| 1. |
- Palos, Mario F., et al.
(författare)
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Electric Sail Mission Expeditor, ESME : Software Architecture and Initial ESTCube Lunar Cubesat E-Sail Experiment Design
- 2023
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Ingår i: Aerospace. - : MDPI AG. - 2226-4310. ; 10:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The electric solar wind sail, or E-sail, is a novel deep space propulsion concept which has not been demonstrated in space yet. While the solar wind is the authentic operational environment of the electric sail, its fundamentals can be demonstrated in the ionosphere where the E-sail can be used as a plasma brake for deorbiting. Two missions to be launched in 2023, Foresail-1p and ESTCube-2, will attempt to demonstrate Coulomb drag propulsion (an umbrella term for the E-sail and plasma brake) in low Earth orbit. This paper presents the next step of bringing the E-sail to deep space—we provide the initial modelling and trajectory analysis of demonstrating the E-sail in solar wind. The preliminary analysis assumes a six-unit cubesat being inserted in the lunar orbit where it deploys several hundred meters of the E-sail tether and charges the tether at 10–20 kV. The spacecraft will experience acceleration due to the solar wind particles being deflected by the electrostatic sheath around the charged tether. The paper includes two new concepts: the software architecture of a new mission design tool, the Electric Sail Mission Expeditor (ESME), and the initial E-sail experiment design for the lunar orbit. Our solar-wind simulation places the Electric Sail Test Cube (ESTCube) lunar cubesat with the E-sail tether in average solar wind conditions and we estimate a force of (Formula presented.) N produced by the Coulomb drag on a 2 km tether charged to 20 kV. Our trajectory analysis takes the 15 kg cubesat from the lunar back to the Earth orbit in under three years assuming a 2 km long tether and 20 kV. The results of this paper are used to set scientific requirements for the conceptional ESTCube lunar nanospacecraft mission design to be published subsequently in the Special Issue “Advances in CubeSat Sails and Tethers”.
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| 2. |
- Slavinskis, Andris, et al.
(författare)
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Electric Sail Test Cube–Lunar Nanospacecraft, ESTCube-LuNa: Solar Wind Propulsion Demonstration Mission Concept
- 2024
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Ingår i: Aerospace. - : MDPI AG. - 2226-4310. ; 11:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The electric solar wind sail, or E-sail, is a propellantless interplanetary propulsion system concept. By deflecting solar wind particles off their original course, it can generate a propulsive effect with nothing more than an electric charge. The high-voltage charge is applied to one or multiple centrifugally deployed hair-thin tethers, around which an electrostatic sheath is created. Electron emitters are required to compensate for the electron current gathered by the tether. The electric sail can also be utilised in low Earth orbit, or LEO, when passing through the ionosphere, where it serves as a plasma brake for deorbiting—several missions have been dedicated to LEO demonstration. In this article, we propose the ESTCube-LuNa mission concept and the preliminary cubesat design to be launched into the Moon’s orbit, where the solar wind is uninterrupted, except for the lunar wake and when the Moon is in the Earth’s magnetosphere. This article introduces E-sail demonstration experiments and the preliminary payload design, along with E-sail thrust validation and environment characterisation methods, a cis-lunar cubesat platform solution and an early concept of operations. The proposed lunar nanospacecraft concept is designed without a deep space network, typically used for lunar and deep space operations. Instead, radio telescopes are being repurposed for communications and radio frequency ranging, and celestial optical navigation is developed for on-board orbit determination.
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| 3. |
- Aikio, A. T., et al.
