MHD Seismology of a loop-like filament tube by observed kink waves

We report and analyze observational evidence of global kink oscillations in a solar filament as observed in Ha by instruments administered by National Solar Observatory （NSO）/Global Oscillation Network Group （GONG）. An M1.1-class flare in active region （AR） 11692 occurred on 2013 March 15 and induced a global kink mode in the filament lying towards the southwest of AR 11692. We find periods of about 61-67 minutes and damping times of 92-117 minutes at positions of three ver- tical slices chosen in and around the filament apex. We find that the waves are damped. From the observed period of the global kink mode and damping timescale using the theory of resonant absorption, we perform prominence seismology. We estimate a lower cut-off value for the inhomogeneity length scale to be around 0.34-0.44 times the radius of the filament cross-section.

Plasma Wall Potentials with Secondary Electron Emissions up to the Stable Space-Charge-Limited Condition

Numerical solutions to floating plasma potentials for walls emitting secondary elec- trons are obtained for various surface materials. The calculations are made with plasma moment equations and the secondary electron emission coefficients, which were determined from recent laboratory experiments. The results estimate the wall potentials up to the physical conditions that allow stable plasma sheaths under the space-charge-limited condition. The materials often used in the laboratory, such as aluminum, silicon, boron, molybdenum, silicon dioxide, and alumina, are considered. The minimum wall potential before the onset of space-charge-limited emission is determined by the electron temperatures at which the effective secondary electron emission coefficient integrated over the velocity distributions is about 0.62. The corresponding potential is given by -eφ0 ,- 1.87kBT. The condition for space-charge-limited emission is newly found by numerically searching for all the stable sheaths. The new condition is -eφ0 - 0.95kBT, and this predicts a wall potential that is less negative than the previously found one. Calculation of the power dissipated to the wall for hydrogen plasmas shows that there is a large difference in terms of power dissipation among the considered materials in the temperature range 20-50 eV.

An Earth-mass planet in a time of COVID-19:KMT-2020-BLG-0414Lb

We report the discovery of KMT-2020-BLG-0414 Lb,with a planet-to-host mass ratio q2=0.9-1.2×10-5=3-4 q⊕at 1σ,which is the lowest mass-ratio microlensing planet to date.Together with two other recent discoveries(4?q/q⊕?6),it fills out the previous empty sector at the bottom of the triangular(log s,log q)diagram,where s is the planet-host separation in units of the angular Einstein radiusθE.Hence,these discoveries call into question the existence,or at least the strength,of the break in the mass-ratio function that was previously suggested to account for the paucity of very low-q planets.Due to the extreme magnification of the event,Amax~1450 for the underlying single-lens event,its light curve revealed a second companion with q3~0.05 and|log s3|~1,i.e.,a factor~10 closer to or farther from the host in projection.The measurements of the microlens parallaxπE and the angular Einstein radiusθE allow estimates of the host,planet and second companion masses,(M1,M2,M3)~(0.3 M⊙,1.0 M⊕,17 MJ),the planet and second companion projected separations,(a⊥,2,a⊥,3)~(1.5,0.15 or 15)au,and system distance DL~1 kpc.The lens could account for most or all of the blended light(I~19.3)and so can be studied immediately with high-resolution photometric and spectroscopic observations that can further clarify the nature of the system.The planet was found as part of a new program of high-cadence follow-up observations of high-magnification events.The detection of this planet,despite the considerable difficulties imposed by COVID-19(two KMT sites and OGLE were shut down),illustrates the potential utility of this program.

Editorial: solar radiophysics—recent results on observations and theories

Solar radiophysics is a rapidly developing branch of solar physics and plasma astrophysics. Solar radiophysics has the goal of analyzing observations of radio emissions from the Sun and understanding basic physical processes operating in quiet and active regions of the solar corona. In the near future, the commissioning of a new generation of solar radio observational facilities, which include the Chinese Spectral Radio Heliograph（CSRH） and the upgrade of the Siberian Solar Radio Telescope（SSRT）, and the beginning of solar observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array（ALMA）, is expected to bring us new breakthrough results of a transformative nature. The Marie-Curie International Research Staff Exchange（MC IRSES） “RadioSun” international network aims to create a solid foundation for the successful exploitation of upcoming solar radio observational facilities, as well as intensive use of the existing observational tools, advanced theoretical modeling of relevant physical processes and observables, and training a new generation of solar radio physicists. The RadioSun network links research teams from China,Czech Republic, Poland, Russia and the UK. This mini-volume presents research papers based on invited reviews and contributed talks at the 1st RadioSun workshop in China. These papers cover a broad range of research topics and include recent observational and theoretical advances in solar radiophysics, MHD seismology of the solar corona, physics of solar flares, generation of radio emission, numerical modeling of MHD and plasma physics processes, charged-particle acceleration and novel instrumentation.

Report on Science Project for Probing the High-Latitude Ionosphere with Complementary Radar and Energetic Neutral Atom(ENA)Measurements

Vast magnetospheric regions are mapped along the field lines to the narrow latitudinal band of the polar/auroral regions. Therefore monitoring of solar wind energy dissipation into the ionosphere at auroral latitudes gives unique opportunities to study geomagnetic disturbances in their complexity from a relatively well-localized vantage point. Here we introduce and present the current state of a recently proposed science project for coordinated monitoring of high-latitude activity with the EISCAT (European Incoherent Scatter) radar array supported by ground-based magnetometer and optical data and ENA (Energetic Neutral Atom) observation from the CINEMA (Cube-Sat for Ions, Neutrals, Electrons and Magnetic field) satellite system.