scholarly journals Long-Term Independence of Solar Wind Polytropic Index on Plasma Flow Speed

Entropy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 799 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Livadiotis

The paper derives the polytropic indices over the last two solar cycles (years 1995–2017) for the solar wind proton plasma near Earth (~1 AU). We use ~92-s datasets of proton plasma moments (speed, density, and temperature), measured from the Solar Wind Experiment instrument onboard Wind spacecraft, to estimate the moving averages of the polytropic index, as well as their weighted means and standard errors as a function of the solar wind speed and the year of measurements. The derived long-term behavior of the polytropic index agrees with the results of other previous methods. In particular, we find that the polytropic index remains quasi-constant with respect to the plasma flow speed, in agreement with earlier analyses of solar wind plasma. It is shown that most of the fluctuations of the polytropic index appear in the fast solar wind. The polytropic index remains quasi-constant, despite the frequent entropic variations. Therefore, on an annual basis, the polytropic index of the solar wind proton plasma near ~1 AU can be considered independent of the plasma flow speed. The estimated all-year weighted mean and its standard error is γ = 1.86 ± 0.09.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Salohub ◽  
Jana Šafránkova ◽  
Zdeněk Němeček ◽  
Lubomír Přech ◽  
Tereza Ďurovcová

<p>The solar wind variations during particular solar cycles have been described in many previous studies including the solar cycle 23 that was characterized by a long, deep, and very complex solar minimum with very low values of many solar wind parameters.</p><p>Using statistical methods, we analyzed 25 years of Wind spacecraft measurements with motivation to reveal differences and similarities in magnetic field components and solar wind plasma parameters in individual solar cycles. We tracked the changes of the solar magnetic field strength, and components, solar wind speed, density, dynamic pressure, temperature, and composition). Except quiet solar wind conditions during solar minima and maxima, we also selected significant discontinuities (ICME and CIRs) and investigated their influence on profiles of average parameters. For this, we followed other quantities connected with their presence as their average front normals, regions of transitions between high and slow wind streams, special interplanetary magnetic field orientations, etc.). We discuss a behavior of investigated parameters over solar cycles as well as on shorter time scales (in the order of days and hours).</p>


Solar Physics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviane Pierrard ◽  
Marian Lazar ◽  
Stepan Štverák

AbstractRecent reports of the first data from Parker Solar Probe (PSP) have pointed to a series of links, correlations or anti-correlations between the solar wind bulk speed ($V_{\mathrm{SW}}$ V SW ) and physical properties of plasma particles from less than 0.25 AU in the corona. In the present paper, we describe corresponding and additional links of solar wind properties, at 0.4 AU and 1.0 AU, in an attempt to complement the PSP data and understand their evolution. A detailed analysis is carried out for the main electron populations, comparing the low-energy (thermal) core and the collisionless suprathermal halo. We show that the anti-correlation observed at 0.4 AU between $V_{\mathrm{SW}}$ V SW and the number density (average value) is maintained also at 1 AU for both the core and halo electrons. On the contrary, only the core electrons manifest a clear anti-correlation of the temperature with $V_{\mathrm{SW}}$ V SW , while the halo temperature does not vary much. We also describe the ions, protons and helium, which have a more reduced mobility and their properties exhibit different variations with the solar wind speed. The results are used to shed more light on the mechanisms leading to a differential acceleration of these species and the origin of slow and fast wind modulation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 220 ◽  
pp. 01090
Author(s):  
N. A. Barkhatov ◽  
S.E. Revunov ◽  
O. T. Cherney ◽  
Zh. V. Smirnova ◽  
M. V. Mukhina

Comparison of wavelet spectrum (skeletons) local maxima for disturbed components of solar plasma flow parameters and geomagnetic field disturbances recorded along the meridional station chain during geomagnetic storm intervals is performed in the range of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. An algorithm for quantitative evaluation of analyzed skeletons consistency has been developed. It has been used to demonstrate the possibility of the type of solar wind plasma flow elaboration on unique spectral signs of Solar wind speed disturbances, density and interplanetary magnetic field. It is shown that the energy spectrum of oscillations for these parameters reflects the internal structure of the corresponding plasma formation. The skeletons application to the analysis of the interplanetary space main parameters made it possible to estimate the magnetosphere reaction time in geomagnetic field horizontal component oscillations at different latitudes on the disturbance. As a result, the distributed magnetosphere reaction over latitude was determined in the form of geomagnetic field oscillations on the disturbed solar flow parameters. It is shown that the dynamics of the components of the solar wind parameters disturbance spectra corresponding to plasma flows manifest themselves in the MHD spectra of high-latitude stations magnetograms and can be used as a diagnostic tool.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.38) ◽  
pp. 1078
Author(s):  
N. A. Barkhatov ◽  
S. E. Revunov ◽  
O. M. Barkhatova ◽  
E. A. Revunova ◽  
D. S. Dolgova ◽  
...  

