A summary of observational records on periodicities above the rotational period in the Jovian magnetosphere

The Jovian magnetosphere is a very dynamic system. The plasma mass-loading from the moon Io and the fast planetary rotation lead to regular release of mass from the Jovian magnetosphere and to a change of the magnetic topology. These regular variations, most commonly on several (2.5–4) days scale, were derived from various data sets obtained by different spacecraft missions and instruments ranging from auroral images to in situ measurements of magnetospheric particles. Specifically, ion measurements from the Galileo spacecraft represent the periodicities, very distinctively, namely the periodic thinning of the plasma sheet and subsequent dipolarization, and explosive mass release occurring mainly during the transition between these two phases. We present a review of these periodicities, particularly concentrating on those observed in energetic particle data. The most distinct periodicities are observed for ions of sulfur and oxygen. The periodic topological change of the Jovian magnetosphere, the associated mass-release process and auroral signatures can be interpreted as a global magnetospheric instability with analogies to the two step concept of terrestrial substorms. Different views on the triggering mechanism of this magnetospheric instability are discussed

Oxygen and hydrogen ion abundance in the near-Earth magnetosphere: Statistical results on the response to the geomagnetic and solar wind activity conditions

The composition of ions plays a crucial role for the fundamental plasma properties in the terrestrial magnetosphere. We investigate the oxygen-to-hydrogen ratio in the near-Earth magnetosphere from -10 RE<XGSE}< 10 RE. The results are based on seven years of ion flux measurements in the energy range ~10 keV to ~955 keV from the RAPID and CIS instruments on board the Cluster satellites. We find that (1) hydrogen ions at ~10 keV show only a slight correlation with the geomagnetic conditions and interplanetary magnetic field changes. They are best correlated with the solar wind dynamic pressure and density, which is an expected effect of the magnetospheric compression; (2) ~10 keV O+ ion intensities are more strongly affected during disturbed phase of a geomagnetic storm or substorm than >274 keV O+ ion intensities, relative to the corresponding hydrogen intensities; (3) In contrast to ~10 keV ions, the >274 keV O+ ions show the strongest acceleration during growth phase and not during the expansion phase itself. This suggests a connection between the energy input to the magnetosphere and the effective energization of energetic ions during growth phase; (4) The ratio between quiet and disturbed times for the intensities of ion ionospheric outflow is similar to those observed in the near-Earth magnetosphere at >274 keV. Therefore, the increase of the energetic ion intensity during disturbed time is more likely due to the intensification than to the more effective acceleration of the ionospheric source. In conclusion, the energization process in the near-Earth magnetosphere is mass dependent and it is more effective for the heavier ions

A New Radio - X-Ray Probe of Galaxy Cluster Magnetic Fields

Results are presented of a new VLA-ROSAT study that probes the magnetic field strength and distribution over a sample of 16 ``normal'' low redshift (z < 0.1) galaxy clusters. The clusters span two orders of magnitude in X-ray luminosity, and were selected to be free of (unusual) strong radio cluster halos, and widespread cooling flows. Consistent with these criteria, most clusters show a relaxed X-ray morphology and little or no evidence for recent merger activity. Analysis of the rotation measure (RM) data shows cluster-generated Faraday RM excess out to ~0.5 Mpc from cluster centers. The results, combined with RM imaging of cluster-embedded sources and ROSAT X-ray profiles indicates that the hot intergalactic gas within these ``normal'' clusters is permeated with a high filling factor by magnetic fields at levels of = 5-10 (l/10 kpc)^{-1/2} microGauss, where l is the field correlation length. These results lead to a global estimate of the total magnetic energy in clusters, and give new insight into the ultimate energy origin, which is likely gravitational. These results also shed some light on the cluster evolutionary conditions that existed at the onset of cooling flows.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, uses emulateapj5.sty, accepted by ApJ

Detection of microgauss coherent magnetic fields in a galaxy five billion years ago

Magnetic fields play a pivotal role in the physics of interstellar medium in galaxies, but there are few observational constraints on how they evolve across cosmic time. Spatially resolved synchrotron polarization maps at radio wavelengths reveal well-ordered large-scale magnetic fields in nearby galaxies that are believed to grow from a seed field via a dynamo effect. To directly test and characterize this theory requires magnetic field strength and geometry measurements in cosmologically distant galaxies, which are challenging to obtain due to the limited sensitivity and angular resolution of current radio telescopes. Here, we report the cleanest measurements yet of magnetic fields in a galaxy beyond the local volume, free of the systematics traditional techniques would encounter. By exploiting the scenario where the polarized radio emission from a background source is gravitationally lensed by a foreground galaxy at z = 0.439 using broadband radio polarization data, we detected coherent $\mu$G magnetic fields in the lensing disk galaxy as seen 4.6 Gyrs ago, with similar strength and geometry to local volume galaxies. This is the highest redshift galaxy whose observed coherent magnetic field property is compatible with a mean-field dynamo origin.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures (including Supplementary Information). Published in Nature Astronomy on August 28, 201

