ESA Science & Technology - Publication Archive

Kinetic simulations of magnetic reconnection indicate that the electron diffusion region (EDR) can elongate into a highly stretched current layer with a width on the electron scale and a length that exceeds tens of ion inertial lengths. The resulting structure has no fluid analogue and consists of two regions in the exhaust direction. The inner region is characterized by the locale where electrons reach a peak outflow speed near the electron Alfvén velocity. Ions also approach ~80% of their peak velocity in this inner region but remain sub-Alfvénic. There exists a large electrostatic potential that can temporarily trap electrons within this inner region. The electron frozen-in condition is violated over a wider outer region characterized by highly collimated electron jets that are gradually decelerated and thermalized. Reconnection proceeds continuously but the rate is modulated in time as the EDR elongates into an extended layer. The elongation of the EDR is controlled by the competition between the outward convection of magnetic flux and the non-ideal term involving the divergence of the electron pressure tensor. The occasional balance between these two terms leads to periods of quasi-steady reconnection. However, over longer time scales, a natural feature of the reconnection process appears to be frequent formation of plasmoids due to the instability of the elongated EDR which leads to larger variations in the reconnection rate. These new findings provide testable predictions and indicate the need to reconsider the diagnostics for identification of the diffusion region and interpretation of observational data.

ULF waves in the terrestrial foreshock observed simultaneously by the four Cluster satellites were analyzed to identify the plasma wave modes and to study the effect of plasma beta on the intrinsic wave properties. The wave properties in the spacecraft and solar wind frames, such as the wave frequency, total wave number, phase speed, and wave polarization, are experimentally derived using the minimum variance analysis (MVA) for the case study and the phase differencing (MVA-free) technique for the statistical study. Both studies indicate that the waves with a 30 s period propagate in the upstream direction at a finite angle with respect to the background magnetic field in the plasma rest frame but are then convected downstream in the spacecraft frame. It is shown that these waves propagate in the fast magnetosonic mode. A similar analysis of the 3 s period waves shows them to be propagating in the upstream direction in the Alfvén/ion cyclotron mode. The measured wave properties in the plasma rest frame are in good agreement with theoretical kinetic dispersion relation with a different plasma beta, which has rather significant deviation from fluid model especially for the high plasma beta. In conclusion it is found that the experimentally derived foreshock ULF wave properties are basically in good agreement with previous results but the effect of plasma beta is indispensable to choose the correct wave mode branch especially for the high plasma beta condition.

HESS J1616-508 is one of the brightest emitters in the TeV sky. Recent observations with the IBIS/ISGRI telescope on board the INTEGRAL spacecraft have revealed that a young, nearby and energetic pulsar, PSR J1617-5055, is a powerful emitter of soft gamma-rays in the 20-100 keV domain. In this paper we present an analysis of all available data from the INTEGRAL, Swift, BeppoSAX and XMM-Newton telescopes with a view to assessing the most likely counterpart to the HESS source. We find that the energy source that fuels the X/gamma-ray emissions is derived from the pulsar, both on the basis of the positional morphology, the timing evidence and the energetics of the system. Likewise, the 1.2% of the pulsar's spin down energy loss needed to power the 0.1-10 TeV emission is also fully consistent with other HESS sources known to be associated with pulsars. The relative sizes of the X/gamma-ray and VHE sources are consistent with the expected lifetimes against synchrotron and Compton losses for a single source of parent electrons emitted from the pulsar. We find that no other known object in the vicinity could be reasonably considered as a plausible counterpart to the HESS source. We conclude that there is good evidence to assume that the HESS J1616-508 source is driven by PSR J1617-5055 in which a combination of synchrotron and inverse Compton processes combine to create the observed morphology of a broad-band emitter from keV to TeV energies. - Accepted for publication in MNRAS -

Energetic electron and ion (electrons: 30 keV to 500 keV, protons: 30 keV to 1.5 MeV) flux variations associated with ultralow frequency (ULF) waves in the dayside magnetosphere were observed during the CLUSTER's perigee pass near 0900 MLT on Oct. 31, 2003. The ULF modulation terminated where higher frequency fluctuations appeared, as the CLUSTER spacecraft entered the plasmasphere boundary layer (PBL) where the plasma ion density was elevated. In the region from L ~ 5.0 to 10, the periods of the ion flux modulation and the electron flux modulation are same but out-of-phase. The observed magnetic ULF pulsations are dominated by the toroidal mode, along with a relatively weaker poloidal wave. A 90° phase shift between the radial electric field and the azimuthal magnetic field indicates that dominating toroidal standing waves observed at the southern hemisphere are a fundamental harmonic. This study shows that the modulation of the electron flux is dominated by the toroidal mode in the region of L > 7.5. The observations made in this analysis suggest the excitation of the energetic electron drift resonance at around 127 keV.

