Articles | Volume 34, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-399-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-399-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Regular paper
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12 Apr 2016
Regular paper | Highlight paper |
| 12 Apr 2016
Statistical analysis of magnetotail fast flows and related magnetic disturbances
Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Braunschweig, Germany
Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Braunschweig, Germany
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In this study, we statistically analyzed severe magnetic fluctuations in the nightside near-Earth plasma sheet. For the first time, we showed the occurrence rates of these fluctuations. The superposed epoch analysis also indicated that the flow speed increases before the severe magnetic fluctuations. We also discussed how both the inside-out and outside-in substorm models can be used to explain these observed results.
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Hot flow anomalies (HFAs) at Earth's bow shock were identified in Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms (THEMIS) satellite data from 2007 to 2009. The events were classified as young or mature and regular or spontaneous hot flow anomalies (SHFAs). HFA–SHFA occurrence decreases with distance upstream from the bow shock. HFAs are more prevalent for radial interplanetary magnetic fields and solar wind speeds from 550 to 600 kms−1.
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I. Richter, C. Koenders, H.-U. Auster, D. Frühauff, C. Götz, P. Heinisch, C. Perschke, U. Motschmann, B. Stoll, K. Altwegg, J. Burch, C. Carr, E. Cupido, A. Eriksson, P. Henri, R. Goldstein, J.-P. Lebreton, P. Mokashi, Z. Nemeth, H. Nilsson, M. Rubin, K. Szegö, B. T. Tsurutani, C. Vallat, M. Volwerk, and K.-H. Glassmeier
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We present a first report on magnetic field measurements made in the coma of comet 67P/C-G in its low-activity state. The plasma environment is dominated by quasi-coherent, large-amplitude, compressional magnetic field oscillations around 40mHz, differing from the observations at strongly active comets where waves at the cometary ion gyro-frequencies are the main feature. We propose a cross-field current instability associated with the newborn cometary ions as a possible source mechanism.
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Boundaries in the plasma around comet 67P separate regions with different properties. Many have been identified, including a new boundary called an infant bow shock. Here, we investigate how the plasma and fields behave at this boundary and where it can be found. The main result is that the infant bow shock occurs at intermediate activity and intermediate distances to the comet. Most plasma parameters behave as expected; however, some inconsistencies indicate that the boundary is non-stationary.
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The German Geophysical Society was founded in 1922 as the Deutsche Seismologische Vereinigung. One of the 24 founders of this society was Karl Friedrich Almstedt. Born in 1891 and deceased in 1964, Almstedt represents a generation of academics and scientists who grew up during the decline of the European empires, experiencing the devastations of the two World Wars and the cruelties of the Nazi era as well as the resurrection of academic and cultural life in post-war Germany.
Evelyn Liebert, Christian Nabert, and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 36, 1073–1080, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1073-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1073-2018, 2018
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Evelyn Liebert, Christian Nabert, Christopher Perschke, Karl-Heinz Fornaçon, and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
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We present a statistical survey of current magnitudes, directions and locations at the high-latitude day-side magnetopause using Cluster's multi-spacecraft data. Our results show that the magnetopause current flow directions match expectations based on existing models and simulations. Current magnitudes are in correspondence with former studies. In addition, we observe a varying location of the currents with respect to changes in the ambient plasma properties.
Christian Nabert, Carsten Othmer, and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
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The interaction of the solar wind with a planetary magnetic field causes electrical currents that modify the magnetic field distribution around the planet. We present an approach to estimating the planetary magnetic field contribution by minimizing the misfit between simulation results and in situ spacecraft data. The approach is developed with respect to the upcoming BepiColombo mission to Mercury aimed at determining the planet's magnetic field.
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Knowledge of planetary magnetic fields provides deep insights into the structure and dynamics of planets. Due to the interaction of a planet with the solar wind plasma, electrical currents are generated which modify the planetary magnetic field outside the planet. New methods are presented to estimate the planetary magnetic field contribution from spacecraft observations. A reduced model of the interaction relates the time-varying observations to the planetary magnetic field magnitude.
