James M. Weygand

Plasma sheet turbulence observed by Cluster II

Cluster fluxgate magnetometer (FGM) and ion spectrometer (CIS) data are employed to analyze magnetic field fluctuations within the plasma sheet during passages through the magnetotail region in the summers of 2001 and 2002 and, in particular, to look for characteristics of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. Power spectral indices determined from power spectral density functions are on average larger than Kolmogorovs theoretical value for fluid turbulence as well as Kraichnans theoretical value for MHD plasma turbulence. Probability distribution functions of the magnetic fluctuations show a scaling law over a large range of temporal scales with non-Gaussian distributions at small dissipative scales and inertial scales and more Gaussian distribution at large driving scales. Furthermore, a multifractal analysis of the magnetic field components shows scaling behavior in the inertial range of the fluctuations from about 20 s to 13 min for moments through the fifth order. Both the scaling behavior of the probability distribution functions and the multifractal structure function suggest that intermittent turbulence is present within the plasma sheet. The unique multispacecraft aspect and fortuitous spacecraft spacing allow us to examine the turbulent eddy scale sizes. Dynamic autocorrelation and cross correlation analysis of the magnetic field components allow us to determine that eddy scale sizes fit within the plasma sheet. These results suggest that magnetic field turbulence is occurring within the plasma sheet resulting in turbulent energy dissipation.

Size of the auroral oval: UV ovals and precipitation boundaries compared

The oval boundaries in 44 Viking UV images are compared with three critical boundaries as defined from simultaneous DMSP particle precipitation data. The particle boundaries are the equatorward boundary of the particle oval (often associated with the earthward edge of the main plasma sheet), the boundary between smooth and structured precipitation, and the poleward boundary of the particle oval (close to the open-closed field line separatrix). The UV oval is characterized by the latitude of maximum UV intensity, equatorward boundary, and poleward boundary which are the latitudes corresponding to the half values of the maximum intensity. Differences between the UV and particle boundaries are quantified in various magnetic local time sectors and at different activity levels. The study shows that the poleward boundary of the particle oval is often at ≥2° higher latitudes than the most intense UV luminosity. Large differences are typical especially in the midnight and morning sectors. The present results suggest that caution is needed in interpreting the dramatic poleward expansion of the oval in the UV images, or more generally in using UV images to compute changes in the amount of open flux under different states of substorm activity.

Dynamic Harris current sheet thickness from Cluster current density and plasma measurements

We use the first accurate measurements of current densities in the plasma sheet to calculate the half-thickness and position of the current sheet as a function of time. Our technique assumes a Harris current sheet model, which is parameterized by lobe magnetic field B(o), current sheet half-thickness h, and current sheet position z(sub o). Cluster measurements of magnetic field, current density, and plasma pressure are used to infer the three parameters as a function of time. We find that most long timescale (6-12 hours) current sheet crossings observed by Cluster cannot be described by a static Harris current sheet with a single set of parameters B(sub o), h, and z(sub o). Noting the presence of high-frequency fluctuations that appear to be superimposed on lower frequency variations, we average over running 6-min intervals and use the smoothed data to infer the parameters h(t) and z(sub o)(t), constrained by the pressure balance lobe magnetic field B(sub o)(t). Whereas this approach has been used in previous studies, the spatial gnuhen& now provided by the Cluster magnetometers were unavailable or not well constrained in earlier studies. We place the calculated hdf&cknessa in a magnetospheric context by examining the change in thickness with substorm phase for three case study events and 21 events in a superposed epoch analysis. We find that the inferred half-thickness in many cases reflects the nominal changes experienced by the plasma sheet during substorms (i.e., thinning during growth phase, thickening following substorm onset). We conclude with an analysis of the relative contribution of (Delta)B(sub z)/(Delta)X to the cross-tail current density during substorms. We find that (Delta)B(sub z)/(Delta)X can contribute a significant portion of the cross-tail c m n t around substorm onset.

