183 research outputs found
Field‐aligned current distribution in the transition current system
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95630/1/jgra17447.pd
Interaction of the solar wind with Venus
Two topics related to the interaction of the solar wind with Venus are considered. First, a short review of the experimental evidence with particular attention to plasma measurements carried out on Mariner-5 and Mariner-10 is given. Secondly, the results of some recent theoretical work on the interaction of the solar wind with the ionosphere of Venus are summarized
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Space physics for graduate students: an activities-based approach
The geospace environment is controlled largely by events on the Sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which generate significant geomagnetic and upper atmospheric disturbances. The study of this Sun-Earth system, which has become known as space weather, has both intrinsic scientific interest and practical applications. Adverse conditions in space can damage satellites and disrupt communications, navigation, and electric power grids, as well as endanger astronauts. The Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling (CISM), a Science and Technology Center (STC) funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (see http://www.bu.edu/cism/), is developing a suite of integrated physics-based computer models that describe the space environment from the Sun to the Earth for use in both research and operations [Hughes and Hudson, 2004, p. 1241]. To further this mission, advanced education and training programs sponsored by CISM encourage students to view space weather as a system that encompasses the Sun, the solar wind, the magnetosphere, and the ionosphere/thermosphere. This holds especially true for participants in the CISM space weather summer school [Simpson, 2004]
A new approach to long-term reconstruction of the solar irradiance leads to large historical solar forcing
The variable Sun is the most likely candidate for natural forcing of past
climate change on time scales of 50 to 1000 years. Evidence for this
understanding is that the terrestrial climate correlates positively with solar
activity. During the past 10,000 years, the Sun has experienced substantial
variations in activity and there have been numerous attempts to reconstruct
solar irradiance. While there is general agreement on how solar forcing varied
during the last several hundred years --- all reconstructions are proportional
to the solar activity --- there is scientific controversy on the magnitude of
solar forcing. We present a reconstruction of the Total and Spectral Solar
Irradiance covering 130 nm--10 m from 1610 to the present with annual
resolution and for the Holocene with 22-year resolution. We assume that the
minimum state of the quiet Sun in time corresponds to the observed quietest
area on the present Sun. Then we use available long-term proxies of the solar
activity, which are Be isotope concentrations in ice cores and 22-year
smoothed neutron monitor data, to interpolate between the present quiet Sun and
the minimum state of the quiet Sun. This determines the long-term trend in the
solar variability which is then superposed with the 11-year activity cycle
calculated from the sunspot number. The time-dependent solar spectral
irradiance from about 7000 BC to the present is then derived using a
state-of-the-art radiation code. We derive a total and spectral solar
irradiance that was substantially lower during the Maunder minimum than
observed today. The difference is remarkably larger than other estimations
published in the recent literature. The magnitude of the solar UV variability,
which indirectly affects climate is also found to exceed previous estimates. We
discuss in details the assumptions which leaded us to this conclusion.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in
Astronomy&Astrophysic
Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Through E-region Turbulence: Anomalous Conductivities and Frictional Heating
Global magnetospheric MHD codes using ionospheric conductances based on
laminar models systematically overestimate the cross-polar cap potential during
storm time by up to a factor of two. At these times, strong DC electric fields
penetrate to the E region and drive plasma instabilities that create
turbulence. This plasma density turbulence induces non-linear currents, while
associated electrostatic field fluctuations result in strong anomalous electron
heating. These two effects will increase the global ionospheric conductance.
Based on the theory of non-linear currents developed in the companion paper,
this paper derives the correction factors describing turbulent conductivities
and calculates turbulent frictional heating rates. Estimates show that during
strong geomagnetic storms the inclusion of anomalous conductivity can double
the total Pedersen conductance. This may help explain the overestimation of the
cross-polar cap potentials by existing MHD codes. The turbulent conductivities
and frictional heating presented in this paper should be included in global
magnetospheric codes developed for predictive modeling of space weather.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, 2nd of two companion paper
Magnetic Flux of EUV Arcade and Dimming Regions as a Relevant Parameter for Early Diagnostics of Solar Eruptions - Sources of Non-Recurrent Geomagnetic Storms and Forbush Decreases
This study aims at the early diagnostics of geoeffectiveness of coronal mass
ejections (CMEs) from quantitative parameters of the accompanying EUV dimming
and arcade events. We study events of the 23th solar cycle, in which major
non-recurrent geomagnetic storms (GMS) with Dst <-100 nT are sufficiently
reliably identified with their solar sources in the central part of the disk.