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Ann. Geophys., 35, 117–121, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-117-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-117-2017, 2017
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Martin Volwerk, Daniel Schmid, Bruce T. Tsurutani, Magda Delva, Ferdinand Plaschke, Yasuhito Narita, Tielong Zhang, and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 34, 1099–1108, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1099-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1099-2016, 2016
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The behaviour of mirror mode waves in Venus's magnetosheath is investigated for solar minimum and maximum conditions. It is shown that the total observational rate of these waves does not change much; however, the distribution over the magnetosheath is significantly different, as well as the growth and decay of the waves during these different solar activity conditions.
Patrick Meier, Karl-Heinz Glassmeier, and Uwe Motschmann
Ann. Geophys., 34, 691–707, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-691-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-691-2016, 2016
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A new type of wave has been detected by the magnetometer of the Rosetta spacecraft close to comet P67/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. We provide the analytical model of this wave excitation from linear perturbation theory. A modified ion-Weibel instability is identified as source of this wave excited by a cometary current. The waves predominantly grow perpendicular to this current. A fan-like phase structure results from superposing the strongest growing waves in a cometary rest frame.
Ingo Richter, Hans-Ulrich Auster, Gerhard Berghofer, Chris Carr, Emanuele Cupido, Karl-Heinz Fornaçon, Charlotte Goetz, Philip Heinisch, Christoph Koenders, Bernd Stoll, Bruce T. Tsurutani, Claire Vallat, Martin Volwerk, and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
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We have analysed the magnetic field measurements performed on the ROSETTA orbiter and the lander PHILAE during PHILAE's descent to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on 12 November 2014. We observed a new type of low-frequency wave with amplitudes of ~ 3 nT, frequencies of 20–50 mHz, wavelengths of ~ 300 km, and propagation velocities of ~ 6 km s−1. The waves are generated in a ~ 100 km region around the comet a show a highly correlated behaviour, which could only be determined by two-point observations.
Christian Nabert and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 34, 421–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-421-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-421-2016, 2016
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Electrical resistivity can influence the occurrence of shock waves. We derive analytically necessary conditions for shocks in a nonuniform resistive magnetohydrodynamic plasma. The nonuniform resistivity significantly modifies the characteristic velocity of wave propagation. A sufficient gradient of the resistivity in a diffusion region can satisfy the necessary condition for the occurrence of slow shocks, which is related to Petschek reconnection.
Y. Narita, E. Marsch, C. Perschke, K.-H. Glassmeier, U. Motschmann, and H. Comişel
Ann. Geophys., 34, 393–398, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-393-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-393-2016, 2016
Y. Narita, R. Nakamura, W. Baumjohann, K.-H. Glassmeier, U. Motschmann, and H. Comişel
Ann. Geophys., 34, 85–89, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-85-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-85-2016, 2016
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Four-spacecraft Cluster observations of turbulent fluctuations in the magnetic reconnection region in the geomagnetic tail show for the first time an indication of ion Bernstein waves, electromagnetic waves that propagate nearly perpendicular to the mean magnetic field and are in resonance with ions. Bernstein waves may influence current sheet dynamics in the reconnection outflow such as a bifurcation of the current sheet.
M. Volwerk, I. Richter, B. Tsurutani, C. Götz, K. Altwegg, T. Broiles, J. Burch, C. Carr, E. Cupido, M. Delva, M. Dósa, N. J. T. Edberg, A. Eriksson, P. Henri, C. Koenders, J.-P. Lebreton, K. E. Mandt, H. Nilsson, A. Opitz, M. Rubin, K. Schwingenschuh, G. Stenberg Wieser, K. Szegö, C. Vallat, X. Vallieres, and K.-H. Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 34, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1-2016, 2016
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The solar wind magnetic field drapes around the active nucleus of comet 67P/CG, creating a magnetosphere. The solar wind density increases and with that the pressure, which compresses the magnetosphere, increasing the magnetic field strength near Rosetta. The higher solar wind density also creates more ionization through collisions with the gas from the comet. The new ions are picked-up by the magnetic field and generate mirror-mode waves, creating low-field high-density "bottles" near 67P/CG.
