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Ganguli G, Crabtree C, Fletcher A, Amatucci B. Behavior of compressed plasmas in magnetic fields. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 4:12. [PMID: 33283043 PMCID: PMC7714268 DOI: 10.1007/s41614-020-00048-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Plasma in the earth’s magnetosphere is subjected to compression during geomagnetically active periods and relaxation in subsequent quiet times. Repeated compression and relaxation is the origin of much of the plasma dynamics and intermittency in the near-earth environment. An observable manifestation of compression is the thinning of the plasma sheet resulting in magnetic reconnection when the solar wind mass, energy, and momentum floods into the magnetosphere culminating in the spectacular auroral display. This phenomenon is rich in physics at all scale sizes, which are causally interconnected. This poses a formidable challenge in accurately modeling the physics. The large-scale processes are fluid-like and are reasonably well captured in the global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models, but those in the smaller scales responsible for dissipation and relaxation that feed back to the larger scale dynamics are often in the kinetic regime. The self-consistent generation of the small-scale processes and their feedback to the global plasma dynamics remains to be fully explored. Plasma compression can lead to the generation of electromagnetic fields that distort the particle orbits and introduce new features beyond the purview of the MHD framework, such as ambipolar electric fields, unequal plasma drifts and currents among species, strong spatial and velocity gradients in gyroscale layers separating plasmas of different characteristics, etc. These boundary layers are regions of intense activity characterized by emissions that are measurable. We study the behavior of such compressed plasmas and discuss the relaxation mechanisms to understand their measurable signatures as well as their feedback to influence the global scale plasma evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurudas Ganguli
- Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375 USA
| | - Chris Crabtree
- Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375 USA
| | - Alex Fletcher
- Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375 USA
| | - Bill Amatucci
- Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375 USA
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Fletcher LN, de Pater I, Orton GS, Hofstadter MD, Irwin PGJ, Roman MT, Toledo D. Ice Giant Circulation Patterns: Implications for Atmospheric Probes. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2020. [PMID: 32165773 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-019-0619-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric circulation patterns derived from multi-spectral remote sensing can serve as a guide for choosing a suitable entry location for a future in situ probe mission to the Ice Giants. Since the Voyager-2 flybys in the 1980s, three decades of observations from ground- and space-based observatories have generated a picture of Ice Giant circulation that is complex, perplexing, and altogether unlike that seen on the Gas Giants. This review seeks to reconcile the various competing circulation patterns from an observational perspective, accounting for spatially-resolved measurements of: zonal albedo contrasts and banded appearances; cloud-tracked zonal winds; temperature and para-H2 measurements above the condensate clouds; and equator-to-pole contrasts in condensable volatiles (methane, ammonia, and hydrogen sulphide) in the deeper troposphere. These observations identify three distinct latitude domains: an equatorial domain of deep upwelling and upper-tropospheric subsidence, potentially bounded by peaks in the retrograde zonal jet and analogous to Jovian cyclonic belts; a mid-latitude transitional domain of upper-tropospheric upwelling, vigorous cloud activity, analogous to Jovian anticyclonic zones; and a polar domain of strong subsidence, volatile depletion, and small-scale (and potentially seasonally-variable) convective activity. Taken together, the multi-wavelength observations suggest a tiered structure of stacked circulation cells (at least two in the troposphere and one in the stratosphere), potentially separated in the vertical by (i) strong molecular weight gradients associated with cloud condensation, and by (ii) transitions from a thermally-direct circulation regime at depth to a wave- and radiative-driven circulation regime at high altitude. The inferred circulation can be tested in the coming decade by 3D numerical simulations of the atmosphere, and by observations from future world-class facilities. The carrier spacecraft for any probe entry mission must ultimately carry a suite of remote-sensing instruments capable of fully constraining the atmospheric motions at the probe descent location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh N Fletcher
- 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH UK
| | - Imke de Pater
- 3Department of Astronomy, University of California, 501 Campbell Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Glenn S Orton
- 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Mark D Hofstadter
- 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Patrick G J Irwin
- 4Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU UK
| | - Michael T Roman
- 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH UK
| | - Daniel Toledo
- 4Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU UK
