Dipolarization front (DF)—a sharp boundary separating hot tenuous plasmas from cold dense plasmas—is followed by a strong Bz region, which is termed flux pileup region (FPR) or dipolarizing flux bundle (DFB). Using 9‐year (2001‐2009) Cluster data, we show that the FPR hosts whistler waves because of the pancake distribution of electrons, whereas the DF boundary hosts lower hybrid drift waves due to

We propose an application of the independent component analysis (ICA) to separate satellite‐induced time‐varying stray fields from magnetic field data obtained using onboard multiple magnetometers. The ICA is a method for estimating source signals at multiple sites so that the estimated source signals can become statistically independent of each other. Since stray field variations are statistically

A dipolarization of the background magnetic field was observed during a conjunction of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft and Van Allen Probe B on September 22, 2018. The spacecraft were located in the inner magnetosphere at L ∼ 6–7 just before midnight magnetic local time (MLT). The radial separation between MMS and Probe B was ∼1RE. Gradual dipolarization or an increase of the northward

This research shows Part II of the Spacecraft Interaction Plasma Software (SPIS) used to model the parker solar probe (PSP) FIELDS instrument and its interactions with the Solar Wind. Flight data were used to run the PSP model and compared with models using past predicted parameters. The effect of voltage biasing between the antenna, its shield, and the spacecraft on the current balance of each surface

The Spacecraft Interaction Plasma Software package (SPIS), a three‐dimension particle in cell (PIC) code, was used to model the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft and FIELDS instrument and their interactions with the Solar wind. Our SPIS modeling relied on material properties of new spacecraft materials that we had obtained in previous work. The model was used to find the floating potentials of the

The Australian NWC (North West Cape) signal transmitter is known to strongly interfere with the topside ionosphere. We analyze 456 conjunctions between Swarm A, B and NWC, in addition to 58 conjunctions between NorSat‐1 and NWC. The in‐situ measurements provided by these satellites include the 16 Hz Swarm Advanced Plasma Density data set, and the novel 1,000 Hz plasma density measurements from the

Unraveling the physics of the entire turbulent cascade of energy in space and astrophysical plasmas from the injection of energy at large scales to the dissipation of that energy into plasma heat at small scales, represents an overarching, open question in heliophysics and astrophysics. The fast cadence and high phase‐space resolution of particle velocity distribution measurements on modern spacecraft

The ability to understand the fundamental nature of the physics that governs the heliosphere requires spacecraft instrumentation to measure energy transfer at kinetic scales. This translates to a time cadence resolving the proton kinetic timescales, typically of the order of the proton gyrofrequency. The downlinked survey‐mode data from modern spacecraft are often much lower resolution than this criterion

During a dayside magnetopause crossing, the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission observed a series of magnetic depletions in the total magnetic field, mainly due to the fluctuation of the component normal to the magnetopause. These fluctuations are adjacent to signatures suggesting that the MMS is at, or close to (

This paper represents the second part of an investigation of the acceleration of energetic oxygen ions from encounters of a dipolarization front (DF), based on test particle tracing in the fields of an MHD simulation. In this paper we focus on distributions in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). O+ beams close to the plasma sheet boundary are found to be less pronounced and/or delayed against H+

We report an observational study of magnetospheric field‐line resonances (FLRs) using multi‐point data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. We examine well‐defined FLR events in the frequency range ∼ 2‐10 mHz observed under disturbed solar wind conditions, such as high‐speed solar wind streams and solar wind pressure pulses. We focus on their azimuthal wave numbers (m‐numbers) and spatial

We investigate relativistic electron precipitation events detected by Polar Environmental Satellites (POES) in low‐Earth orbit in close conjunction with Van Allen Probe A observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves near the geomagnetic equator. We show that the occurrence rate of >0.7 MeV electron precipitation recorded by POES during those times strongly increases, reaching statistically

