| 1. |
- Dieval, Catherine, et al.
(författare)
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A case study of proton precipitation at Mars : Mars Express observations and hybrid simulations
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 117
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using the data from the Analyzer of Space Plasma and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) experiment on board Mars Express and hybrid simulations, we have investigated the entry of protons into the Martian induced magnetosphere. We discuss one orbit on the dayside with observations of significant proton fluxes at altitudes down to 260 km on 27 February 2004. The protons observed below the induced magnetosphere boundary at an altitude of less than 700 km have energies of a few keV, travel downward, and precipitate onto the atmosphere. The measured energy flux and particle flux are 108–109 eV cm−2 s−1 and 105–106 H+ cm−2 s−1, respectively. The proton precipitation occurs because the Martian magnetosheath is small with respect to the heated proton gyroradius in the subsolar region. The data suggest that the precipitation is not permanent but may occur when there are transient increases in the magnetosheath proton temperature. The higher-energy protons penetrate deeper because of their larger gyroradii. The proton entry into the induced magnetosphere is simulated using a hybrid code. A simulation using a fast solar wind as input can reproduce the high energies of the observed precipitating protons. The model shows that the precipitating protons originate from both the solar wind and the planetary exosphere. The precipitation extends over a few thousand kilometers along the orbit of the spacecraft. The proton precipitation does not necessarily correlate with the crustal magnetic anomalies.
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| 2. |
- Edberg, Niklas J. T., et al.
(författare)
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Atmospheric erosion of Venus during stormy space weather
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 116, s. A09308-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We study atmospheric escape from Venus during solar minimum conditions when 147 corotating interaction regions (CIRs) and interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) combined impact on the planet. This is the largest study to date of the effects of stormy space weather on Venus and we show for the first time statistically that the atmosphere of Venus is significantly affected by CIRs and ICMEs. When such events impact on Venus, as observed by the ACE and Venus Express satellites, the escape rate of Venus's ionosphere is measured to increase by a factor of 1.9, on average, compared to quiet solar wind times. However, the increase in escape flux during impacts can occasionally be significantly larger by orders of magnitude. Taking into account the occurrence rate of such events we find that roughly half (51%) of the outflow occurs during stormy space weather. Furthermore, we particularly discuss the importance of the increased solar wind dynamic pressure as well as the polarity change of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in terms of causing the increase escape rate. The IMF polarity change across a CIR/ICME could cause dayside magnetic reconnection processes to occur in the induced magnetosphere of Venus, which would add to the erosion through associated particle acceleration.
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| 3. |
- Haaland, S., et al.
(författare)
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Estimating the capture and loss of cold plasma from ionospheric outflow
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 117, s. A07311-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An important source of magnetospheric plasma is cold plasma from the terrestrial ionosphere. Low energy ions travel along the magnetic field lines and enter the magnetospheric lobes where they are convected toward the tail plasma sheet. Recent observations indicate that the field aligned ion outflow velocity is sometimes much higher than the convection toward the central plasma sheet. A substantial amount of plasma therefore escapes downtail without ever reaching the central plasma sheet. In this work, we use Cluster measurements of cold plasma outflow and lobe convection velocities combined with models of the magnetic field in an attempt to determine the fate of the outflowing ions and to quantify the amount of plasma lost downtail. The results show that both the circulation of plasma and the direct tailward escape of ions varies significantly with magnetospheric conditions. For strong solar wind driving with a southward interplanetary magnetic field, also typically associated with high geomagnetic activity, most of the outflowing plasma is convected to the plasma sheet and recirculated. For periods with northward interplanetary magnetic field, the convection is nearly stagnant, whereas the outflow, although limited, still persists. The dominant part of the outflowing ions escape downtail and are directly lost into the solar wind under such conditions.