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Sitnov M, Birn J, Ferdousi B, Gordeev E, Khotyaintsev Y, Merkin V, Motoba T, Otto A, Panov E, Pritchett P, Pucci F, Raeder J, Runov A, Sergeev V, Velli M, Zhou X. Explosive Magnetotail Activity. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2019; 215:31. [PMID: 31178609 PMCID: PMC6528807 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-019-0599-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Modes and manifestations of the explosive activity in the Earth's magnetotail, as well as its onset mechanisms and key pre-onset conditions are reviewed. Two mechanisms for the generation of the pre-onset current sheet are discussed, namely magnetic flux addition to the tail lobes, or other high-latitude perturbations, and magnetic flux evacuation from the near-Earth tail associated with dayside reconnection. Reconnection onset may require stretching and thinning of the sheet down to electron scales. It may also start in thicker sheets in regions with a tailward gradient of the equatorial magnetic field B z ; in this case it begins as an ideal-MHD instability followed by the generation of bursty bulk flows and dipolarization fronts. Indeed, remote sensing and global MHD modeling show the formation of tail regions with increased B z , prone to magnetic reconnection, ballooning/interchange and flapping instabilities. While interchange instability may also develop in such thicker sheets, it may grow more slowly compared to tearing and cause secondary reconnection locally in the dawn-dusk direction. Post-onset transients include bursty flows and dipolarization fronts, micro-instabilities of lower-hybrid-drift and whistler waves, as well as damped global flux tube oscillations in the near-Earth region. They convert the stretched tail magnetic field energy into bulk plasma acceleration and collisionless heating, excitation of a broad spectrum of plasma waves, and collisional dissipation in the ionosphere. Collisionless heating involves ion reflection from fronts, Fermi, betatron as well as other, non-adiabatic, mechanisms. Ionospheric manifestations of some of these magnetotail phenomena are discussed. Explosive plasma phenomena observed in the laboratory, the solar corona and solar wind are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Sitnov
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD USA
| | | | | | - Evgeny Gordeev
- Earth’s Physics Department, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Viacheslav Merkin
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD USA
| | - Tetsuo Motoba
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD USA
| | | | - Evgeny Panov
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - Philip Pritchett
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Fulvia Pucci
- National Institute for Fusion Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Toki, 509-5292 Japan
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Joachim Raeder
- Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH USA
| | - Andrei Runov
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Victor Sergeev
- Earth’s Physics Department, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marco Velli
- University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Xuzhi Zhou
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
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Zhou X, Russell CT, Mitchell DG. Three spacecraft observations of the geomagnetic tail during moderately disturbed conditions: Global perspective. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1029/97ja00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Zhou X, Russell CT, Gosling JT, Mitchell DG. Three spacecraft observations of the geomagnetic tail during moderately disturbed conditions: Structure and evolution of the current sheet. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1029/97ja00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Kubyshkina M, Sergeev V, Tsyganenko N, Angelopoulos V, Runov A, Donovan E, Singer H, Auster U, Baumjohann W. Time-dependent magnetospheric configuration and breakup mapping during a substorm. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010ja015882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Kubyshkina
- Institute of Physics; Saint Petersburg State University; St. Petersburg Russia
| | - V. Sergeev
- Institute of Physics; Saint Petersburg State University; St. Petersburg Russia
| | - N. Tsyganenko
- Institute of Physics; Saint Petersburg State University; St. Petersburg Russia
| | - V. Angelopoulos
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics; University of California; Los Angeles California USA
| | - A. Runov
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics; University of California; Los Angeles California USA
| | - E. Donovan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy; University of Calgary; Calgary, Alberta Canada
| | - H. Singer
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center; Boulder Colorado USA
| | - U. Auster
- Institut für Geophysik und Extraterrestrische Physik der Technischen Universitaet Braunschweig; Braunschweig Germany
| | - W. Baumjohann
- Space Research Institute; Austrian Academy of Sciences; Graz Austria
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Sitnov MI, Tsyganenko NA, Ukhorskiy AY, Anderson BJ, Korth H, Lui ATY, Brandt PC. Empirical modeling of a CIR-driven magnetic storm. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009ja015169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. I. Sitnov
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - N. A. Tsyganenko
- Institute of Physics; University of St. Petersburg; Saint Petersburg Russia
| | - A. Y. Ukhorskiy
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - B. J. Anderson
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - H. Korth
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - A. T. Y. Lui
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
| | - P. C. Brandt
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel Maryland USA
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Angelopoulos V, McFadden JP, Larson D, Carlson CW, Mende SB, Frey H, Phan T, Sibeck DG, Glassmeier KH, Auster U, Donovan E, Mann IR, Rae IJ, Russell CT, Runov A, Zhou XZ, Kepko L. Tail reconnection triggering substorm onset. Science 2008; 321:931-5. [PMID: 18653845 DOI: 10.1126/science.1160495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 476] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Magnetospheric substorms explosively release solar wind energy previously stored in Earth's magnetotail, encompassing the entire magnetosphere and producing spectacular auroral displays. It has been unclear whether a substorm is triggered by a disruption of the electrical current flowing across the near-Earth magnetotail, at approximately 10 R(E) (R(E): Earth radius, or 6374 kilometers), or by the process of magnetic reconnection typically seen farther out in the magnetotail, at approximately 20 to 30 R(E). We report on simultaneous measurements in the magnetotail at multiple distances, at the time of substorm onset. Reconnection was observed at 20 R(E), at least 1.5 minutes before auroral intensification, at least 2 minutes before substorm expansion, and about 3 minutes before near-Earth current disruption. These results demonstrate that substorms are likely initiated by tail reconnection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassilis Angelopoulos
