Giuseppe Consolini

Intermittency in the solar wind turbulence through probability distribution functions of fluctuations

Intermittency in fluid turbulence can be emphasized through the analysis of Probability Distribution Functions (PDF) for velocity fluctuations, which display a strong non-gaussian behavior at small scales. Castaing et al. (1990) have introduced the idea that this behavior can be represented, in the framework of a multiplicative cascade model, by a convolution of gaussians whose variances is distributed according to a log-normal distribution. In this letter we have tried to test this conjecture on the MHD solar wind turbulence by performing a fit of the PDF of the bulk speed and magnetic field intensity fluctuations calculated in the solar wind, with the model. This fit allows us to calculate a parameter λ² depending on the scale, which represents the width of the log-normal distribution of the variances of the gaussians. The physical implications of the obtained values of the parameter as well as of its scaling law are finally discussed.

An average image of proton plasma pressure and of current systems in the equatorial plane derived from AMPTE/CCE‐CHEM measurements

The present study attempts to visualize the global equatorial current systems and the proton pressure in the near-Earth magnetosphere based on AMPTE/GCE-CHEM measured proton distributions, which were sorted by the AE index (“quiet”: AE < 100 nT, “active”: 100 nT < AE < 600 nT). The data were averaged over 2 years (from January 1985 to June 1987) in order to obtain the necessary spatial resolution with statistical significance. The results provide an average image of proton plasma pressure, proton plasma anisotropy, and current systems as a function of geomagnetic activity. In particular, the changes of pressure anisotropy with local time and the noon-midnight pressure asymmetry are studied and correlated to the current systems out of the equatorial plane that generate the closure circuits. Moreover, we identify and spatially locate two different current systems for the quiet period (the ring current and the inner portion of the quiet time cross-tail current) and three different current structures for the active period (the ring current, the partial ring current, and the region 2 current).

Occurrence of reconnection jets at the dayside magnetopause: Double Star observations

We present a statistical study on reconnection occurrence at the dayside magnetopause performed using the Double Star TC1 plasma and magnetic field data. We examined the magnetopause crossings that occurred during the first year of the mission in the 0600 1800 LT interval and we identified plasma flows, at the magnetopause or in the boundary layer, with a different velocity with respect to the adjacent magnetosheath. We used the Walen relation to test which of these flows could be generated by magnetic reconnection. For some event we observed opposite-directed reconnection jets, which could be associated with the passage of the X-line near the satellite. We analyzed the occurrence of the reconnection jets and reconnection jet reversals in relation to the magnetosheath parameters, in particular the local Alfven Mach number, the plasma beta, and the magnetic shear angle. We also studied the positions and velocities of the reconnection jets and jet reversals in relation to the magnetosheath magnetic field clock angle. We found that the observations indicate the presence of a reconnection line hinged near the subsolar point and tilted according to the observed magnetosheath clock angle, consistently with the component merging model.

Non‐Gaussian distribution function of AE‐index fluctuations: Evidence for time intermittency

The probability distribution functions (Pdfs) of the AE-index fluctuations at different time scales have been investigated using a time series covering a period from January 01, 1978 to December 31, 1985. The Pdfs are always non Gaussian for time scales in the range 1–120 min both in quiet and disturbed periods. The scale dependence of the Pdfs indicates that AE-index is not characterized by a global time self-similarity, indicating that an intermittency phenomenon characterizes both phases. The results on Pdfs are compared with functional form, proposed by Castaing et al. [1990], to characterize intermittency phenomena in ordinary turbulent fluid flows. Moreover the relevance of these observations to the understanding of the magnetospheric dynamical configuration is pointed out.

Magnetic Field Topology and Criticality in Geotail Dynamics: Relevance to Substorm Phenomena

Recent observations and analyses seem to suggest that certain dynamical features of the Earths magnetosphere could resemble the evolution of a complex system near a forced and/or self-organized criticality (FSOC). Here, we review concepts dealing with the phenomenology of criticality and disorder systems in connection with magnetospheric processes. In more detail, we discuss the importance of intermittency, turbulence and local topological disorder in the geomagnetic tail regions, that form a new paradigm for the understanding of the magnetotail dynamics.