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| 4. |
- Hamrin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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The evolution of flux pileup regions in the plasma sheet : Cluster observations
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202 .- 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 118:10, s. 6279-6290
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bursty bulk flows (BBFs) play an important role for the mass, energy, and magnetic flux transport in the plasma sheet, and the flow pattern in and around a BBF has important consequences for the localized energy conversion between the electromagnetic and plasma mechanical energy forms. The plasma flow signature in and around BBFs is often rather complicated. Return flows and plasma vortices are expected to exist at the flanks of the main flow channel, especially near the inner plasma sheet boundary, but also farther down-tail. A dipolarization front (DF) is often observed at the leading edge of a BBF, and a flux pileup region (FPR) behind the DF. Here we present Cluster data of three FPRs associated with vortex flows observed in the midtail plasma sheet on 15 August 2001. According to the principles of Fu et al. (2011, 2012c), two of the FPRs are considered to be in an early stage of evolution (growing FPRs). The third FPR is in a later stage of evolution (decaying FPR). For the first time, the detailed energy conversion properties during various stages of the FPR evolution have been measured. We show that the later stage FPR has a more complex vortex pattern than the two earlier stage FPRs. The two early stage FPR correspond to generators, EJ<0, while the later stage FPR only shows weak generator characteristics and is instead dominated by load signatures at the DF, EJ>0. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is one of the first times BBF-related plasma vortices have been observed to propagate over the spacecraft in the midtail plasma sheet at geocentric distances of about 18R(E). Our observations are compared to recent simulation results and previous observations.
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| 5. |
- Karlsson, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
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Localized density enhancements in the magnetosheath : Three-dimensional morphology and possible importance for impulsive penetration
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 117, s. A03227-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use Cluster multipoint density measurements, using the spacecraft potential, to identify localized density enhancements (>50%) in the magnetosheath, and estimate their three-dimensional morphology and orientation. Typically one dimension of the density enhancements is shorter than others, is directed perpendicular to the background magnetic field, and varies from similar to 0.1 R-E to 10 R-E, with the other two dimensions a factor 3-10 greater. The density structures are oriented with the longest sides in the general direction of the bow shock and magnetopause. Examples of density structures both convecting with the same velocity as the background magnetosheath flow ("embedded plasmoids"), and convecting with an excess x(GSE) velocity component ("fast plasmoids") are found. Possible importance for the impulsive penetration mechanism for plasma entry in the magnetosphere is analyzed by comparing the results to laboratory results, via a parameter scaling. The estimation of the three-dimensional topology of the density enhancements will enable a comparison with localized magnetosheath populations inside the magnetosphere, observed earlier, to determine if these originate from penetrated magnetosheath density enhancements.
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| 6. |
- Marklund, Göran T., et al.
(författare)
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Cluster multipoint study of the acceleration potential pattern and electrodynamics of an auroral surge and its associated horn arc
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 117:10, s. A10223-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cluster results are presented from the acceleration region of an auroral surge and connected horn arc, observed during an extended time period of substorm activity. The Cluster spacecraft crossed different magnetic local time (MLT) sectors of the surge and horn, with lag times of 2-10 min. Acceleration potential patterns are derived for the horn arc and for the double arc (surge and horn) at the surge front and deeper into the surge. The parallel potential drop of the horn arc ranged between 4 and 7 kV. At the surge front, two weakly coupled U-potentials with parallel potential drops of 8 (7) kV and 7 (5) kV were derived for the surge and horn, respectively, from the C3 (C4) data. A similar, more coupled pattern was derived for the region deeper into the surge. We also address how the field-aligned currents of the surge and horn system close in the ionosphere. The Cluster data allow almost simultaneous estimates of the latitudinal current closure at various MLT sectors. Significant net upward currents are derived for the horn and surge, whereas the currents at the surge front were found to be balanced. The net upward horn current is proposed to be fed by the zonal divergence of the westward Pedersen current in the horn, consistent with the acceleration potential decrease in the westward horn direction. The net upward surge current is proposed to be fed by the divergence of a westward electrojet and by localized downward currents adjacent to the surge.
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| 7. |
- Marklund, Göran T., et al.