During the geomagnetic storm on September 8–9, 2017, shoulder‐like structures were persistently captured in the lower‐mid latitudes at multiple local times, by Swarm and DMSP satellite observations. A more telling terminology of such shoulder‐like structure called strip‐like bulge is proposed in this study, due to its global presence that spanning over 150° in longitude but only over 1°–5° in latitude

We investigate spatial correlation functions (SCFs) at kinetic range in the terrestrial magnetosheath because of wide angular distributions of the magnetic field fluctuations and the high Signal‐to‐Noise‐Ratio. We employ four‐point measurements of magnetic fluctuations from the Cluster and MMS concerning a spatiotemporally varying background magnetic field to constitute the two‐dimensional (2‐D) SCFs

The dependences of the nighttime low‐latitude F‐region 3.2‐m‐scale field‐aligned irregularities (FAIs) occurrence and vertical drift on solar activity, season, and magnetic activity during 2014–2017 are studied by using the coherent scatter radar located at Fuke (19.5°N, 109.1°E) and a nearby Digisonde at Sanya (18.4°N, 109.6°E), Hainan Island, China. The postsunset FAIs occurrence and vertical drift

We report an interesting Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs) event during the night of March 22–23, 2017. To investigate the dynamics of observed EPBs, we utilize multi‐instrument data obtained with all‐sky imager (ASI) from Panhala (16.48°N, 74.6°E, 11.1°N Dip. Lat.), Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde (CADI) from Tirunelveli (8.73°N, 77.7°E, 1.6°N Dip. Lat.) and ionospheric backscatter echoes data

Sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) could act as an important mediator in the vertical coupling of atmospheric regions and dramatic variations in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) in response to SSWs have been documented. However, due to rare occurrences, SSWs in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) and their impacts on the MLT dynamics are not well understood. This study presents an analysis of

Monitoring the plasmasphere is an important task to achieve in the Space Weather context. A consolidated technique consists of remotely inferring the equatorial plasma mass density in the inner magnetosphere using Field Line Resonance (FLR) frequencies estimates. FLR frequencies can be obtained via cross‐phase analysis of magnetic signals recorded from pairs of latitude separated stations. In the last

The expansion phase of auroral substorms is characterized by the formation of an auroral bulge, and it is generally considered that a single bulge forms following each substorm onset or intensification. However, we find that occasionally two auroral intensifications takes place close in time leading to the formation of double auroral bulges, although they later merge into one large bulge. We report

We performed a superposed epoch analysis of solar wind, interplanetary magnetic field, geomagnetic index, and the rate of total electron content (TEC) index (ROTI) derived from global navigation satellite system‐TEC data during 652 geomagnetic storm events (minimum SYM‐H < ‐40 nT), to clarify the occurrence features and causes of storm‐time plasma bubbles in the equatorial to mid‐latitude ionosphere

We present high‐resolution Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR) measurements in the cusp region during an IMF southward turning. The simultaneous RISR‐N and RISR‐C operation provided 3‐D observations of the dayside polar region, and offered an opportunity to identify the cusp dynamics and polar cap patch formation. Associated with the IMF southward turning, the F‐region density and temperature

The present study is focused on the problem of reconstruction of the magnetic configuration in the magnetic reconnection electron diffusion region (EDR). The problem is addressed in the frame of electron magnetohydrodynamics with kept electron inertia term. We introduce the new reconstruction model independent of divergence of the electron pressure tensor and reconnection electric field. The model

We constructed a program, we call “Iriatten,” to calculate using parameters from the IRI, attenuation of Very Low Frequency (VLF) radiation transiting the ionosphere. The calculations are performed as function of latitude, longitude, year, month, day, and hour and based upon the quasi‐longitudinal approximation put forth by Helliwell, where the wave vector k, is in the direction of propagation, and

Radiation belt codes evolve electron dynamics due to resonant wave‐particle interactions. It is not known how to best incorporate electron dynamics in the case of a wave power spectrum that varies considerably on a ‘sub‐grid' timescale shorter than the computational time‐step of the radiation belt model ΔtRBM, particularly if the wave amplitude reaches high values. Timescales associated with the growth

