Cluster observations of trapped ions interacting with magnetosheath mirror modes

Mirror modes are among the most intense low frequency plasma wave phenomena observed in the magnetosheaths of magnetized planets. They appear as large amplitude non-propagating fluctuations in the magnetic field magnitude and plasma density. These structures are widely accepted to represent a non-linear stage of the mirror instability, dominant in plasmas with large ion beta and a significant ion temperature anisotropy <I>T</I>_&perp;/<I>T</I>_&parallel;&gt;1. It has long been recognized that the mirror instability both in the linear and non-linear stage is a kinetic process and that the behavior of resonant particles at small parallel velocities is crucial for its development and saturation. While the dynamics of the instability and the effect of trapped particles have been studied extensively in theoretical models and numerical simulations, only spurious observations of the trapped ions were published to date. In this work we used data from the Cluster spacecraft to perform the first detailed experimental study of ion velocity distribution associated with mirror mode oscillations. We show a conclusive evidence for the predicted cooling of resonant ions at small parallel velocities and heating of trapped ions at intermediate pitch angles

Variability of the Magnetic Field Power Spectrum in the Solar Wind at Electron Scales

At electron scales, the power spectrum of solar-wind magnetic fluctuations can be highly variable and the dissipation mechanisms of the magnetic energy into the various particle species is under debate. In this paper, we investigate data from the Cluster mission's STAFF Search Coil magnetometer when the level of turbulence is sufficiently high that the morphology of the power spectrum at electron scales can be investigated. The Cluster spacecraft sample a disturbed interval of plasma where two streams of solar wind interact. Meanwhile, several discontinuities (coherent structures) are seen in the large-scale magnetic field, while at small scales several intermittent bursts of wave activity (whistler waves) are present. Several different morphologies of the power spectrum can be identified: (1) two power laws separated by a break, (2) an exponential cutoff near the Taylor shifted electron scales, and (3) strong spectral knees at the Taylor shifted electron scales. These different morphologies are investigated by using wavelet coherence, showing that, in this interval, a clear break and strong spectral knees are features that are associated with sporadic quasi parallel propagating whistler waves, even for short times. On the other hand, when no signatures of whistler waves at similar to 0.1-0.2f(ce) are present, a clear break is difficult to find and the spectrum is often more characteristic of a power law with an exponential cutoff.Peer reviewe

Statistical study of the alteration of the magnetic structure of magnetic clouds in the Earth’s magnetosheath

The magnetosheath plays a central role in the solar wind-magnetospheric coupling. Yet the effects of its crossing on solar wind structures such as magnetic clouds (MCs) are generally overlooked when assessing their geoeffectivity. Using 82 MCs observed simultaneously in the solar wind and the magnetosheath, we carry out the first statistical study of the alteration of their magnetic structure in the magnetosheath. For each event, the bow shock properties are obtained from a magnetosheath model. The comparison between the model results and observations shows that in 80% of cases, the MHD-based model captures well the magnetosheath transition; the other events are discussed separately. We find that just downstream of the bow shock the variation of the magnetic field direction shows a very good anticorrelation (r = −0.91) with the angle between the upstream magnetic field and the shock normal. We then focus on the magnetic field north-south component Bz because of its importance for geoeffectivity. Although the sign of Bz is generally preserved in the magnetosheath, we also find evidence of long-lasting intervals of opposite Bz signs in the solar wind and the magnetosheath during some events, with a |Bz| reversal > 10 nT at the magnetopause. We find that these reversals are due to the draping of the field lines and are associated with predominant upstream By. In those cases, the estimated position of the regions of antiparallel fields along the magnetopause is independent of the sign of the upstream Bz . This may have strong implications in terms of reconnection.Peer reviewe

Global manifestations of a substorm onset observed by a multi-satellite and ground station network

With a favorable constellation of spacecraft and ground stations, a study is made on the global manifestations of a substorm onset. The onset occurred simultaneously and conjugately in both hemispheres, confirmed by observations of the auroral breakup from IMAGE FUV-WIC and a sudden intensification of a westward electrojet from ground-based magnetometers. Concurrently with the onset, field-aligned and Hall currents in the auroral ionosphere are observed by CHAMP, which are consistent with the signature of a Harang discontinuity. Immediately after the onset a magnetic field dipolarization is clearly observed by Double Star TC-1, located near the central magnetotail and subsequently, by the Cluster quartet. The observations can be explained by a dawnward propagation of the substorm current wedge at a speed of about 300 km/s