(författare)
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EISCAT and Cluster observations in the vicinity of the dynamical polar cap boundary
- 2008
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 26:1, s. 87-105
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The dynamics of the polar cap boundary and auroral oval in the nightside ionosphere are studied during late expansion and recovery of a substorm from the region between Tromso (66.6 degrees cgmLat) and Longyearbyen (75.2 degrees cgmLat) on 27 February 2004 by using the coordinated EISCAT incoherent scatter radar, MIRACLE magnetometer and Cluster satellite measurements. During the late substorm expansion/early recovery phase, the polar cap boundary (PCB) made zig-zag-type motion with amplitude of 2.5 degrees cgmLat and period of about 30 min near magnetic midnight. We suggest that the poleward motions of the PCB were produced by bursts of enhanced reconnection at the near-Earth neutral line (NENL). The subsequent equatorward motions of the PCB would then represent the recovery of the merging line towards the equilibrium state (Cowley and Lockwood, 1992). The observed bursts of enhanced westward electrojet just equatorward of the polar cap boundary during poleward expansions were produced plausibly by particles accelerated in the vicinity of the neutral line and thus lend evidence to the Cowley-Lockwood paradigm. During the substorm recovery phase, the footpoints of the Cluster satellites at a geocentric distance of 4.4 R-E mapped in the vicinity of EISCAT measurements. Cluster data indicate that outflow of H+ and O+ ions took place within the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) as noted in some earlier studies as well. We show that in this case the PSBL corresponded to a region of enhanced electron temperature in the ionospheric F region. It is suggested that the ion outflow originates from the F region as a result of increased ambipolar diffusion. At higher altitudes, the ions could be further energized by waves, which at Cluster altitudes were observed as BBELF (broad band extra low frequency) fluctuations. The four-satellite configuration of Cluster revealed a sudden poleward expansion of the PSBL by 2 degrees during similar to 5 min. The beginning of the poleward motion of the PCB was associated with an intensification of the downward FAC at the boundary. We suggest that the downward FAC sheet at the PCB is the high-altitude counterpart of the Earthward flowing FAC produced in the vicinity of the magnetotail neutral line by the Hall effect (Sonnerup, 1979) during a short-lived reconnection pulse.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Allen, R. C., et al.
(författare)
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Energetic ions in the Venusian system : Insights from the first Solar Orbiter flyby
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 656
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Solar Orbiter flyby of Venus on 27 December 2020 allowed for an opportunity to measure the suprathermal to energetic ions in the Venusian system over a large range of radial distances to better understand the acceleration processes within the system and provide a characterization of galactic cosmic rays near the planet. Bursty suprathermal ion enhancements (up to similar to 10 keV) were observed as far as similar to 50R(V) downtail. These enhancements are likely related to a combination of acceleration mechanisms in regions of strong turbulence, current sheet crossings, and boundary layer crossings, with a possible instance of ion heating due to ion cyclotron waves within the Venusian tail. Upstream of the planet, suprathermal ions are observed that might be related to pick-up acceleration of photoionized exospheric populations as far as 5R(V) upstream in the solar wind as has been observed before by missions such as Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Venus Express. Near the closest approach of Solar Orbiter, the Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) count rate was observed to decrease by approximately 5 percent, which is consistent with the amount of sky obscured by the planet, suggesting a negligible abundance of GCR albedo particles at over 2 R-V. Along with modulation of the GCR population very close to Venus, the Solar Orbiter observations show that the Venusian system, even far from the planet, can be an effective accelerator of ions up to similar to 30 keV. This paper is part of a series of the first papers from the Solar Orbiter Venus flyby.
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| 6. |
- Alm, Love, et al.
(författare)
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Magnetotail Hall Physics in the Presence of Cold Ions
- 2018
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : Blackwell Publishing Ltd. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 45:20, s. 10,941-10,950
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the first in situ observation of cold ionospheric ions modifying the Hall physics of magnetotail reconnection. While in the tail lobe, Magnetospheric Multiscale mission observed cold (tens of eV) E × B drifting ions. As Magnetospheric Multiscale mission crossed the separatrix of a reconnection exhaust, both cold lobe ions and hot (keV) ions were observed. During the closest approach of the neutral sheet, the cold ions accounted for ∼30% of the total ion density. Approximately 65% of the initial cold ions remained cold enough to stay magnetized. The Hall electric field was mainly supported by the j × B term of the generalized Ohm's law, with significant contributions from the ∇·P e and v c ×B terms. The results show that cold ions can play an important role in modifying the Hall physics of magnetic reconnection even well inside the plasma sheet. This indicates that modeling magnetic reconnection may benefit from including multiscale Hall physics.