We present a comprehensive statistical study of magnetic holes, defined as localized decreases of the magnetic field strength of at least 50%, in the solar wind near Mercury, using MESSENGER orbital data. We investigate the distributions of several properties of the magnetic holes, such as scale size, depth, and associated magnetic field rotation. We show that the distributions are very similar for

The present study aims to investigate the influence of the zonal wind velocity on equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) occurrences over Southeast Asia. The observation of the EPB occurrence is obtained from the GPS Rate of TEC change index (ROTI). Meanwhile, the zonal winds were measured using a Fabry‐Perot interferometer located at Kototabang (KTB) and Chiang Mai (CMU) stations, and the height of F layer

This paper presents results from a numerical study of the guiding of VLF whistler‐mode waves along the ambient magnetic field by the shelf‐like density structures observed by the NASA Van Allen Probes satellites in the equatorial plasmasphere. The shelf‐duct consists of a homogeneous central part “sandwiched” between two density gradients pointing in the same direction. To the best of our knowledge

Near‐Earth tail dipolarizations are usually associated with fast plasma flows and an increase in energetic particle fluxes. Yet the role of these dipolarizations in energetic ion flux transport towards the inner magnetosphere and in ring current (including partial ring current) development during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm is not fully understood. We investigated observations from Time History

Proton anisotropy in velocity space has been generally accepted as a major parameter for exciting electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. In this study, we estimate the proton anisotropy parameter as defined by the linear resonance theory using data from the Van Allen Probes mission. Our investigation uses the measurements of the inner magnetosphere (L < 6) from January 2013 to February 2018. We

The worldwide network of neutron monitors (NMs) is the primary instrument to study cosmic‐ray variability on time scales of up to 70 yr. Since the 1950s, 147 NMs with publicly available data have been in operation, and their records are archived in and distributed through different repositories and data sources. A comprehensive analysis of all available NM data sets (300 data sets from 147 NMs) is

Foreshock bubbles (FBs) form as a result of the interaction between solar wind discontinuities and backstreaming ion beams in the foreshock. They are carried by the solar wind in the anti‐sunward direction and are associated with high energy ions. We employ electromagnetic hybrid (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) simulations and test particle calculations to investigate ion acceleration by FBs. Simulation

The storm‐time ionospheric‐thermospheric (IT) state is of great interest, since the IT dynamics change dramatically as energy is input and dissipated in the upper atmosphere. Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs), which are objective ridges in time‐evolving flows that describe the tendency of neighboring fluid elements to separate, provides a unique opportunity to infer the dynamics in the IT system

In studies of physical processes near planetary bow shocks, empirical models of the latter are usually used. While computational MHD or kinetic models of bow shocks are often more accurate, their computationally extensive nature limits their applicability to routine analysis of large volumes of data. We suggest an analytical model of the bow shock position based on MHD calculations and accurate analytical

Magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause (MP) energizes ambient plasma via the release of magnetic energy and produces an “open” magnetosphere allowing solar wind particles to directly enter the system. At Saturn, the nature of MP reconnection remains unclear. The current study examines electron bulk heating at MP crossings, in order to probe the relationship between observed and predicted reconnection

Observations of backscatter from field‐aligned plasma density irregularities in sporadic E (Es) layers made with a 30‐MHz coherent scatter radar imager in Ithaca, New York are presented and analyzed. The volume probed by the radar lies at approximately 54° geomagnetic latitude, under the midlatitude trough and at the extreme northern edge of the zone where Es layers are prevalent. Nonetheless, the

For the investigation of time variations of critical frequency (foF2), solar radiation flux at 10.7 cm wavelength (F10.7 index) and geomagnetic activity index Kp, we use conditional independence graphical models which describe and transparently represent the structure of relationships in the time series. We employ multivariate statistic methods applied to daily observational data obtained from midlatitude

