (H+ and O+ from 10 eV to 10 keV) and an energetic component (H+, O++, and S+++ from 10 keV to 10 MeV). We find a global ENA sputtering rate from Ganymede of 1.42 × 1027 s−1, with contributions from H2, O2, and H2O of 34%, 17%, and 49% respectively. We also calculate the energy distribution of sputtered Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs), give an estimate of a typical JNA count rate at Ganymede, and investigate latitudinal variations of sputtered fluxes along a simulated orbit track of the JUICE spacecraft. Our results demonstrate the capability of the JNA sensor to remotely map ion precipitation at Ganymede.

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