Anomalous width variation of rarefactive ion acoustic solitary waves in the context of auroral plasmas

The presence of dynamic, large amplitude solitary waves in the auroral regions of space is well known. Since their velocities are of the order of the ion acoustic speed, they may well be considered as being generated from the nonlinear evolution of ion acoustic waves. However, they do not show the expected width-amplitude correlation for K-dV solitons. Recent POLAR observations have actually revealed that the low altitude rarefactive ion acoustic solitary waves are associated with an increase in the width with increasing amplitude. This indicates that a weakly nonlinear theory is not appropriate to describe the solitary structures in the auroral regions. In the present work, a fully nonlinear analysis based on Sagdeev pseudopotential technique has been adopted for both parallel and oblique propagation of rarefactive solitary waves in a two electron temperature multi-ion plasma. The large amplitude solutions have consistently shown an increase in the width with increasing amplitude. The width-amplitude variation profile of obliquely propagating rarefactive solitary waves in a magnetized plasma have been compared with the recent POLAR observations. The width-amplitude variation pattern is found to fit well with the analytical results. It indicates that a fully nonlinear theory of ion acoustic solitary waves may well explain the observed anomalous width variations of large amplitude structures in the auroral region

Nonlinear saturation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability and generation of shear flow in equatorial spread-F plasma

International audienceAn analysis of low order mode coupling equations is used to describe the nonlinear behaviour of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in the equatorial ionosphere. The nonlinear evolution of RT instability leads to the development of shear flow. It is found that there is an interplay between the nonlinearity and the shear flow which compete with each other and saturate the RT mode, both in the collisionless and collisional regime. However, the nonlinearly saturated state, normally known as vortices or bubbles, may not be stable. Under certain condition these bubbles are shown to be unstable to short scale secondary instabilities that are driven by the large gradients which develop within these structures. Some understanding of the role of collisional nonlinearity in the shear flow generations is also discussed

Electron acoustic solitary waves with non-thermal distribution of electrons

International audienceElectron-acoustic solitary waves are studied in an unmagnetized plasma consisting of non-thermally distributed electrons, fluid cold electrons and ions. The Sagdeev pseudo-potential technique is used to carry out the analysis. The presence of non-thermal electrons modifies the parametric region where electron acoustic solitons can exist. For parameters representative of auroral zone field lines, the electron acoustic solitons do not exist when either ? > 0.225 or Tc/Th > 0.142, where ? is the fractional non-thermal electron density, and Tc (Th) represents the temperature of cold (hot) electrons. Further, for these parameters, the simple model predicts negatively charged potential structures. Inclusion of an electron beam in the model may provide the positive potential solitary structures

Collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability and shear-flow in equatorial Spread-F plasma

International audienceCollisional Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is considered in the bottom side of the equatorial F-region. By a novel nonmodal calculation it is shown that for an applied shear flow in equilibrium, the growth of the instability is considerably reduced. Finite but small amounts of diffusion enhances the stabilization process. The results may be relevant to the observations of long-lived irregularities at the bottom-side of the F-layer

Low-latitude geomagnetic signatures during major solar energetic particle events of solar cycle-23

The frequency of occurrence of disruptive transient processes in the Sun is enhanced during the high solar activity periods. Solar cycle-23 evidenced major geomagnetic storm events and intense solar energetic particle (SEP) events. The SEP events are the energetic outbursts as a result of acceleration of heliospheric particles by solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The present work focuses on the geomagnetic variations at equatorial and low-latitude stations during the four major SEP events of 14 July 2000, 8 November 2000, 24 September 2001 and 4 November 2001. These events have been reported to be of discernible magnitude following intense X-ray flares and halo coronal mass ejections. Low-latitude geomagnetic records evidenced an intense main phase development subsequent to the shock impact on the Earth's magnetosphere. Satellite observations show proton-flux enhancements associated with solar flares for all events. Correlation analysis is also carried out to bring out the correspondence between the polar cap magnetic field perturbations, <i>AE</i> index and the variations of low-latitude magnetic field. The results presented in the current study elucidate the varying storm development processes, and the geomagnetic field response to the plasma and interplanetary magnetic field conditions for the energetic events. An important inference drawn from the current study is the close correspondence between the persistence of a high level of proton flux after the shock in some events and the ensuing intense magnetic storm. Another interesting result is the role of the pre-shock southward IMF <i>B<sub>z</sub></i> duration in generating a strong main phase

Dromion solutions for an electron acoustic wave and its application to space observations

The nonlinear evolution of an electron acoustic wave is shown to obey the Davey-Stewartson I equation which admits so called dromion solutions. The importance of these two dimensional localized solutions for recent satellite observations of wave structures in the day side polar cap regions is discussed and the parameter regimes for their existence is delineated

Dromion solutions for nonlinear electron acoustic waves in space plasmas

International audienceRecent high resolution measurements of POLAR and FAST satellites have revealed two-dimensional coherent structures in the polar cap boundary layer (PCBL) region. Since the ion temperature is often observed to be greater than the electron temperature in this region, electron acoustic waves can exist as a normal mode of the plasma system. It is shown that the nonlinear evolution of such waves can be modelled by the coupled Davey-Stewartson I equations. These equations, which are a generalization of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation to two dimensions, admit exponentially localized solutions called dromions. A detailed parametric characterization of the regions of existence of such solutions is presented in the context of the PCBL region

Association of Alfvén waves and proton cyclotron waves with electrostatic bipolar pulses: magnetic hole events observed by Polar

International audienceTwo magnetic hole events observed by Polar on 20 May 1996 when it was in the polar cap/polar cusp boundary layer are studied. Low-frequency waves, consisting of nonlinear Alfvén waves and large amplitude (±14nT peak-to-peak) obliquely propagating proton cyclotron waves (with frequency f~0.6 to 0.7 fcp), accompanied by electric bipolar pulses (electron holes) and electron heating have been observed located within magnetic holes. It is shown that low-frequency waves can provide free energy to drive some high frequency instabilities which saturate by trapping electrons, thus, leading to the generation of electron holes

Necessary conditions for the generation of acoustic solitons in magnetospheric and space plasmas with hot ions

International audienceNecessary conditions are discussed for the possible generation of large solitary acoustic modes in plasmas with one or more ion species which are hotter than some or all of the electron species. The analysis is based on a fluid dynamic approach. It is found that in most of these configurations the existence ranges for the solitary wave velocities are very narrow and close to one of the thermal velocities. In the latter situation, linear Landau damping may prevent the generation of nonlinear structures. The analysis indicates that both inertial and thermal effects for the ions need to be kept in the description, thus rendering an analytical investigation much more intricate

Electron acoustic solitons in the Earth's magnetotail

International audienceSmall amplitude electron - acoustic solitons are studied in a magnetized plasma consisting of two types of electrons, namely cold electron beam and background plasma electrons and two temperature ion plasma. The analysis predicts rarefactive solitons. The model may provide a possible explanation for the perpendicular polarization of the low-frequency component of the broadband electrostatic noise observed in the Earth's magnetotail