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| 7. |
- Alm, Love, et al.
(författare)
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MMS Observations of Multiscale Hall Physics in the Magnetotail
- 2019
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) observations of Hall physics in the magnetotail, which compared to dayside Hall physics is a relatively unexplored topic. The plasma consists of electrons, moderately cold ions (T similar to 1.5 keV) and hot ions (T similar to 20 keV). MMS can differentiate between the cold ion demagnetization region and hot ion demagnetization regions, which suggests that MMS was observing multiscale Hall physics. The observed Hall electric field is compared with a generalized Ohm's law, accounting for multiple ion populations. The cold ion population, despite its relatively high initial temperature, has a significant impact on the Hall electric field. These results show that multiscale Hall physics is relevant over a much larger temperature range than previously observed and is relevant for the whole magnetosphere as well as for other astrophysical plasma.
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| 8. |
- Amaro, Mario B., et al.
(författare)
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Alpha-to-proton Temperature Ratio Distributions Using Parker Solar Probe Measurements
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 964:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The distributions of the temperature excess of alphas to protons (epsilon) were studied using Parker Solar Probe measurements for Encounters 2 through 14. The distributions were mapped based on heliographic distance, Coulomb number, plasma beta, and Alfven Mach number (M (A) ). The importance of collisional effects in the thermalization of solar wind is observed for a wide range of Coulomb numbers. The distributions correlate better with N beta and NM (A) than just N. Furthermore, evidence was found for a narrow region immediately above the Alfven surface (1 < M (A) < 2) where epsilon has values much higher than the mass ratio.
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| 9. |
- André, Mats, et al.
(författare)
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Magnetic reconnection and cold plasma at the magnetopause
- 2010
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 37:22, s. L22108-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on detailed observations by the four Cluster spacecraft of magnetic reconnection and a Flux Transfer Event (FTE) at the magnetopause. We detect cold (eV) plasma at the magnetopause with two independent methods. We show that the cold ions can be essential for the electric field normal to the current sheet in the separatrix region at the edge of the FTE and for the associated acceleration of ions from the magnetosphere into the reconnection jet. The cold ions have small enough gyroradii to drift inside the limited separatrix region and the normal electric field can be balanced by this drift, E approximate to -v x B. The separatrix region also includes cold accelerated electrons, as part of the reconnection current circuit.
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| 10. |
- André, Mats, et al.
(författare)
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Magnetic reconnection and modification of the Hall physics due to cold ions at the magnetopause
- 2016
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 43:13, s. 6705-6712
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observations by the four Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft are used to investigate the Hall physics of a magnetopause magnetic reconnection separatrix layer. Inside this layer of currents and strong normal electric fields, cold (eV) ions of ionospheric origin can remain frozen-in together with the electrons. The cold ions reduce the Hall current. Using a generalized Ohm's law, the electric field is balanced by the sum of the terms corresponding to the Hall current, the vxB drifting cold ions, and the divergence of the electron pressure tensor. A mixture of hot and cold ions is common at the subsolar magnetopause. A mixture of length scales caused by a mixture of ion temperatures has significant effects on the Hall physics of magnetic reconnection.
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| 11. |
- André, Mats, et al.
(författare)
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Thin electron-scale layers at the magnetopause
- 2004
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 31, s. L03803-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 12. |
- Aunai, N., et al.