C. Nabert, C. Othmer, and K.-H. Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 33, 1513–1524, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1513-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1513-2015, 2015
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The solar wind plasma interacts with a planetary magnetic field. A magnetohydrodynamic model is used to simulate the interaction and resulting plasma flow. The model uses solar wind inflow parameters as boundary condition. Spacecraft data of the interaction region are compared to the flow model. The solar wind boundary parameters are varied until the model matches the data. With a time-resolution of about 10min, the time-dependent solar wind boundary parameters were reconstructed from the data.
L. Dai, C. Wang, V. Angelopoulos, and K.-H. Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 33, 1147–1153, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1147-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1147-2015, 2015
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Magnetic reconnection is a ubiquitous process that drives global-scale dynamics in plasmas. For reconnection to proceed, both ion and electrons must be unfrozen in a localized diffusion region. By analyzing in situ measurements, we show that the non-gyrotropic ion pressure is mainly responsible for breaking the ion frozen-in condition in reconnection. The reported non-gyrotropic ion pressure tensor can specify the reconnection electric field that controls how quickly reconnection proceeds.
I. Richter, C. Koenders, H.-U. Auster, D. Frühauff, C. Götz, P. Heinisch, C. Perschke, U. Motschmann, B. Stoll, K. Altwegg, J. Burch, C. Carr, E. Cupido, A. Eriksson, P. Henri, R. Goldstein, J.-P. Lebreton, P. Mokashi, Z. Nemeth, H. Nilsson, M. Rubin, K. Szegö, B. T. Tsurutani, C. Vallat, M. Volwerk, and K.-H. Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 33, 1031–1036, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-1031-2015, 2015
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We present a first report on magnetic field measurements made in the coma of comet 67P/C-G in its low-activity state. The plasma environment is dominated by quasi-coherent, large-amplitude, compressional magnetic field oscillations around 40mHz, differing from the observations at strongly active comets where waves at the cometary ion gyro-frequencies are the main feature. We propose a cross-field current instability associated with the newborn cometary ions as a possible source mechanism.
M. Volwerk, K.-H. Glassmeier, M. Delva, D. Schmid, C. Koenders, I. Richter, and K. Szegö
Ann. Geophys., 32, 1441–1453, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-1441-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-1441-2014, 2014
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We discuss three flybys (within an 8-day time span) of comet 1P/Halley by VEGA 1, 2 and Giotto. Looking at two different plasma phenomena: mirror mode waves and field line draping; we study the differences in SW--comet interaction between these three flybys. We find that on this time scale (comparable to Rosetta's orbits) there is a significant difference, both caused by changing outgassing rate of the comet and changes in the solar wind. We discuss implications for Rosetta RPC observations.
K.-H. Glassmeier and B. T. Tsurutani
Hist. Geo Space. Sci., 5, 11–62, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-5-11-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-5-11-2014, 2014
R. Nakamura, F. Plaschke, R. Teubenbacher, L. Giner, W. Baumjohann, W. Magnes, M. Steller, R. B. Torbert, H. Vaith, M. Chutter, K.-H. Fornaçon, K.-H. Glassmeier, and C. Carr
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 3, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-3-1-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-3-1-2014, 2014
M. Volwerk, C. Koenders, M. Delva, I. Richter, K. Schwingenschuh, M. S. Bentley, and K.-H. Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 31, 2201–2206, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-2201-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-2201-2013, 2013
C. Perschke, Y. Narita, S. P. Gary, U. Motschmann, and K.-H. Glassmeier
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1949–1955, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1949-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1949-2013, 2013
C. Nabert, K.-H. Glassmeier, and F. Plaschke
Ann. Geophys., 31, 419–437, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-419-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-419-2013, 2013
A. Alexandrova, R. Nakamura, V. S. Semenov, I. V. Kubyshkin, S. Apatenkov, E. V. Panov, D. Korovinskiy, H. Biernat, W. Baumjohann, K.-H. Glassmeier, and J. P. McFadden
Ann. Geophys., 30, 1727–1741, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-1727-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-1727-2012, 2012
Short summary
This study presents an investigation on the occurrence of fast flows in the magnetotail using the complete available data set of the THEMIS spacecraft for the years 2007 to 2015. First, basic statistical findings concerning velocity distributions, occurrence rates, group structures and key features of 16 000 events are presented using Superposed Epoch and Minimum Variance Analysis techniques.
This study presents an investigation on the occurrence of fast flows in the magnetotail using...