A Faraday Rotation Search for Magnetic Fields in Large Scale Structure

Faraday rotation of radio source polarization provides a measure of the integrated magnetic field along the observational lines of sight. We compare a new, large sample of Faraday rotation measures (RMs) of polarized extragalactic sources with galaxy counts in Hercules and Perseus-Pisces, two nearby superclusters. We find that the average of RMs in these two supercluster areas are larger than in control areas in the same galactic latitude range. This is the first RM detection of magnetic fields that pervade a supercluster volume, in which case the fields are at least partially coherent over several megaparsecs. Even the most conservative interpretation of our observations, according to which Milky Way RM variations mimic the background supercluster galaxy overdensities, puts constraints on the IGM magneto-ionic ``strength'' in these two superclusters. We obtain an approximate typical upper limit on the field strength of about 0.3 microGauss l/(500 kpc), when we combine our RM data with fiducial estimates of electron density from the environments of giant radio galaxies, and of the warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM).Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa

Heating Hot Atmospheres with Active Galactic Nuclei

High resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the hot gas in galaxy clusters has shown that the gas is not cooling to low temperatures at the predicted rates of hundreds to thousands of solar masses per year. X-ray images have revealed giant cavities and shock fronts in the hot gas that provide a direct and relatively reliable means of measuring the energy injected into hot atmospheres by active galactic nuclei (AGN). Average radio jet powers are near those required to offset radiative losses and to suppress cooling in isolated giant elliptical galaxies, and in larger systems up to the richest galaxy clusters. This coincidence suggests that heating and cooling are coupled by feedback, which suppresses star formation and the growth of luminous galaxies. How jet energy is converted to heat and the degree to which other heating mechanisms are contributing, eg. thermal conduction, are not well understood. Outburst energies require substantial late growth of supermassive black holes. Unless all of the approximately 10E62 erg required to suppress star formation is deposited in the cooling regions of clusters, AGN outbursts must alter large-scale properties of the intracluster medium.Comment: 60 pages, 12 figures, to appear in 1997 Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics. This version supersedes the April 2007 version in Reviews in Advance (references and minor corrections were added), and is similar to the one scheduled to appear in Volume 45 of ARA

Cosmic magnetic fields from velocity perturbations in the early Universe

We show, using a covariant and gauge-invariant charged multifluid perturbation scheme, that velocity perturbations of the matter-dominated dust Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model can lead to the generation of cosmic magnetic fields. Moreover, using cosmic microwave background (CMB) constraints, it is argued that these fields can reach strengths of between 10^{-28} and 10^{-29} G at the time the dynamo mechanism sets in, making them plausible seed field candidates.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, IOP style, minor changes and typos correcte

Detailed Radio Spectra of Selected Compact Sources in the Nucleus of M82

We have determined detailed radio spectra for 26 compact sources in the starburst nucleus of M82, between 74 and 1.3 cm. Seventeen show low-frequency turnovers. One other has a thermal emission spectrum, and we identify it as an HII region. The low frequency turnovers are due to absorption by the interstellar gas in M82. New information on the AGN candidate 44.01+595, shows it to have a non-thermal falling powerlaw spectrum at the highest frequencies, and that it is strongly absorbed below 2 GHz. We derive large magnetic fields in the supernova remnants, of order 1-2 milliGauss, hence large pressures in the sources suggest that the brightest ones are either expanding or are strongly confined by a dense interstellar medium. From the largest source in our sample, we derive a supernova rate of 0.016 SN/yr.Comment: 19 pages, 7 tables, 29 figures, LaTeX, requires AAS macros v. 4.0. To appear in ApJ July 20, 199

Cluster Observations of Bow Shock Energetic Ion Transport Through the Magnetosheath into the Cusp

The observation of energetic particles by polar orbiting satellites in the magnetospheric cusp resulted in a controversy about their source region. It has been suggested that these cusp energetic particles (CEP) with significant fluxes from magnetosheath energies up to several hundred keV/e are accelerated locally in the cusp by the turbulence found in cusp diamagnetic cavities (CDC). As an alternative to the local acceleration region, the quasi‐parallel shock is successful as a source region for CEP events. Energetic ions accelerated at the bow shock can be transported downstream and enter the cusp along newly reconnected field lines. Composition and energy spectra of these CEP events resemble those of bow shock energetic diffuse ions. This study investigates a northern cusp pass by the Cluster satellites that encountered two CDCs with CEP ions. We use recently developed techniques to determine the location of the reconnection site at the magnetopause, draping interplanetary magnetic field lines over the magnetopause and mapping those field lines back into the solar wind to show magnetic connection of the cusp regions, Earth’s bow shock, and upstream region. Energetic ions are also observed outside the magnetopause in the boundary layer streaming from the quasi‐parallel shock toward the cusp which supports an outside source region for CEP ions