(författare)
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The proton pressure tensor as a new proxy of the proton decoupling region in collisionless magnetic reconnection
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 29:9, s. 1571-1579
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cluster data is analyzed to test the proton pressure tensor variations as a proxy of the proton decoupling region in collisionless magnetic reconnection. The Hall electric potential well created in the proton decoupling region results in bounce trajectories of the protons which appears as a characteristic variation of one of the in-plane off-diagonal components of the proton pressure tensor in this region. The event studied in this paper is found to be consistent with classical Hall field signatures with a possible 20% guide field. Moreover, correlations between this pressure tensor component, magnetic field and bulk flow are proposed and validated, together with the expected counterstreaming proton distribution functions.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Backrud, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Interferometric Identification of Ion Acoustic Broadband Waves in the Auroral Region : CLUSTER Observations
- 2005
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 32:21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- [1] We determine the phase velocity and k vector for parallel and oblique broadband extremely low frequency, ELF, waves on nightside auroral magnetic field lines at altitudes around 4.6 RE. We use internal burst mode data from the EFW electric field and wave instrument onboard the Cluster spacecraft to retrieve phase differences between the four probes of the instrument. The retrieved characteristic phase velocity is of the order of the ion acoustic speed and larger than the thermal velocity of the protons. The typical wavelength obtained from interferometry is around the proton gyro radius and always larger than the Debye length. We find that in regions with essentially no suprathermal electrons above a few tens of eV the observed broadband waves above the proton gyro frequency are consistent with upgoing ion acoustic and oblique ion acoustic waves.
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| 16. |
- Bale, S. D., et al.
(författare)
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The FIELDS Instrument Suite for Solar Probe Plus
- 2016
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Ingår i: Space Science Reviews. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0038-6308 .- 1572-9672. ; 204:1-4, s. 49-82
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- NASA's Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission will make the first in situ measurements of the solar corona and the birthplace of the solar wind. The FIELDS instrument suite on SPP will make direct measurements of electric and magnetic fields, the properties of in situ plasma waves, electron density and temperature profiles, and interplanetary radio emissions, amongst other things. Here, we describe the scientific objectives targeted by the SPP/FIELDS instrument, the instrument design itself, and the instrument concept of operations and planned data products.
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| 17. |
- Baumjohann, W., et al.
(författare)
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Dynamics of thin current sheets : Cluster observations
- 2007
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 25:6, s. 1365-1389
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The paper tries to sort out the specific signatures of the Near Earth Neutral Line (NENL) and the Current Disruption (CD) models. and looks for these signatures in Cluster data from two events. For both events transient magnetic si-natures are observed, together with fast ion flows. In the simplest form of NENL scenario, with a large-scale two-dimensional reconnection site, quasi-invariance along Y is expected. Thus the magnetic signatures in the S/C frame are interpreted as relative motions, along the X or Z direction, of a quasi-steady X-line, with respect to the S/C. In the simplest form of CD scenario an azimuthal modulation is expected. Hence the signatures in the S/C frame are interpreted as signatures of azimuthally (along Y) moving current system associated with low frequency fluctuations of J(y) and the corresponding field-aligned currents Event I covers a pseudo-breakup, developing only at high latitudes. First, a thin (H approximate to 2000Km approximate to 2 rho(i), with pi the ion gyroradius) Current Sheet (CS) is found to be quiet. A slightly thinner CS (H approximate to 1000-2000 km approximate to 1-2 rho(i)), crossed about 30 min later, is found to be active. with fast earthward ion flow bursts (300-600 km/s) and simultaneous large amplitude fluctuations (delta B/B similar to 1). In the quiet CS the current density J(y) is carried by ions. Conversely, in the active CS ions are moving eastward; the westward current is carried by electrons that move eastward, faster than ions. Similarly, the velocity of