The Solar Wind and Geomagnetic Activity as a Function of Time Relative to Corotating Interaction Regions

Corotating interaction regions during the declining phase of the solar cycle are the cause of recurrent geomagnetic storms and are responsible for the generation of high fluxes of relativistic electrons. These regions are produced by the collision of a high-speed stream of solar wind with a slow-speed stream. The interface between the two streams is easily identified with plasma and field data from a solar wind monitor upstream of the Earth. The properties of the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field are systematic functions of time relative to the stream interface. Consequently the coupling of the solar wind to the Earths magnetosphere produces a predictable sequence of events. Because the streams persist for many solar rotations it should be possible to use terrestrial observations of past magnetic activity to predict future activity. Also the high-speed streams are produced by large unipolar magnetic regions on the Sun so that empirical models can be used to predict the velocity profile of a stream expected at the Earth. In either case knowledge of the statistical properties of the solar wind and geomagnetic activity as a function of time relative to a stream interface provides the basis for medium term forecasting of geomagnetic activity. In this report we use lists of stream interfaces identified in solar wind data during the years 1995 and 2004 to develop probability distribution functions for a variety of different variables as a function of time relative to the interface. The results are presented as temporal profiles of the quartiles of the cumulative probability distributions of these variables. We demonstrate that the storms produced by these interaction regions are generally very weak. Despite this the fluxes of relativistic electrons produced during these storms are the highest seen in the solar cycle. We attribute this to the specific sequence of events produced by the organization of the solar wind relative to the stream interfaces. We also show that there are large quantitative differences in various parameters between the two cycles.

Evidence that crater flux transfer events are initial stages of typical flux transfer events

[1] Bipolar magnetic perturbations along the normal to the local magnetopause associated with field magnitude enhancements are signatures of typical flux transfer events (T-FTEs) and are interpreted as evidence of encounters with magnetic flux ropes with strong core fields. If the field magnitude dips at the center of the signature, we identify the event as a crater FTE (C-FTE). In the multiple-spacecraft data of the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms (THEMIS) between 1 May and 31 October 2007, we have identified 622 FTEs of which only 23 manifested C-FTE signatures. We analyze a C-FTE (30 July 2007) that evolved into a T-FTE and compare its properties with those of a T-FTE (May 20, 2007). For all 23 C-FTEs and 35 confirmed T-FTEs, we compare solar wind conditions and internal plasma and field properties. The similarity of solar wind properties for events in the two classes suggests that differences in their structures are not related to the solar wind conditions. Systematic differences in internal peak fields (B C-FTE < B Magnetosphere < B T-FTE ) and averaged number densities (N T-FTE < 0.5 x N Magnetosheath < N C-FTE ) between the two groups are consistent with the evolution of C-FTEs into T-FTEs. We propose that parallel flows inside C-FTEs deplete the internal ion densities and reduce the thermal pressures as the central field magnitude increases to maintain pressure balance.

Taylor scale and effective magnetic Reynolds number determination from plasma sheet and solar wind magnetic field fluctuations

[1] Cluster data from many different intervals in the magnetospheric plasmas sheet and the solar wind are employed to determine the magnetic Taylor microscale from simultaneous multiple point measurements. For this study we define the Taylor scale as the square root of the ratio of the mean square magnetic field (or velocity) fluctuations to the mean square spatial derivatives of their fluctuations. The Taylor scale may be used, in the assumption of a classical Ohmic dissipation function, to estimate effective magnetic Reynolds numbers, as well as other properties of the small scale turbulence. Using solar wind magnetic field data, we have determined a Taylor scale value of 2400 ± 100 km, which is used to obtain an effective magnetic Reynolds number of about 260,000 ± 20,000, and in the plasma sheet we calculated a Taylor scale of 1900 ± 100 km, which allowed us to obtain effective magnetic Reynolds numbers in the range of about 7 to 110. The present determination makes use of a novel extrapolation technique to derive a statistically stable estimate from a range of small scale measurements. These results may be useful in magnetohydrodynamic modeling of the solar wind and the magnetosphere and may provide constraints on kinetic theories of dissipation in space plasmas.

