Coronal Magnetic Flux Rope Equilibria and Magnetic Helicity

Using a 2.5-dimensional (2.5-D) ideal MHD model, this paper analyzes the equilibrium properties of coronal magnetic flux ropes in a bipolar ambient magnetic field. It is found that the geometrical features of the magnetic flux rope, including the height of the rope axis, the half-width of the ropes and the length of the vertical current sheet below the ropes are determined by a single magnetic parameter, the magnetic helicity, which is the sum of the self-helicity of the rope and the mutual helicity between the rope field and the ambient magnetic field. All the geometrical parameters increase monotonically with increasing magnetic helicity. The implication of this result in solar active phenomena is briefly discussed.

Origin and structures of solar eruptions Ⅰ: Magnetic flux rope

Coronal mass ejections(CMEs) and solar flares are the large-scale and most energetic eruptive phenomena in our solar system and able to release a large quantity of plasma and magnetic flux from the solar atmosphere into the solar wind. When these high-speed magnetized plasmas along with the energetic particles arrive at the Earth, they may interact with the magnetosphere and ionosphere, and seriously affect the safety of human high-tech activities in outer space. The travel time of a CME to 1 AU is about 1–3 days, while energetic particles from the eruptions arrive even earlier. An efficient forecast of these phenomena therefore requires a clear detection of CMEs/flares at the stage as early as possible. To estimate the possibility of an eruption leading to a CME/flare, we need to elucidate some fundamental but elusive processes including in particular the origin and structures of CMEs/flares. Understanding these processes can not only improve the prediction of the occurrence of CMEs/flares and their effects on geospace and the heliosphere but also help understand the mass ejections and flares on other solar-type stars. The main purpose of this review is to address the origin and early structures of CMEs/flares, from multi-wavelength observational perspective. First of all, we start with the ongoing debate of whether the pre-eruptive configuration, i.e., a helical magnetic flux rope(MFR), of CMEs/flares exists before the eruption and then emphatically introduce observational manifestations of the MFR. Secondly, we elaborate on the possible formation mechanisms of the MFR through distinct ways. Thirdly, we discuss the initiation of the MFR and associated dynamics during its evolution toward the CME/flare. Finally, we come to some conclusions and put forward some prospects in the future.

Analysis of magnetotail flux rope events by ARTEMIS observations

Three earthward flowing magnetic flux ropes observed in the duskside plasma sheet at geocentric solar magnetospheric coordinate X~–55 Re by P1 and P2 of acceleration,reconnection,turbulence and electrodynamics of moon’s interaction with the sun mission during 13:00–15:00 UT on July 3,2012,were studied.The morphologies of the flux ropes were studied in detail based on Grad-Shfranov reconstruction method and electronic pitch angle distribution data.It is found that(1)the flux rope cross-sectional dimensions are 1.0 Re×0.78 Re,1.3 Re×0.78 Re,and 2.5 Re×1.25 Re,respectively.The magnetic field lines were asymmetric about the center with field line compression on both sides of the current sheet at the leading region;(2)the electron energy flux data presented asymmetry with larger electron flux and lower temperature in the precursor region.The flux ropes were blocked by the resistance of compressed particle density in the front central plasma sheet and the enhanced magnetic field on its sides;and(3)it is found that the flux rope has a layered structure.From inside out,event 1 can be divided into three regions,namely electronic depletion core region,closed field line region,and the caudal area possible with fields connected with the ionosphere.It suggests that the flux ropes cannot merge with the tail magnetic field lines near the lunar orbit.Especially,the flux rope asymmetrical shape reflects the different reconnection processes that caused it on both sides of the magnetic structure.The events shown in this paper support the multiple X-line magnetic reconnection model for flux ropes with in situ observations.

Multiple magnetic topologies in flux transfer events: THEMIS measurements

Flux transfer events （FTEs） are local transient magnetic reconnections at the magnetopause （MP） that provide channels for transport of solar wind energy and plasma into the magnetosphere （MSP）. All current theoretical models suggest that FTEs are open-flux ropes; however, global simulations show that they contain both open and closed magnetic fields. To clarify this to- pology, we analyzed 441 events observed by THEMIS and investigated their magnetic topologies. Only one type of open field line was detected in most magnetosheath （MSH） FTEs, independent of the polarity of the Bn bipolar signatures. Newly formed MSH field lines were also observed. In the all MP boundary layers FTEs and most MSP FTEs, multiple types of topologies were observed, irrelevant to the Bn bipolar polarity. Closed field lines were found in all MP boundary layers and MSP FTEs. Meanwhile very few boundary FTEs contained the newly formed MSH flux. In some situations, only closed field lines were seen in MSP FTEs, which are referred to as the fossil FTEs. These results, which largely differ from the traditional view, demonstrate the existence of complex magnetic topologies in FTEs. Based on these results, we propose a new 3D FTE picture to modify the current FTE models.