(författare)
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Evolution in space and time of the quasi-static acceleration potential of inverted-V aurora and its interaction with Alfvenic boundary processes
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 116, s. A00K13-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Results are presented from Cluster crossings of the acceleration region of two inverted-V auroras located in the poleward part of an extensive substorm bulge. The particle and field data are used to infer the acceleration potentials of the arcs and their distribution in altitude and latitude. The C1 data are consistent with a symmetric potential pattern, composed of two negative U potentials and one positive U potential in between, and the C3 and C4 data are consistent with an asymmetric pattern, where the dominating potential structure extends deep into the polar cap boundary (PCB) region. The two patterns may either correspond to different stages of evolution of the same double arc system or represent two longitudinally separated double arc systems. For all spacecraft, the potential well of the poleward arc extends into the PCB region, whereas the density cavity does not but remains confined to R1. This suggests that the Alfvenic activity observed within the PCB region prevents the cavity formation, consistent with the associated FACs being roughly balanced over this region. The results show that Alfvenic and quasi-static acceleration operates jointly in the PCB region, varying from being about equally important (on C1) to being predominantly quasi-static (on C3/C4). The presence (absence) of an upward electron beam, associated with a positive potential structure and a downward current, observed by C1 (C4/C3) is expected from its short life time, shorter than the time lag between the Cluster spacecraft. The evolution involves both a broadening and a density reduction of the associated downward current sheet to below the critical current density above which parallel electric fields will form. The deepest potential well of 13 kV observed by C4 was located in Region 1, adjacent to the PCB region and coinciding with the deepest density cavity, with a minimum density of 0.1 cm(-3). The interface between Region 1 and the PCB region, coinciding with the steep density gradient, appears to be the leading edge of the cavity.
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| 8. |
- Shematovich, V.I., et al.
(författare)
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Protons and hydrogen atoms transport in the Martian upper atmosphere with an induced magnetic field
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 116, s. A11320-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have applied the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method to solve the kinetic equation for the H/H+ transport in the upper Martian atmosphere. We calculate the upward H and H+ fluxes, values that can be measured, and the altitude profile of the energy deposition to be used to understand the energy balance in the Martian atmosphere. The calculations of the upward flux have been made for the Martian atmosphere during solar minimum. We use an energy spectrum of the down moving protons in the altitude range 355–437 km adopted from the Mars Express Analyzer of Space Plasma and Energetic Atoms measurements in the range 700 eV–20 keV. The particle and energy fluxes of the downward moving protons were equal to 3.0 × 106 cm−2 s−1 and 1.4 × 10−2 erg cm−2 s−1. It was found that 22% of particle flux and 12% of the energy flux of the precipitating protons is backscattered by the Martian upper atmosphere, if no induced magnetic field is taken into account in the simulations. If we include a 20 nT horizontal magnetic field, a typical field measured by Mars Global Surveyor in the altitude range of 85–500 km, we find that up to 40%–50% of the energy flux of the precipitating protons is backscattered depending on the velocity distribution of the precipitating protons. We thus conclude that the induced magnetic field plays a crucial role in the transport of charged particles in the upper atmosphere of Mars and, therefore, that it determines the energy deposition of the solar wind.
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| 9. |
- Yamauchi, M, et al.
(författare)
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Dynamic response of the cusp morphology to the solar wind : A case study during passage of the solar wind plasma cloud on February 21, 1994
- 1996
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 101:A11, s. 24675-24687
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- On February 21, 1994, both Geotail and LMP 8 satellites detected an interplanetary plasma cloud with intense interplanetary magnetic field (IMF>50 nT) and high dynamic pressure (> 50 nPa). During this interval the Freja satellite detected intense cusp-like plasma injections in four out of six dayside traversals. The first two traversals are carefully studied, During the first traversal the overall morphology of the ion injection is characterized by a ''multiple-injection'' signature over a wide magnetic local time (MLT) range, whereas it is characterized by a ''single-injection'' signature with narrow injection region at 8 MLT in the second traversal, The solar wind conditions were also quite different between these two periods: while both dynamic and magnetic pressures stayed high during entire period, the dynamic beta was much higher during the first Freja traversal than during the second traversal. Between these two traversals, the cusp plasma injection is detected by the Sondre Stromfjord radar. The radar signature of the plasma injection is identified using the satellite particle data when the satellite and the radar were conjugate (the satellite's footprint was in the radar's field of view.) The cusp position and dynamics observed by the Sondre Stromfjord radar again show a very good correlation to the solar wind condition, especially to the dynamic pressure. The result indicates the following. (1) During southward IMF the cusp morphology differs for conditions of high or low solar wind dynamic pressure. High dynamic pressure widens the cusp (with multiple injections), whereas high magnetic pressure narrows it (with single injection), The effect of the IMF on the cusp locations and morphology becomes dominant only when the dynamic pressure is not very high, (2) Such a morphological difference reflects dynamic pressure more than dynamic beta during southward IMF at least during times of high solar wind dynamic pressure. (3) The cusp morphology responds very quickly to the changes in the solar wind conditions.
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| 10. |
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