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics/ESS, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Thompson SM. Dynamic Harris current sheet thickness from Cluster current density and plasma measurements. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1029/2004ja010714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Shen C, Li X, Dunlop M, Liu ZX, Balogh A, Baker DN, Hapgood M, Wang X. Analyses on the geometrical structure of magnetic field in the current sheet based on cluster measurements. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2002ja009612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Shen
- Laboratory for Space Weather, Chinese Cluster Data and Research Center, Center for Space Science and Applied Research; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | - X. Li
- Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics; University of Colorado; Boulder USA
| | - M. Dunlop
- Imperial College of Science; Technology, and Medicine; London UK
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory; Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire UK
| | - Z. X. Liu
- Laboratory for Space Weather, Chinese Cluster Data and Research Center, Center for Space Science and Applied Research; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | - A. Balogh
- Imperial College of Science; Technology, and Medicine; London UK
| | - D. N. Baker
- Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics; University of Colorado; Boulder USA
| | - M. Hapgood
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory; Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire UK
| | - X. Wang
- Laboratory for Space Weather, Chinese Cluster Data and Research Center, Center for Space Science and Applied Research; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
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Wanliss JA, Samson JC, Friedrich E. On the use of photometer data to map dynamics of the magnetotail current sheet during substorm growth phase. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2000. [DOI: 10.1029/2000ja000178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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12
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Sitnov MI, Zelenyi LM, Malova HV, Sharma AS. Thin current sheet embedded within a thicker plasma sheet: Self-consistent kinetic theory. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2000. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja000431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Kubyshkina MV, Sergeev VA, Pulkkinen TI. Hybrid Input Algorithm: An event-oriented magnetospheric model. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja900222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Birn J, Hesse M, Haerendel G, Baumjohann W, Shiokawa K. Flow braking and the substorm current wedge. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja900173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Rastätter L, Hesse M, Schindler K. Hall-MHD modeling of near-Earth magnetotail current sheet thinning and evolution. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1999. [DOI: 10.1029/1999ja900138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Hesse M, Winske D. Electron dissipation in collisionless magnetic reconnection. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1998. [DOI: 10.1029/98ja01570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Shinohara I, Nagai T, Fujimoto M, Terasawa T, Mukai T, Tsuruda K, Yamamoto T. Low-frequency electromagnetic turbulence observed near the substorm onset site. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1998. [DOI: 10.1029/98ja01104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Sergeev V, Angelopoulos V, Carlson C, Sutcliffe P. Current sheet measurements within a flapping plasma sheet. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1998. [DOI: 10.1029/97ja02093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Cattell CA. Experimental evaluation of the Lundquist number for the Earth's magnetopause and magnetotail. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/96ja02448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Birn J, Hesse M. Details of current disruption and diversion in simulations of magnetotail dynamics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/96ja00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Sergeev VA, Pulkkinen TI, Pellinen RJ. Coupled-mode scenario for the magnetospheric dynamics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/95ja03192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Baker DN, Pulkkinen TI, Angelopoulos V, Baumjohann W, McPherron RL. Neutral line model of substorms: Past results and present view. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/95ja03753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 754] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Hesse M, Birn J, Baker DN, Slavin JA. MHD simulations of the transition of magnetic reconnection from closed to open field lines. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1029/95ja02857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Pulkkinen TI, Baker DN, Mitchell DG, McPherron RL, Huang CY, Frank LA. Thin current sheets in the magnetotail during substorms: CDAW 6 revisited. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1994. [DOI: 10.1029/93ja03234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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