The Pattern of By Deflections Produced from Field-Aligned Currents Earthward of the Activation Source in the Earth’s Magnetosphere

In this investigation effort, we eventually infer that the overall quadrapole pattern of By deflections, in the vicinity of a source in the Earth’s magnetotail, is most likely due to field aligned currents (FACs) and not to Hall currents associated with an X-type collisionless reconnection. This categorically expressed statement is based upon sufficient observational evidence tightly associated with our own suggested model and the preceded works of the same author. Using representative events measured by satellite, our main aim is to describe the nature of the fundamental mechanism determining the polarity of the By deflections associated with intense earthward ionplasma flows. A major finding is that we either observe magnetic flux rope (MFR) like structures (that is, entities having all the morphological features of ropes; i.e., a dipolar signature of Bz occurring simultaneously with peaked By and Btotal deflections) or mere By deflections, however, the sign for all these (Bydeflections) is always determined by the satellite placement in north (positive) or south (negative) plasma sheet. Therefore, the MFR-like structures located earthward of the source are most likely pseudo-MFRs;there is neither a tubular topology nor an axial magnetic field, the By deflections are produced by FACs. According to the presented model, a fundamental concept is that both ions and electrons are simultaneously accelerated at the source site;in turn, the earthward streaming electrons (ions) form a bifurcated electron (ion) FAC just outside the electron diffusion region-EDR (IDR). In this way, inside the IDR (and earthward of the source) positive (negative) By deflections in north (south) plasma sheet (PS) are produced due to FACs, and not to (inward) Hall currents as in the context of an X-line. Moreover, the ions form an “ion jet” within the IDR, while just outside this region they produce positive (negative) By deflections in north (south) PS caused by ion FACs. The ion jet in the IDR is enveloped by the bifurcated electron FAC. Eventually, although the resulting pattern of By deflections, due to both electron and ion FACs, is apparently the same with that resulting from Hall currents (in the X-line model), the underlying natural processes are, however, radically different. Certainly, the dominant “spatial entity” within the IDR is the ion jet-current (and not the Hall-electron current). Additional implications of the ion jets are also discussed.

The Grad-Shafranov reconstruction in twenty years: 1996–2016

We review and summarize the applications of the Grad-Shafranov(GS) reconstruction technique to space plasma structures in the Earth's magnetosphere and in the interplanetary space. We organize our presentations following the branches of the "academic family tree" rooted on Prof. Bengt U. ? Sonnerup, the inventor of the GS method. Special attentions are paid to validations of the GS reconstruction results via(1) the direct validation by co-spatial in-situ measurements among multiple spacecraft, and(2) indirect validation by implications and interpretations of the physical connection between the structures reconstructed and other related processes. For the latter, the inter-comparison and interconnection between the large-scale magnetic flux ropes(i.e., Magnetic Clouds) in the solar wind and their solar source properties are presented. In addition, we also summarize various GS-type(or-like) reconstruction and an extension of the GS technique to toroidal geometry. In particular,we point to a possible advancement with added complexity of "helical symmetry" and mixed helicity, in the hope of stimulating interest in future development. We close by offering some thoughts on appreciating the scientific merit of GS reconstruction in general.

Characteristics and applications of interplanetary coronal mass ejection composition

In situ measurements of interplanetary coronal mass ejection(ICME)composition,including elemental abundances and charge states of heavy ions,open a new avenue to study coronal mass ejections(CMEs)besides remote-sensing observations.The ratios between different elemental abundances can diagnose the plasma origin of CMEs(e.g.,from the corona or chromosphere/photosphere)due to the first ionization potential(FIP)effect,which means elements with different FIPs get fractionated between the photosphere and corona.The ratios between different charge states of a specific element can provide the electron temperature of CMEs in the corona due to the freeze-in effect,which can be used to investigate their eruption process.In this review,we first give an overview of the ICME composition and then demonstrate their applications in investigating some important subjects related to CMEs,such as the origin of filament plasma and the eruption process of magnetic flux ropes.Finally,we point out several important questions that should be addressed further for better utilizing the ICME composition to study CMEs.