earthward flows (300-600 km/s), observed during the active period. maximizes near or at the CS center. During the active phase of Event I no signature of the crossing of an X-line is identified, but an X-line located beyond Cluster could account for the observed ion flows, provided that it is active for at least 20 min. Ion flow bursts can also be due to CD and to the corresponding dipolarizations which are associated with changes in the current density. Yet their durations are shorter than the duration of the active period. While the overall partial derivative Bz/partial derivative t is too weak to accelerate ions up to the observed velocities, short duration partial derivative B-z/partial derivative t can produce the azimuthal electric field requested to account for the observed ion flow bursts. The corresponding large amplitude perturbations are shown to move eastward. which suggests that the reduction in the tail current could be achieved via a series of eastward traveling partial dipolarisations/CD. The second event is much more active than the first one. The observed flapping of the CS corresponds to an azimuthally propagating wave. A reversal in the proton flow velocity, from 1000 to + 1000 km/s, is measured by CODIF. The overall flow reversal, the associated change in the sign of B-z and the relationship between B-x and B-y suggest that the spacecraft are moving with respect to an X-line and its associated Hall-structure. Yet, a simple tailward retreat of a large-scale X-line cannot account for all the observations, since several flow reversals are observed. These quasi-periodic flow reversals can also be associated with an azimuthal motion of the low frequency oscillations. Indeed, at the beginning of the interval B-y varies rapidly along the Y direction; the magnetic signature is three-dimensional and essentially corresponds to a structure of filamentary field-aligned current, moving eastward at similar to 200 km/s. The transverse size of the structure is similar to 1000 km. Similar structures are observed before and after. Thesefilamentary structures are consistent with an eastward propagation of an azimuthal modulation associated with a current system J(y), J(x). During Event 1, signatures of filamentary field-aligned current structures are also observed, in association with modulations of J(y). Hence, for both events the structure of the magnetic fields and currents is three-dimensional.
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| 18. |
- Behlke, Rico, 1976-
(författare)
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Dissipation at the Earth's Quasi-Parallel Bow Shock
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Earth's bow shock is a boundary where the solar wind becomes decelerated from supersonic to subsonic speed before being deflected around the Earth. This thesis presents measurements by the Cluster spacecraft upstream and at the Earth's quasi-parallel bow shock where the angle between the upstream magnetic field and the bow shock normal is less than 45 degrees. An intrinsic feature of quasi-parallel shocks is the ability of ions, that are reflected off the shock in a specular manner, to propagate far upstream and to interact with the incident solar wind. This leads to the generation of a variety of plasma waves, e.g., Ultra-Low Frequency (ULF) waves, which in their turn interact with the different ion populations. Some of the ULF waves are thought to steepen into so-called Short Large-Amplitude Magnetic Structures (SLAMS). This thesis studies the impact of SLAMS on the incident solar wind. SLAMS are thought to play an important role in terms of 1) returning shock-reflected ions back to the shock where they can eventually contribute to downstream thermalisation and 2) local pre-dissipation of the solar wind. The first electric field measurements of SLAMS showed a strong electric field rotation over SLAMS in association with the rotation of the magnetic field. This often leads to a local change from quasi-parallel to quasi-perpendicular conditions. In addition, short-scale electric field features were observed, e.g., spiky electric field structures associated with the leading edge of SLAMS and solitary electric field structures on Debye length scales, which are suggested to represent ion phase space holes. Using the abilitiy of the four Cluster satellites to obtain propagation vectors of SLAMS and the high-resolution electric field measurements, the electric potential over SLAMS was studied. These structures are associated with a significant potential on the order of a few hundred to thousand Volt. Comparing these findings with data from the ion spectrometer, it was found that the bulk flow is locally significantly decelerated and moderately deflected and heated. In addition, SLAMS reflect incident ions on both the leading and trailing edge. The flux of so-called gyrating ions show a clear maximum in association with SLAMS. This indicates that SLAMS indeed play an important role for pre-dissipation of the solar wind upstream of the shock.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Breuillard, H., et al.
