The evidence for the evolution of interplanetary small flux ropes: Boundary layers

We have examined the Wind data in 1996 and identified 21 small interplanetary magnetic flux ropes(SIMFRs),and all the 21 SIMFRs have boundary layer structures.The durations of the boundary layers varied from several minutes to 30 minutes.These boundary layers also have properties of high proton temperature,density,and plasma beta.These boundary layers are formed by magnetic reconnections.In addition,in three events magnetic reconnections were occurring inside the boundary layers.It indicates that the flux rope structures have propagated for some period of time,and their boundaries were still evolving through interaction with the background solar wind.Namely it is very possible that the SIMFRs came from the solar corona.

Small interplanetary magnetic flux rope

Small interplanetary magnetic flux ropes(SIMFRs) are often detected by space satellites in the interplanetary space near 1 AU.These ropes can be fitted by a cylindrically symmetric magnetic model. The durations of SIMFRs are usually <12 h, and the diameters of SIMFRs are <0.20 AU and show power law distribution. Most SIMFRs are observed in the typically slow solar wind(<500 km/s), and only several events are observed with high speed(>700 km/s). Some SIMFRs demonstrate abnormal heavy ion compositions, such as abnormally high He abundance, abnormally high average iron ionization, and enhanced O7+abundance. These SIMFRs originate from remarkably hot coronal origins. Approximately 74.5% SIMFRs exhibit counterstreaming suprathermal electron signatures. Given their flux rope configuration, SIMFRs are potentially more effective for substorms. SIMFRs and magnetic clouds have many similar observational properties but also show some different observations.These similar properties may indicate that SIMFRs are the interplanetary counterparts of small coronal mass ejections. Some direct bodies of evidence have confirmed that several SIMFRs are interplanetary counterparts of CMEs. However, their different properties may imply that some SIMFRs have interplanetary origins. Therefore, one of the main aims of future research on SIMFRs is to determine whether SIMFRs originate from two different sources, that is, some events are formed in the solar coronal atmosphere, whereas others originate from the interplanetary space. Finally, in this paper, we offer some prospects that should be addressed in the future.

Basic Plasma Processes in Solar-Terrestrial Activities

Within the known universe,more than 99%of all observable matter is plasma,a state often highly dynamic and far from thermal,as well as mechanical,equilibrium.In particular,for our own solar-terrestrial system,various plasma active phenomena frequently occur such as solar flares,coronal plasma heating,solar wind acceleration,and coronal mass ejections in the solar atmosphere;interplanetary magnetic clouds and collisionless shock waves in interplanetary space;and

Magnetic reconnection as a possible heating mechanism of the local high temperature protons within magnetic clouds

Magnetic clouds have the outstanding observational features of low proton temperature and plasma beta value, but numerous observations show that some magnetic clouds often have local high temperature phenomena. The local high temperature protons may be heated by magnetic reconnections within magnetic clouds. Here we take the magnetic cloud on 18–20 October 1995 as an example to discuss the possible heating mechanism. There is a famous protuberance in proton temperature between the front boundary and 11: 00 UT on 19 October 1995. Eight magnetic reconnection events were identified within the magnetic cloud, whose duration was less than 31 hours, and most of these reconnection events occurred within the proton temperature enhanced part of the magnetic cloud. Hence, it is possible for the local protons in the magnetic cloud to be heated by magnetic reconnections.

Observational connection between local high-temperature phenomena within magnetic clouds and the Sun

Magnetic clouds(MCs) frequently show abnormal high-ionization states of heavy ions. The abnormal high-charge distributions are related to the coronal temperature of their source regions. We examined the plasma and magnetic field data of 74 MCs observed by the Advanced Composition Explorer from February 1998 to December 2008. We determined that 14 of the 74 events showed local high-temperature phenomena. We analyzed the correlation between proton temperature and O7/O6ratio(or high mean Fe charge state ?Fe?) within the local high-temperature regions in the 14 MCs. Results show that proton temperature and O7/O6 ratio(or high mean Fe charge state) had good correlations in nine MCs, but had no evident correlation in the other five MCs. The local high-temperature phenomena within the nine MCs have resulted from the Sun.