The relationship between Saturn kilometric radiation and the solar wind

Voyager spacecraft radio, interplanetary plasma, and interplanetary magnetic field data are used to show that large amplitude fluctuations in the power generated by the Saturn kilometric radio emission are best correlated with solar wind ram pressure variation. In all, thirteen solar wind quantities previously found important in driving terrestrial magnetospheric substorms and other auroral processes were examined for evidence of correlations with the Saturn radio emission. The results are consistent with hydromagnetic wave or eddy diffusion processes driven by large scale solar wind pressure changes at Saturn's dayside magnetopause

Collisional and viscous damping of MHD waves in partially ionized plasmas of the solar atmosphere

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves are widely considered as a possible source of heating for various parts of the outer solar atmosphere. Among the main energy dissipation mechanisms which convert the energy of damped MHD waves into thermal energy are collisional dissipation(resistivity) and viscosity. The presence of neutral atoms in the partially ionized plasmas of the solar photosphere, chromosphere and prominences enhances the efficiency of both these energy dissipation mechanisms. A comparative study of the efficiency of MHD wave damping in solar plasmas due to collisional and viscous energy dissipation mechanisms is presented here. The damping rates are taken from Braginskii 1965 and applied to the VAL C model of the quiet Sun (Vernazza et al. 1981). These estimations show which of the mechanisms are dominant in which regions. In general the correct description of MHD wave damping requires the consideration of all energy dissipation mechanisms via the inclusion of the appropriate terms in the generalized Ohm’s law, the momentum, energy and induction equations. Specific forms of the generalized Ohm’s Law and induction equation are presented that are suitable for regions of the solar atmosphere which are partially ionised

In-flight calibration of STEREO-B/WAVES antenna system

The STEREO/WAVES (SWAVES) experiment on board the two STEREO spacecraft (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) launched on 25 October 2006 is dedicated to the measurement of the radio spectrum at frequencies between a few kilohertz and 16 MHz. The SWAVES antenna system consists of 6 m long orthogonal monopoles designed to measure the electric component of the radio waves. With this configuration direction finding of radio sources and polarimetry (analysis of the polarization state) of incident radio waves is possible. For the evaluation of the SWAVES data the receiving properties of the antennas, distorted by the radiation coupling with the spacecraft body and other onboard devices, have to be known accurately. In the present context, these properties are described by the antenna effective length vectors. We present the results of an in-flight calibration of the SWAVES antennas using the observations of the nonthermal terrestrial auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) during STEREO roll maneuvers in an early stage of the mission. A least squares method combined with a genetic algorithm was applied to find the effective length vectors of the STEREO Behind (STEREO-B)/WAVES antennas in a quasi-static frequency range ($L_{antenna} \ll \lambda_{wave}$) which fit best to the model and observed AKR intensity profiles. The obtained results confirm the former SWAVES antenna analysis by rheometry and numerical simulations. A final set of antenna parameters is recommended as a basis for evaluations of the SWAVES data

Radio seismology of the outer solar corona

Observed oscillations of coronal loops in EUV lines have been successfully used to estimate plasma parameters in the inner corona (< 0.2 R_0, where R_0 is the solar radius). However, coronal seismology in EUV lines fails for higher altitudes because of rapid decrease in line intensity. We aim to use radio observations to estimate the plasma parameters of the outer solar corona (> 0.2 R_0). We use the large Ukrainian radio telescope URAN-2 to observe type IV radio burst at the frequency range of 8-32 MHz during the time interval of 09:50-12:30 UT in April 14, 2011. The burst was connected to C2.3 flare, which occurred in AR 11190 during 09:38-09:49 UT. The dynamic spectrum of radio emission shows clear quasi-periodic variations in the emission intensity at almost all frequencies. Wavelet analysis at four different frequencies (29 MHz, 25 MHz, 22 MHz and 14 MHz) shows the quasi-periodic variation of emission intensity with periods of 34 min and 23 min. The periodic variations can be explained by the first and second harmonics of vertical kink oscillation of transequatorial coronal loops, which were excited by the same flare. The apex of transequatorial loops may reach up to 1.2 R_0 altitude. We derive and solve the dispersion relation of trapped MHD oscillations in a longitudinally inhomogeneous magnetic slab. The analysis shows that a thin (with width to length ratio of 0.1), dense (with the ratio of internal and external densities of > 20) magnetic slab with weak longitudinal inhomogeneity may trap the observed oscillations. Seismologically estimated Alfv\'en speed inside the loop at the height of 1 R_0 is 1000 km/s. Then the magnetic field strength at this height is estimated as 0.9 G. Extrapolation of magnetic field strength to the inner corona gives 10 G at the height of 0.1 R_0.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, Accepted in A&

Magnetohydrodynamic waves in solar partially ionized plasmas: two-fluid approach

We derive the dynamics of magnetohydrodynamic waves in two-fluid partially ionized plasmas and to compare the results with those obtained under single-fluid description. Two-fluid magnetohydrodynamic equations are used, where ion-electron plasma and neutral particles are considered as separate fluids. Dispersion relations of linear magnetohydrodynamic waves are derived for simplest case of homogeneous medium. Frequencies and damping rates of waves are obtained for different parameters of background plasma. We found that two- and single-fluid descriptions give similar results for low frequency waves. However, the dynamics of MHD waves in two-fluid approach is significantly changed when the wave frequency becomes comparable or higher than ion-neutral collision frequency. Alfven and fast magneto-acoustic waves attain their maximum damping rate at particular frequencies (for example, the peak frequency equals 2.5 ion-neutral collision frequency for 50 % of neutral Hydrogen) in wave spectrum. The damping rates are reduced for higher frequency waves. The new mode of slow magneto-acoustic wave appears for higher frequency branch, which is connected to neutral hydrogen fluid. The single-fluid approach perfectly deals with slow processes in partially ionized plasmas, but fails for time-scales smaller than ion-neutral collision time. Therefore, two-fluid approximation should be used for the description of relatively fast processes. Some results of single-fluid description, for example the damping of high-frequency Alfven waves in the solar chromosphere due to ion-neutral collisions, should be revised in future.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted in A&