(författare)
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Multispacecraft analysis of dipolarization fronts and associated whistler wave emissions using MMS data
- 2016
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 43:14, s. 7279-7286
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dipolarization fronts (DFs), embedded in bursty bulk flows, play a crucial role in Earth's plasma sheet dynamics because the energy input from the solar wind is partly dissipated in their vicinity. This dissipation is in the form of strong low-frequency waves that can heat and accelerate energetic electrons up to the high-latitude plasma sheet. However, the dynamics of DF propagation and associated low-frequency waves in the magnetotail are still under debate due to instrumental limitations and spacecraft separation distances. In May 2015 the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission was in a string-of-pearls configuration with an average intersatellite distance of 160km, which allows us to study in detail the microphysics of DFs. Thus, in this letter we employ MMS data to investigate the properties of dipolarization fronts propagating earthward and associated whistler mode wave emissions. We show that the spatial dynamics of DFs are below the ion gyroradius scale in this region (approximate to 500km), which can modify the dynamics of ions in the vicinity of the DF (e.g., making their motion nonadiabatic). We also show that whistler wave dynamics have a temporal scale of the order of the ion gyroperiod (a few seconds), indicating that the perpendicular temperature anisotropy can vary on such time scales.
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| 21. |
- Breuillard, H., et al.
(författare)
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New Insights into the Nature of Turbulence in the Earth's Magnetosheath Using Magnetospheric MultiScale Mission Data
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : IOP PUBLISHING LTD. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 859:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Earth's magnetosheath, which is characterized by highly turbulent fluctuations, is usually divided into two regions of different properties as a function of the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field and the shock normal. In this study, we make use of high-time resolution instruments on board the Magnetospheric MultiScale spacecraft to determine and compare the properties of subsolar magnetosheath turbulence in both regions, i. e., downstream of the quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular bow shocks. In particular, we take advantage of the unprecedented temporal resolution of the Fast Plasma Investigation instrument to show the density fluctuations down to sub-ion scales for the first time. We show that the nature of turbulence is highly compressible down to electron scales, particularly in the quasi-parallel magnetosheath. In this region, the magnetic turbulence also shows an inertial (Kolmogorov-like) range, indicating that the fluctuations are not formed locally, in contrast with the quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath. We also show that the electromagnetic turbulence is dominated by electric fluctuations at sub-ion scales (f > 1Hz) and that magnetic and electric spectra steepen at the largest-electron scale. The latter indicates a change in the nature of turbulence at electron scales. Finally, we show that the electric fluctuations around the electron gyrofrequency are mostly parallel in the quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath, where intense whistlers are observed. This result suggests that energy dissipation, plasma heating, and acceleration might be driven by intense electrostatic parallel structures/waves, which can be linked to whistler waves.
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| 22. |
- Breuillard, H., et al.
(författare)
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The Effects Of Kinetic Instabilities On Small-Scale Turbulence In Earth's Magnetosheath
- 2016
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 829:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Earth's magnetosheath is the region delimited by the bow shock and the magnetopause. It is characterized by highly turbulent fluctuations covering all scales from MHD down to kinetic scales. Turbulence is thought to play a fundamental role in key processes such as energy transport and dissipation in plasma. In addition to turbulence, different plasma instabilities are generated in the magnetosheath because of the large anisotropies in plasma temperature introduced by its boundaries. In this study we use high-quality magnetic field measurements from Cluster spacecraft to investigate the effects of such instabilities on the small-scale turbulence (from ion down to electron scales). We show that the steepening of the power spectrum of magnetic field fluctuations in the magnetosheath occurs at the largest characteristic ion scale. However, the spectrum can be modified by the presence of waves/structures at ion scales, shifting the onset of the small-scale turbulent cascade toward the smallest ion scale. This cascade is therefore highly dependent on the presence of kinetic instabilities, waves, and local plasma parameters. Here we show that in the absence of strong waves the small-scale turbulence is quasi-isotropic and has a spectral index alpha approximate to 2.8. When transverse or compressive waves are present, we observe an anisotropy in the magnetic field components and a decrease in the absolute value of alpha. Slab/2D turbulence also develops in the presence of transverse/compressive waves, resulting in gyrotropy/non-gyrotropy of small-scale fluctuations. The presence of both types of waves reduces the anisotropy in the amplitude of fluctuations in the small-scale range.