Average terrestrial ring current derived from AMPTE/CCE-CHEM measurements

The present study attempts to analyze the average ring current density and pressure in the magnetospheric equatorial plane (as a function of geocentric distance and local time) based on the AMPTE/CCE-CHEM proton distributions according to two different AE ranges, corresponding to a low (AE<100 nT) and a moderate (100 nT<AE<600 nT) geomagnetic or auroral activity. In order to obtain a statistically significant database for a high spatial resolution, the data were averaged over 2 years. The results provide a trend of the ring current and show its general average features as a function of geomagnetic activity. In particular, the total ring current is dominated by the pressure gradient term, resulting in an eastward current in the inner magnetosphere (L<4.5) and an extended westward current at higher altitudes. The westward current is always stronger than the eastward current. Moreover, the ring current system is a function of magnetic local time, exhibiting a noon-midnight asymmetry in general, as well as a function of geomagnetic activity exhibiting an enhancement of about 20% during active times (in midnight-dusk region only). The location of the total current peak in the midnight sector is at about MLT=2300, and its changes with magnetic activity are interpreted as an effect of the particles injection from the tail during the storms/substorms. The derived current values are compared to previous model predictions and observations.

High energy jets in the Earth’s magnetosheath: Implications for plasma dynamics and anomalous transport

High energy density jets in the magnetosheath near the Earth magnetopause were observed by Interball-1 [1]. In this paper, we continue the investigation of this important physical phenomenon. New data provided by Cluster show that the magnetosheath kinetic energy density during more than one hour exhibits an average level and a series of peaks far exceeding the kinetic energy density in the undisturbed solar wind. This is a surprising finding because the kinetic energy of the upstream solar wind in equilibrium should be significantly diminished downstream in the magnetosheath due to plasma braking and thermalization at the bow shock. We suggest resolving the energy conservation problem by the fact that the nonequilibrium jets appear to be locally superimposed on the background equilibrium magnetosheath, and, thus, the energy balance should be settled globally on the spatial scales of the entire dayside magnetosheath. We show that both the Cluster and Interball jets are accompanied by plasma superdiffusion and suggest that they are important for the energy dissipation and plasma transport. The character of the jet-related turbulence strongly differs from that of known standard cascade models. We infer that these jets may represent the phenomenon of the general physical occurrence observed in other natural systems, such as heliosphere, astrophysical, and fusion plasmas [2–10].

Complexity, Forced and/or Self-Organized Criticality, and Topological Phase Transitions in Space Plasmas

The first definitive observation that provided convincing evidence indicating certain turbulent space plasma processes are in states of ‘complexity’ was the discovery of the apparent power-law probability distribution of solar flare intensities. Recent statistical studies of complexity in space plasmas came from the AE index, UVI auroral imagery, and in-situ measurements related to the dynamics of the plasma sheet in the Earths magnetotail and the auroral zone.In this review, we describe a theory of dynamical ‘complexity’ for space plasma systems far from equilibrium. We demonstrate that the sporadic and localized interactions of magnetic coherent structures are the origin of ‘complexity’ in space plasmas. Such interactions generate the anomalous diffusion, transport, acceleration, and evolution of the macroscopic states of the overall dynamical systems.Several illustrative examples are considered. These include: the dynamical multi- and cross-scale interactions of the macro-and kinetic coherent structures in a sheared magnetic field geometry, the preferential acceleration of the bursty bulk flows in the plasma sheet, and the onset of ‘fluctuation induced nonlinear instabilities’ that can lead to magnetic reconfigurations. The technique of dynamical renormalization group is introduced and applied to the study of two-dimensional intermittent MHD fluctuations and an analogous modified forest-fire model exhibiting forced and/or self-organized criticality [FSOC] and other types of topological phase transitions.

Sign-singularity analysis of current disruption

The sign-singular measure analysis is a new tool to investigate the scaling features of signals which oscillate in sign on an arbitrarily fine scale. In this work, we apply this new tool to the magnetic fluctuations observed before, during, and after tail current disruption (CD). The analysis shows that sign-singularity is a genuine feature of the magnetic fluctuations in the near-tail region, and that the character of the sign-singularity changes during CD. Different values of the sign-singularity scaling index, named the cancellation exponent κ, are obtained for periods before, during and after the CD. This change of the cancellation exponent is indicative of a reorganization phenomenon, occurring during CD. The results are discussed in connection with magnetospheric substorm onset as well as in the framework of self-organized criticality and 2nd phase order transition.

Complexity, magnetic field topology, criticality, and metastability in magnetotail dynamics

Abstract Recently, it has been shown that certain features of magnetotail dynamics in response to solar wind changes may resemble the behavior of a complex system near a dynamical critical state (Chang, Phys. Plasmas 6 (1999) 4137; Consolini and Chang, Space Sci. Rev. 95 (2001) 309), and of topological phase transitions (Chang, Phys. Scr. (2001), 80). Moreover, the impulsive part of the magnetotail response seems to be well described by cellular automata and other simulation models displaying criticality. Here, the relevance of the magnetic field topological disorder will be discussed in connection with observed complexity and near-criticality, showing how the impulsive character of the magnetotail response could be viewed as fluctuation-induced topological transitions among metastable configurations of magnetic field topology.