Electromagnetic field observations by the DEMETER satellite in connection with the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake

Abstract. To define a background in the electromagnetic emissions above seismic regions, it is necessary to define the statistical distribution of the wave energy in the absence of seismic activity and any other anomalous input (e.g. solar forcing). This paper presents a completely new method to determine both the environmental and instrumental backgrounds applied to the entire DEMETER satellite electric and magnetic field data over L'Aquila. Our technique is based on a new data analysis tool called ALIF (adaptive local iterative filtering, Cicone et al., 2016; Cicone and Zhou, 2017; Piersanti et al., 2017b). To evaluate the instrumental background, we performed a multiscale statistical analysis in which the instantaneous relative energy (ϵrel), kurtosis, and Shannon entropy were calculated. To estimate the environmental background, a map, divided into 1∘×1∘ latitude–longitude cells, of the averaged relative energy (ϵrel‾), has been constructed, taking into account the geomagnetic activity conditions, the presence of seismic activity, and the local time sector of the satellite orbit. Any distinct signal different (over a certain threshold) from both the instrumental and environmental backgrounds will be considered as a case event to be investigated. Interestingly, on 4 April 2009, when DEMETER flew exactly over L'Aquila at UT = 20:29, an anomalous signal was observed at 333 Hz on both the electric and magnetic field data, whose characteristics seem to be related to pre-seismic activity

Reconstructing solar magnetic fields from historical observations : IV. Testing the reconstruction method.

Abstract Aims. The evolution of the photospheric magnetic field has only been regularly observed since the 1970s. The absence of earlier observations severely limits our ability to understand the long-term evolution of solar magnetic fields, especially the polar fields that are important drivers of space weather. Here, we test the possibility to reconstruct the large-scale solar magnetic fields from Ca II K line observations and sunspot magnetic field observations, and to create synoptic maps of the photospheric magnetic field for times before modern-time magnetographic observations. Methods. We reconstructed active regions from Ca II K line synoptic maps and assigned them magnetic polarities using sunspot magnetic field observations. We used the reconstructed active regions as input in a surface flux transport simulation to produce synoptic maps of the photospheric magnetic field. We compared the simulated field with the observed field in 1975−1985 in order to test and validate our method. Results. The reconstruction very accurately reproduces the long-term evolution of the large-scale field, including the poleward flux surges and the strength of polar fields. The reconstruction has slightly less emerging flux because a few weak active regions are missing, but it includes the large active regions that are the most important for the large-scale evolution of the field. Although our reconstruction method is very robust, individual reconstructed active regions may be slightly inaccurate in terms of area, total flux, or polarity, which leads to some uncertainty in the simulation. However, due to the randomness of these inaccuracies and the lack of long-term memory in the simulation, these problems do not significantly affect the long-term evolution of the large-scale field

Assessing the quality of models of the ambient solar wind

In this paper we present an assessment of the status of models of the global Solar Wind in the inner heliosphere. We limit our discussion to the class of models designed to provide solar wind forecasts, excluding those designed for the purpose of testing physical processes in idealized configurations. In addition, we limit our discussion to modeling of the ‘ambient’ wind in the absence of coronal mass ejections. In this assessment we cover use of the models both in forecast mode and as tools for scientific research. We present a brief history of the development of these models, discussing the range of physical approximations in use. We discuss the limitations of the data inputs available to these models and its impact on their quality. We also discuss current model development trends

The CAESAR project for the ASI space weather infrastructure

This paper presents the project Comprehensive spAce wEather Studies for the ASPIS prototype Realization (CAESAR), which aims to tackle the relevant aspects of Space Weather (SWE) science and develop a prototype of the scientific data centre for Space Weather of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) called ASPIS (ASI SPace Weather InfraStructure). To this end, CAESAR involves the majority of the SWE Italian community, bringing together 10 Italian institutions as partners, and a total of 92 researchers. The CAESAR approach encompasses the whole chain of phenomena from the Sun to Earth up to planetary environments in a multidisciplinary, comprehensive, and unprecedented way. Detailed and integrated studies are being performed on a number of well-observed “target SWE events”, which exhibit noticeable SWE characteristics from several SWE perspectives. CAESAR investigations synergistically exploit a great variety of different products (datasets, codes, models), both long-standing and novel, that will be made available in the ASPIS prototype: this will consist of a relational database (DB), an interface, and a wiki-like documentation structure. The DB will be accessed through both a Web graphical interface and the ASPIS.py module, i.e., a library of functions in Python, which will be available for download and installation. The ASPIS prototype will unify multiple SWE resources through a flexible and adaptable architecture, and will integrate currently available international SWE assets to foster scientific studies and advance forecasting capabilities

Reconstructing solar magnetic fields from historical observations

Context. We apply our recently developed method to reconstruct synoptic maps of the photospheric magnetic field from observations of chromospheric plages and the magnetic polarity of sunspots. Here, we apply the method to an extended time interval from 1915 to 1985. Aims. Systematic magnetographic observations of the solar photospheric magnetic field were initiated as recently as the 1970s and the lack of earlier observations limits our ability to study and understand the long-term evolution of the Solar global field. This study is aimed at creating synoptic maps of magnetic fields for the pre-magnetograph era and using these maps as input for modern simulation models to investigate the long-term (centennial) evolution of the Sun’s global magnetic fields. Methods. We reconstructed active Solar regions by identifying chromospheric plages from Ca II K line synoptic maps and assigning magnetic polarities based on the observed polarity of sunspots. We used a surface flux transport (SFT) model to simulate the evolution of the photospheric magnetic field from the reconstructed active regions. We used the potential field source surface (PFSS) model to determine the amount of open magnetic flux from the reconstruction and from magnetographic observations. We also reconstructed the coronal field during two eclipses and compared the result with eclipse drawings. Results. We successfully reconstructed the photospheric magnetic field from 1915 to 1985. The number and total magnetic flux of the reconstructed active regions shows a realistic cyclic behavior that mostly follows the evolution of the sunspot number, even on relatively short timescales. The polar field strengths of cycles 19 and 20 do not reflect the evolution of the sunspot number very accurately, which may be related to problems related to the calcium data during cycle 19 and the long data gap during cycle 20. The polarity of polar fields and the amount of open field both at high and low latitudes all demonstrate the expected cyclic behavior. The agreement of the modeled coronal structure with eclipse drawings in 1922 and 1923 is fair