Earth's collision with a solar filament on 21 January 2005: Overview

On 21 January 2005, one of the fastest interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICME) of solar cycle 23, containing exceptionally dense plasma directly behind the sheath, hit the magnetosphere. We show from charge‐state analysis that this material was a piece of the erupting solar filament and further, based on comparisons to the simulation of a fast CME, that the unusual location of the filament material was a consequence of three processes. As the ICME decelerated, the momentum of the dense filament material caused it to push through the flux rope toward the nose. Diverging nonradial flows in front of the filament moved magnetic flux to the sides of the ICME. At the same time, reconnection between the leading edge of the ICME and the sheath magnetic fields worked to peel away the outer layers of the flux rope creating a remnant flux rope and a trailing region of newly opened magnetic field lines. These processes combined to move the filament material into direct contact with the ICME sheath region. Within 1 h after impact and under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, a cold dense plasma sheet formed within the magnetosphere from the filament material. Dense plasma sheet material continued to move through the magnetosphere for more than 6 h as the filament passed by the Earth. Densities were high enough to produce strong diamagnetic stretching of the magnetotail despite the northward IMF conditions and low levels of magnetic activity. The disruptions from the filament collision are linked to an array of unusual features throughout the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere. These results raise questions about whether rare collisions with solar filaments may, under the right conditions, be a factor in producing even more extreme events. Key Points Study of unusual solar filament evolution and collision with geospace As CME decelerated, filament pushed through flux rope reaching sheath Within 1 h after arrival, cold dense plasma sheet formed from solar filamentPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/101865/1/jgra50567.pd

In situ evidence for the structure of the magnetic null in a 3D reconnection event in the Earth's magnetotail

Magnetic reconnection is one of the most important processes in astrophysical, space and laboratory plasmas. Identifying the structure around the point at which the magnetic field lines break and subsequently reform, known as the magnetic null point, is crucial to improving our understanding reconnection. But owing to the inherently three-dimensional nature of this process, magnetic nulls are only detectable through measurements obtained simultaneously from at least four points in space. Using data collected by the four spacecraft of the Cluster constellation as they traversed a diffusion region in the Earth's magnetotail on 15 September, 2001, we report here the first in situ evidence for the structure of an isolated magnetic null. The results indicate that it has a positive-spiral structure whose spatial extent is of the same order as the local ion inertial length scale, suggesting that the Hall effect could play an important role in 3D reconnection dynamics.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Elastin haploinsufficiency induces alternative aging processes in the aorta

Elastin, the main component of elastic fibers, is synthesized only in early life and provides the blood vessels with their elastic properties. With aging, elastin is progressively degraded, leading to arterial enlargement, stiffening, and dysfunction. Also, elastin is a key regulator of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration during development since heterozygous mutations in its gene (Eln) are responsible for a severe obstructive vascular disease, supravalvular aortic stenosis, isolated or associated to Williams syndrome. Here, we have studied whether early elastin synthesis could also influence the aging processes, by comparing the structure and function of ascending aorta from 6- and 24-month-old Eln+/- and Eln+/+ mice. Eln+/- animals have high blood pressure and arteries with smaller diameters and more rigid walls containing additional although thinner elastic lamellas. Nevertheless, longevity of these animals is unaffected. In young adult Eln+/- mice, some features resemble vascular aging of wild-type animals: cardiac hypertrophy, loss of elasticity of the arterial wall through enhanced fragmentation of the elastic fibers, and extracellular matrix accumulation in the aortic wall, in particular in the intima. In Eln+/- animals, we also observed an age-dependent alteration of endothelial vasorelaxant function. On the contrary, Eln+/- mice were protected from several classical consequences of aging visible in aged Eln+/+ mice, such as arterial wall thickening and alteration of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction. Our results suggest that early elastin expression and organization modify arterial aging through their impact on both vascular cell physiology and structure and mechanics of blood vessels