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| 23. |
- Cai, Lei, et al.
(författare)
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DMSP Observations of High-Latitude Dayside Aurora (HiLDA)
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 126:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report two events of high-latitude dayside aurora (HiLDA), a large-scale aurora in the dayside polar cap, observed by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. While HiLDA in the northern hemisphere was reported before under interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) positive By conditions, we show for the first time a HiLDA event in the southern hemisphere when the IMF negative By component was dominant. Our observations also show that HiLDA is highly dynamical: change in its forms, size, location, and development of fine structures during its long lifetime of hours. The co-occurrence of HiLDA and the duskside oval-aligned transpolar aurora (TPA) may be a common feature during IMF By dominant conditions. Both are associated with the high-latitude reconnection and the cusp. Based on the linear Knight relation, we estimate the distribution of the electron density in the magnetospheric source region of HiLDA. These results indicate that HiLDA maps most probably to the high-latitude lobe tailward of the cusp, where the electron density is down to 0.03-3 cm(-3). The lobe electrons are accelerated by the field-aligned potential drop (up to 10 kV) set up in the poleward part of upward Region 0 field-aligned current (FAC). The total energy flux of HiLDA electrons can be up to 50 mW/m(2), indicating HiLDA precipitation as a potential energy source that impacts the polar ionosphere-thermosphere system.
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| 24. |
- Carbone, F., et al.
(författare)
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Statistical study of electron density turbulence and ion-cyclotron waves in the inner heliosphere : Solar Orbiter observations
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 656
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The recently released spacecraft potential measured by the RPW instrument on board Solar Orbiter has been used to estimate the solar wind electron density in the inner heliosphere. Aims. The measurement of the solar wind's electron density, taken in June 2020, has been analysed to obtain a thorough characterization of the turbulence and intermittency properties of the fluctuations. Magnetic field data have been used to describe the presence of ion-scale waves. Methods. To study and quantify the properties of turbulence, we extracted selected intervals. We used empirical mode decomposition to obtain the generalized marginal Hilbert spectrum, equivalent to the structure functions analysis, which additionally reduced issues typical of non-stationary, short time series. The presence of waves was quantitatively determined by introducing a parameter describing the time-dependent, frequency-filtered wave power. Results. A well-defined inertial range with power-law scalng was found almost everywhere in the sample studied. However, the Kolmogorov scaling and the typical intermittency effects are only present in fraction of the samples. Other intervals have shallower spectra and more irregular intermittency, which are not described by models of turbulence. These are observed predominantly during intervals of enhanced ion frequency wave activity. Comparisons with compressible magnetic field intermittency (from the MAG instrument) and with an estimate of the solar wind velocity (using electric and magnetic field) are also provided to give general context and help determine the cause of these anomalous fluctuations.
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| 25. |
- Catapano, Filomena, et al.
(författare)
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In Situ Evidence of Ion Acceleration between Consecutive Reconnection Jet Fronts
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 908:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Processes driven by unsteady reconnection can efficiently accelerate particles in many astrophysical plasmas. An example is the reconnection jet fronts in an outflow region. We present evidence of suprathermal ion acceleration between two consecutive reconnection jet fronts observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the terrestrial magnetotail. An earthward propagating jet is approached by a second faster jet. Between the jets, the thermal ions are mostly perpendicular to magnetic field, are trapped, and are gradually accelerated in the parallel direction up to 150 keV. Observations suggest that ions are predominantly accelerated by a Fermi-like mechanism in the contracting magnetic bottle formed between the two jet fronts. The ion acceleration mechanism is presumably efficient in other environments where jet fronts produced by variable rates of reconnection are common and where the interaction of multiple jet fronts can also develop a turbulent environment, e.g., in stellar and solar eruptions.
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