Using the SOHO/EIT 195 A images and MDI magnetograms, we select significant
dimming and arcade areas and calculate summarized unsigned magnetic fluxes in
these regions at the photospheric level. The high relevance of this eruption
parameter is displayed by its pronounced correlation with the Forbush decrease
(FD) magnitude, which, unlike GMSs, does not depend on the sign of the Bz
component but is determined by global characteristics of ICMEs. Correlations
with the same magnetic flux in the solar source region are found for the GMS
intensity (at the first step, without taking into account factors determining
the Bz component near the Earth), as well as for the temporal intervals between
the solar eruptions and the GMS onset and peak times. The larger the magnetic
flux, the stronger the FD and GMS intensities are and the shorter the ICME
transit time is. The revealed correlations indicate that the main quantitative
characteristics of major non-recurrent space weather disturbances are largely
determined by measurable parameters of solar eruptions, in particular, by the
magnetic flux in dimming areas and arcades, and can be tentatively estimated in
advance with a lead time from 1 to 4 days. For GMS intensity, the revealed
dependencies allow one to estimate a possible value, which can be expected if
the Bz component is negative.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Solar Physic
From Predicting Solar Activity to Forecasting Space Weather: Practical Examples of Research-to-Operations and Operations-to-Research
The successful transition of research to operations (R2O) and operations to
research (O2R) requires, above all, interaction between the two communities. We
explore the role that close interaction and ongoing communication played in the
successful fielding of three separate developments: an observation platform, a
numerical model, and a visualization and specification tool. Additionally, we
will examine how these three pieces came together to revolutionize
interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) arrival forecasts. A discussion of
the importance of education and training in ensuring a positive outcome from
R2O activity follows. We describe efforts by the meteorological community to
make research results more accessible to forecasters and the applicability of
these efforts to the transfer of space-weather research.We end with a
forecaster "wish list" for R2O transitions. Ongoing, two-way communication
between the research and operations communities is the thread connecting it
all.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, Solar Physics in pres
Speeds and arrival times of solar transients approximated by self-similar expanding circular fronts
The NASA STEREO mission opened up the possibility to forecast the arrival
times, speeds and directions of solar transients from outside the Sun-Earth
line. In particular, we are interested in predicting potentially geo-effective
Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs) from observations of density
structures at large observation angles from the Sun (with the STEREO
Heliospheric Imager instrument). We contribute to this endeavor by deriving
analytical formulas concerning a geometric correction for the ICME speed and
arrival time for the technique introduced by Davies et al. (2012, ApJ, in
press) called Self-Similar Expansion Fitting (SSEF). This model assumes that a
circle propagates outward, along a plane specified by a position angle (e.g.
the ecliptic), with constant angular half width (lambda). This is an extension
to earlier, more simple models: Fixed-Phi-Fitting (lambda = 0 degree) and
Harmonic Mean Fitting (lambda = 90 degree). This approach has the advantage
that it is possible to assess clearly, in contrast to previous models, if a
particular location in the heliosphere, such as a planet or spacecraft, might
be expected to be hit by the ICME front. Our correction formulas are especially
significant for glancing hits, where small differences in the direction greatly
influence the expected speeds (up to 100-200 km/s) and arrival times (up to two
days later than the apex). For very wide ICMEs (2 lambda > 120 degree), the
geometric correction becomes very similar to the one derived by M\"ostl et al.
(2011, ApJ, 741, id. 34) for the Harmonic Mean model. These analytic
expressions can also be used for empirical or analytical models to predict the
1 AU arrival time of an ICME by correcting for effects of hits by the flank
rather than the apex, if the width and direction of the ICME in a plane are
known and a circular geometry of the ICME front is assumed.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in "Solar Physics
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