Comparison of wavelet spectrum (skeletons) local maxima for disturbed components of solar plasma flow parameters and geomagnetic field disturbances recorded along the meridional station chain during geomagnetic storm intervals is performed in the range of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. An algorithm for quantitative evaluation of analyzed skeletons consistency has been developed. It has been used to demonstrate the possibility of the type of solar wind plasma flow elaboration on unique spectral signs of Solar wind speed disturbances, density and interplanetary magnetic field. It is shown that the energy spectrum of oscillations for these parameters reflects the internal structure of the corresponding plasma formation. The skeletons application to the analysis of the interplanetary space main parameters made it possible to estimate the magnetosphere reaction time in geomagnetic field horizontal component oscillations at different latitudes on the disturbance. As a result, the distributed magnetosphere reaction over latitude was determined in the form of geomagnetic field oscillations on the disturbed solar flow parameters. It is shown that the dynamics of the components of the solar wind parameters disturbance spectra corresponding to plasma flows manifest themselves in the MHD spectra of high-latitude stations magnetograms and can be used as a diagnostic tool.  


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuo Shiokawa ◽  
Katya Georgieva

AbstractThe Sun is a variable active-dynamo star, emitting radiation in all wavelengths and solar-wind plasma to the interplanetary space. The Earth is immersed in this radiation and solar wind, showing various responses in geospace and atmosphere. This Sun–Earth connection variates in time scales from milli-seconds to millennia and beyond. The solar activity, which has a ~11-year periodicity, is gradually declining in recent three solar cycles, suggesting a possibility of a grand minimum in near future. VarSITI—variability of the Sun and its terrestrial impact—was the 5-year program of the scientific committee on solar-terrestrial physics (SCOSTEP) in 2014–2018, focusing on this variability of the Sun and its consequences on the Earth. This paper reviews some background of SCOSTEP and its past programs, achievements of the 5-year VarSITI program, and remaining outstanding questions after VarSITI.


Solar Physics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 289 (4) ◽  
pp. 1371-1378 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Nicolaou ◽  
G. Livadiotis ◽  
X. Moussas
Keyword(s):  

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 642-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. El-Borie

Data, from the worldwide network of neutron monitors, recorded at Deep River, Hermanus, Rome, Tokyo, and Huancayo, over two solar cycles (Nos. 20 and 21) are analyzed to study the long-term variations of the solar diurnal variations as they relate to solar-wind speed. The median primary rigidities of response (Rm) for these detectors cover the range 16 GV ≤ Rm ≤ 33 GV. We discuss the solar diurnal variations (amplitude and phase) of cosmic rays as a function of solar activity. The behavior of solar diurnal phases is completely different for the two epochs of high-wind speed. Data of solar-wind speed from 1966–1986 are classified according to the state of the daily mean values. Variation in the amplitudes of the diurnal variations, as functions of the median primary rigidity of cosmic rays, for the two selected periods (1973–1975 and 1979–1981) of high and low solar-wind speeds were determined at the selected stations. The rigidity dependence of the averaged solar diurnal variations of cosmic rays related to the high solar-wind speed was studied. The most sensitive rigidity of modulation is around 20 and 30 GV during the 1973–1975 and 1979–1981 periods, respectively. Our results also show that there is a significant correlation in the solar diurnal amplitudes between the two divisions of high and low solar-wind speed days.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 2057-2076 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Facskó ◽  
Z. Németh ◽  
G. Erdős ◽  
A. Kis ◽  
I. Dandouras

Abstract. Hot flow anomalies (HFAs) are studied using observations of the magnetometer and the plasma instrument aboard the four Cluster spacecraft. We study several specific features of tangential discontinuities on the basis of Cluster measurements from the time periods of February–April 2003, December 2005–April 2006 and January–April 2007, when the separation distance of spacecraft was large. The previously discovered condition (Facskó et al., 2008) for forming HFAs is confirmed, i.e. that the solar wind speed and fast magnetosonic Mach number values are higher than average. Furthermore, this constraint is independent of the Schwartz et al. (2000)’s condition for HFA formation. The existence of this new condition is confirmed by simultaneous ACE magnetic field and solar wind plasma observations at the L1 point, at 1.4 million km distance from the Earth. The temperature, particle density and pressure parameters observed at the time of HFA formation are also studied and compared to average values of the solar wind plasma. The size of the region affected by the HFA was estimated by using two different methods. We found that the size is mainly influenced by the magnetic shear and the angle between the discontinuity normal and the Sun-Earth direction. The size grows with the shear and (up to a certain point) with the angle as well. After that point it starts decreasing. The results are compared with the outcome of recent hybrid simulations.


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