No abstract

[1] We present a comprehensive survey of 125 small-and intermediate-sized interplanetary magnetic flux ropes during solar cycle 23 (1995-2005) using Wind in situ observations near 1 AU. As a result, we found the following: (1) The annual number of small-and intermediate-sized interplanetary magnetic flux ropes is not very sensitive to the solar cycle, but its trend is very similar to that of magnetic clouds (MCs).

No abstract

Employing the two-fluid model, a generalized Sagdeev equation governing solitary kinetic Alfvén waves (SKAWs) and the criterion for the existence of SKAWs, which are valid for different ranges of plasma pressure parameter β, are presented. In the limit cases of β≫me/mi and β≪me/mi, the present results correspond, respectively, with conclusions obtained by Hasegawa et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 37, 690 (1976)] and by Shukla et al. [J. Plasma Phys. 28, 125 (1982)], that is, SKAWs accompanied by, respectively, hump and dip density solitons for β≫me/mi and β≪me/mi. However, for the case of β∼me/mi, the present results show that SKAWs accompanied by both hump and dip density solitons are possible, and lead to KdV solitons in the small amplitude limit. In addition, the possibility for applying these results to electromagnetic spikes observed by the Freja scientific satellite is discussed [detailed information about the Freja satellite experiments can be found in serial papers presented in Space Sci. Rev. 70, Nos. 3/4 (1994)].

[1] To study MHD shocks in space, it is important to find the shock frame of reference from the observed plasma and magnetic field parameters. These shock parameters have to satisfy the Rankine-Hugoniot relations. In this study we present a novel procedure for shock fitting of the one-fluid anisotropic Rankine-Hugoniot relations and of the time difference between two spacecraft observations in the case of small He 2+ slippage. Here, a Monte-Carlo calculation and a minimization technique are used. The observed variables including the upstream and downstream magnetic fields, plasma densities, plasma betas, plasma anisotropies, W (the difference between the downstream and upstream velocities, W V 2 À V 1 ), and Dt (the time difference between two spacecraft observations) are used in our procedure where V is defined as the center of mass velocity of plasmas. A loss function based on a difference between the calculated and the observed values is defined, and the best fit solution is found by searching for the minimum loss function value. For shocks that cannot be fitted well, we introduce two new parameters in the modified RH relations, one in the normal momentum flux and the other in the energy flux equations. These two parameters are interpreted as the equivalent ''normal momentum'' and ''heat'' fluxes needed in the RH relations. They provide two degrees of freedom in the system, and their amounts can be estimated from our procedure. Several synthetic shocks are given to verify our procedure. We also apply this procedure to two interplanetary shocks observed by both the WIND and Geotail spacecraft. The results demonstrate that our method works for both the synthetic and the real shocks. We have shown that our method can provide accurate shock normal estimations for perpendicular and parallel shocks as well. Given that our model is based on the RH relations that do not include the effect of alpha particle (He 2+ ) slippage, it can only be applied to the cases with an ignorable slippage pressure tensor. We have investigated the pressure tensor due to alpha particle slippage using the WIND spacecraft data. It is found that in general the slippage pressure is small in comparison with the thermal pressure of the system and can be ignored. Thus our model can be applied to most interplanetary shocks observed near the ecliptic plane. However, when the slippage pressure is large, the magnetic coplanarity theorem is not valid any more. A more general model that involves slippage pressure tensor is a major and important development that is beyond the scope of the present study.

Linear properties of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) and kinetic slow waves (KSWs) are studied in the framework of two-fluid magnetohydrodynamics. We obtain the wave dispersion relations that are valid in a wide range of the wave frequency ω and plasma-to-magnetic pressure ratio β. The KAW frequency can reach and exceed the ion cyclotron frequency at ion kinetic scales, whereas the KSW frequency remains sub-cyclotron. At β ∼ 1, the plasma and magnetic pressure perturbations of both modes are in anti-phase, so that there is nearly no total pressure perturbations. However, these modes exhibit also several opposite properties. At high β, the electric polarization ratios of KAWs and KSWs are opposite at the ion gyroradius scale, where KAWs are polarized in sense of electron gyration (right-hand polarized) and KSWs are left-hand polarized. The magnetic helicity σ ∼ 1 for KAWs and σ ∼ −1 for KSWs, and the ion Alfvén ratio R Ai ≪ 1 for KAWs and R Ai ≫ 1 for KSWs. We also found transition wavenumbers where KAWs change their polarization from leftto right-hand. These new properties can be used to discriminate KAWs and KSWs when interpreting kinetic-scale electromagnetic fluctuations observed in various solar-terrestrial plasmas. This concerns, in particular, identification of modes responsible for kinetic-scale pressure-balanced fluctuations and turbulence in the solar wind.

No abstract

Abstract. An interplanetary magnetic cloud (IMC) is an important solar-terrestrial connection event. It is an ideal object for the study of solar-terrestrial relations and space weather because the Earth's space environment can be affected considerably during an IMC passage. An IMC was observed to pass the Earth during October 18-20, 1995. Wind recorded its interplanetary characteristics at • 175 RE upstream of the Earth's bow shock, and • 45 rain later, Geotail, being near the nominal location of the dawn bow shock, detected IMC-related multiple bow shock crossings. Using simultaneous measurements from Wind and Geotail, we analyzed, with a semiempirical bow shock model with two parameters, the bow shock motion caused by the interaction of the IMC with the magnetosphere during the passage. We also compared the bow shock motion predicted by the model, and hence the predicted Geotail bow shock crossings, with Geotail observations of the actual crossings. The results showed that the observed multiple bow shock crossings, which were obviously due to temporal variations of the upstream solar wind, can be Well explained by the model-predicted bow shock motion.