Density irregularities have been observed in subauroral polarization streams (SAPS). One hypothesis of the cause of this ionospheric turbulence, based on the background morphology, is the gradient drift instability (GDI). This work models the GDI using a two‐dimensional electrostatic fluid model to determine if it is a viable cause of turbulence generation in SAPS. A statistical study of different

We investigate the timing and relative influence of VLF in the chorus frequency range observed by the DEMETER spacecraft and ULF wave activity from ground stations on daily changes in electron flux (0.23 to over 2.9 MeV) observed by the HEO‐3 spacecraft. At each L‐shell, we use multiple regression to investigate the effects of each wave type and each daily lag independent of the others. We find that

Sporadic potassium (Ks) and sodium (Nas) layers were investigated using more than 1,500 h of simultaneous Na/K LIDAR data at São José dos Campos, Brazil (23.1°S, 45.9°W). These events were observed on more than 88% of the analyzed nights. Although Na and K are both alkali metals, their sporadic layers show different behaviors. The Nas layers were in general 0.7 km wider and occurred ∼2 km higher than

As an application of the completely general, ideal two‐fluid analysis of waves in a warm ion‐electron plasma, where six unique wave pair labels (S, A, F, M, O, and X) were identified, we here connect to the vast body of literature on whistler waves. We show that all six mode pairs can demonstrate whistling behavior, when we allow for whistling of both descending and ascending frequency types, and when

This publication addresses the collisional superthermal electron dynamics below the auroral acceleration region (AAR). This region is the portion of an auroral field line with a field‐aligned electric field that leads to the formation of precipitating monoenergetic keV electron fluxes that produce the discrete auroral displays observable from the ground. It is assumed that these precipitating electron

During sudden stratospheric warming events, the ionosphere exhibits phase‐shifted semidiurnal perturbations, which are typically attributed to vertical coupling associated with the semidiurnal lunar tide (M2). Our understanding of ionospheric responses to M2 is limited. This study focuses on fundamental vertical coupling processes associated with the latitudinal extent and hemispheric asymmetry of

Global hybrid code simulations predict enhanced densities and magnetic field strengths not only in foreshock compressional boundaries on the flanks of the steady‐state dayside foreshock under near‐radial IMF conditions but also on the edges of the traveling foreshock cavities formed when slabs of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) lines connect to the bow shock. The simulations predict only modest

By utilizing multipoint observations, we investigate the January 21, 2005 moderate storm's prompt penetration electric field (PPEF) effects in the American sector, Rayleigh‐Taylor (R‐T) instability driven polarization electric (E) field effects in the African sector, and disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) effects in the Northern Hemisphere. We study how these E field effects impacted the equatorial

We investigate the correlation of sporadic E (Es) with the occurrence of medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) at night in middle latitudes (25°–40°N and 25°–40°S magnetic latitudes) by examining their occurrence climatology. The occurrence climatology of Es and MSTIDs is derived using the Challenging Minisatellite Payload satellite data acquired in 2001–2008 and 2001–2009, respectively

Large thermospheric neutral density enhancements in the cusp region have been examined for many years. The Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite for example has enabled many observations of the perturbation, showing that it is mesoscale in size and exists statistically over solar cycle timescales. Further studies examining the relationship with magnetospheric energy input have shown that

In this study, we investigate the global ionospheric impact of high‐speed solar wind streams/corotating interaction regions (HSS/CIR). A series of ten such events are identified between December 1st 2007 and April 29th 2008, characterized in the frequency domain by the main spectral peaks corresponding to 27, 13.5, 9 and 6.75 days. The spectra of solar wind magnetic field, speed and proton density

Isolated proton auroras (IPAs) appearing at subauroral latitudes are generated by energetic protons precipitating from the magnetosphere through interaction with electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. An IPA thus indicates the spatial scale and temporal variation of wave–particle interactions in the magnetosphere. In this study, a unique event of simultaneous ground and magnetospheric satellite