Solar wind pressure pulse‐driven magnetospheric vortices and their global consequences

We report the in situ observation of a plasma vortex induced by a solar wind dynamic pressure enhancement in the nightside plasma sheet using multipoint measurements from Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) satellites. The vortex has a scale of 5–10 Re and propagates several Re downtail, expanding while propagating. The features of the vortex are consistent with the prediction of the Sibeck (1990) model, and the vortex can penetrate deep (~8 Re) in the dawn-dusk direction and couple to field line oscillations. Global magnetohydrodynamics simulations are carried out, and it is found that the simulation and observations are consistent with each other. Data from THEMIS ground magnetometer stations indicate a poleward propagating vortex in the ionosphere, with a rotational sense consistent with the existence of the vortex observed in the magnetotail.

INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC TAYLOR MICROSCALE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PLASMA DISSIPATION

The Taylor microscale, a measure of mean square spatial derivatives, is evaluated for interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations from single- and multiple-point data using Cluster and ACE spacecraft data. The Taylor scale is compared to the measured inner scale, which for hydrodynamics would correspond to the Kolmogorov scale. The results are not consistent with dissipation of the hydrodynamic type, and indicate that solar wind dissipation involves kinetic plasma physics at both proton and electron scales.

Correlation and Taylor scale variability in the interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations as a function of solar wind speed

[1] Simultaneous multiple point measurements of the magnetic field from 11 spacecraft are employed to determine the correlation scale and the magnetic Taylor microscale of the solar wind as functions of the mean magnetic field direction and solar wind speed. We find that the Taylor scale is independent of direction relative to the mean magnetic field in both the slow ( 600 km/s) solar wind, but the Taylor scale is longer along the mean magnetic field direction in the intermediate (600 km/s ≥ speed ≥ 450 km/s) solar wind. The correlation scale, on the other hand, varies with angle from the mean magnetic field direction. In the slow solar wind the ratio of the parallel correlation scale to the perpendicular correlation scale is 2.55 ± 0.76, decreases to 2.15 ± 0.18 in the intermediate solar wind, and becomes 0.71 ± 0.29 in the fast solar wind. Thus, solar wind turbulence is anisotropic, dominated by quasi two‐dimensional turbulence in both the slow and intermediate solar wind, and by slab type turbulence in the fast solar wind. The correlation and Taylor scales may be used to estimate effective magnetic Reynolds numbers separately for each angular channel. To within the uncertainty, no dependence on the solid angle relative to the mean magnetic field could be identified for the Reynolds number. These results may be useful in magnetohydrodynamic modeling of the solar wind and can contribute to our understanding of solar and galactic cosmic ray diffusion in the heliosphere.

Observations of auroral substorms occurring together with preexisting quiet time auroral patterns

Although horse collar configurations are commonly associated with relatively quiescent magnetospheric conditions, observations made with the Viking UV imager are presented which clearly demonstrate that classical auroral substorms can coexist with such patterns. Thus the magnetospheric conditions that lead to the production of these “quiet time” auroral patterns are not necessarily stable to the growth of the instability that leads to substorm onset. As well, the horse collar patterns provide useful natural indicators of the underlying magnetospheric topology and can be used to determine (in a relative sense) the source location of the substorm activity. We conclude that the horse collar patterns have a distant tail source location and that the substorm onsets have a source location on closed field lines with much lower L values. The observations are therefore inconsistent with the onset mechanisms proposed in either the thermal catastrophe model or the boundary layer dynamics model. In addition, we have shown that substorm-related plasma sheet dropouts are not always produced by a neutral line induced thinning of the plasma sheet but could also be caused by the large-scale motion of the open field line region. Plasma data from DMSP F6, DMSP F7, ISEE 1, and Viking are consistent with the interpretation that the regions between the horse collar arcs are threaded by open lobe field lines and that open field lines can also partially intrude into the space between the transpolar arcs and the lower latitude main oval. The significance of these results for substorm activity which occurs together with quiet time auroral patterns is discussed in terms of the flux rope plasmoid version of the near-Earth neutral line model. Depending upon the location and extent of the open field line regions relative to the developing plasmoid, it is suggested that several possibilities exist for the subsequent evolution of the substorm activity in the tail and that these different scenarios can be related to specific types of auroral morphologies in the ionosphere.