Dayside cusp aurorae are created from particles precipitating into the cusp, and ionospheric convection is driven by solar wind electric fields. In this study, we coordinated the observations obtained from the all‐sky camera on Svalbard, the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network, SuperMAG magnetometer data, and far ultraviolet imagers on board the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites for

ESA’s constellation mission Swarm with its three identical spacecraft allows the separation of spatial and temporal variations of wave phenomena. Here we investigate the modulation of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) amplitude by solar tides and planetary waves. This is the first study to exploit the short‐term variability of these signals in the EEJ. Based on 6‐day datasets of quasi‐simultaneous observations

A relatively simple design of a segmented flow meter (SF meter) is presented for measuring in situ plasma flow velocities and other space plasma parameters. The response of the flow meter to space environment is simulated for plasma conditions representative of the ionosphere at mid and low latitudes using a Particle In Cell (PIC) code. A synthetic data set consisting of ion currents collected by several

Neutral temperature responses in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) to severe geomagnetic storms induced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are of growing interest to the space science research community. Recently, it was found that geomagnetic activities produced by the corotating interaction regions (CIRs) caused comparable effects on the Earth’s upper atmosphere. In this work, we carried

Lightning induced perturbations of the lower ionosphere are investigated with very low frequency (VLF) remote sensing on a unique overlapping propagation path geometry. The signals from two VLF transmitters (at different frequencies) are observed at a single receiver after propagation through a common channel in the Earth‐ionosphere waveguide. This measurement diversity allows for greater certainty

Europa hosts a periodically changing plasma interaction driven by the variations of Jupiter's magnetic field and magnetospheric plasma. We have developed a multi‐fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model for Europa to characterize the global configuration of the plasma interaction with the moon and its tenuous atmosphere. The model solves the multi‐fluid MHD equations for electrons and three ion fluids

In this paper, we address the day‐to‐day variation in the development of equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) using simultaneous observations made by the 30 MHz Gadanki Ionospheric Radar Interferometer (GIRI) and ionosonde (DPS‐4D) from Gadanki and C/NOFS. We show that wave‐like variations with horizontal wavelengths of 200–660 km observed prior to sunset have a close connection with EPB spacings. We also

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft observed many enhancements of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in an event in the late afternoon outer magnetosphere. These enhancements occurred mainly in the troughs of magnetic field intensity associated with a compressional ultralow frequency (ULF) wave. The ULF wave had a period of ∼2–5 min (Pc5 frequency range) and was almost static in

During the magnetic storm starting on September 7, 2017, the MEP‐i instrument onboard the Arase (ERG) satellite observed molecular ions (O2+/NO+/N2+) in the ring current. The molecular ions were observed by Arase in four orbits during this magnetic storm. This indicates that there was a continuous molecular ion supply from the ionosphere. During the storm main phase around the second Dst minimum (∼−100 nT)

Relationship between the locations of the midlatitude trough minimum in the ionosphere and plasmapause in the inner magnetosphere has been statistically investigated using global navigation satellite system (GNSS)‐total electron content (TEC) and electron density data obtained from the Arase satellite from March 23, 2017 to May 31, 2020. In this analysis, we identify the midlatitude trough minimum

In this work, we carry out a comprehensive modeling study, using the Thermosphere–Ionosphere–Electrodynamics General Circulation Model, to explore the physical processes by which the longitude‐dependent geomagnetic field drives the longitudinal variations of the sunrise enhancement of the zonal electric fields at the dip equator near the June solstice. Numerical experiments and diagnostic analyses

In the dayside foreshock, many foreshock transients have been observed and simulated. Because of their strong dynamic pressure perturbations, foreshock transients can disturb the local bow shock, magnetosheath, magnetopause, and thus the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system. They can also accelerate particles contributing to shock acceleration. Recent observations and simulations showed that foreshock transients