As part of an investigation of the magnetic effects of external currents in the magnetosphere, we have compared two years of perigee Cluster data to the Tsyganenko 2001 (T01) field model. Cluster data are not included in the T01 database and therefore can be used to independently verify the model. The model performs very well in a global sense; nevertheless, absolute residuals between the data and the model can reach ~20 nT near perigee. These deviations take two forms: a sharp, bipolar signature and well-defined trends over a larger spatial region. The bipolar signatures in the residuals are moderately stable, repeating on the phase period of the Cluster orbit. The bipolar nature of the signatures reflects variations in the Cluster data, therefore indicating that the spacecraft may be observing a field-aligned current. Although the size of the magnetic field perturbation in this region is not well determined by T01, the location of the observed field-aligned current system is accurately predicted. The bipolar signatures are observed in close proximity to the edge of the ring current, estimated from Cluster energetic electron spectrograms, indicating that they are associated with region 2 field-aligned currents. Longer-duration trends in the residuals indicate a slight difference between the model predictions and the Cluster data for various locations and seasons. For example, throughout most of 2003 and the first half of 2004, there is a residual in the total magnetic field for an hour centered on perigee, of ~20 nT.

The paper tries to sort out the specific signatures of the Near Earth Neutral Line (NENL) and the Current Disruption (CD) models, and looks for these signatures in Cluster data from two events. For both events transient magnetic signatures are observed, together with fast ion flows. In the simplest form of NENL scenario, with a large-scale two-dimensional reconnection site, quasi-invariance along Y is expected. Thus the magnetic signatures in the S/C frame are interpreted as relative motions, along the X or Z direction, of a quasi-steady X-line, with respect to the S/C. In the simplest form of CD scenario an azimuthal modulation is expected. Hence the signatures in the S/C frame are interpreted as signatures of azimuthally (along Y) moving current system associated with low frequency fluctuations of J_y and the corresponding field-aligned currents (Jx). Event 1 covers a pseudo-breakup, developing only at high latitudes. First, a thin (H~2000 km~2 rho_i, with rho_i the ion gyroradius) Current Sheet (CS) is found to be quiet. A slightly thinner CS (H~1000-2000 km~1-2 rho_i), crossed about 30 min later, is found to be active, with fast earthward ion flow bursts (300-600 km/s) and simultaneous large amplitude fluctuations (deltaB/B~1). In the quiet CS the current density J_y is carried by ions. Conversely, in the active CS ions are moving eastward; the westward current is carried by electrons that move eastward, faster than ions. Similarly, the velocity of earthward flows (300-600 km/s), observed during the active period, maximizes near or at the CS center. - Remainder of abstract truncated -

Solitary nonlinear (deltaB/B >> 1) electromagnetic pulses have been detected in Earth's geomagnetic tail accompanying plasmas flowing at super-Alfvénic speeds. The pulses in the current sheet had durations of ~5 s, were left-hand circularly polarized, and had phase speeds of approximately the Alfvén speed in the plasma frame. These pulses were associated with a field-aligned current J_|| and observed in low density (~0.3 cm^-3), high temperature (T_e~T_i~3x10⁷ K), and beta~10 plasma that included electron and ion beams streaming along B. The wave activity was enhanced from below the ion cyclotron frequency to electron cyclotron and upper hybrid frequencies. The detailed properties suggest the pulses are nonlinearly steepened ion cyclotron or Alfvén waves.

Detection of a separator line that connects magnetic nulls and the determination of the dynamics and plasma environment of such a structure can improve our understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) magnetic reconnection process. However, this type of field and particle configuration has not been directly observed in space plasmas. Here we report the identification of a pair of nulls, the null-null line that connects them, and associated fans and spines in the magnetotail of the Earth using data from the four Cluster spacecraft. With d_i and d_e designating the ion and electron inertial lengths, respectively, the separation between the nulls is found to be ~0.7+-0.3d_i and an associated oscillation is identified as a lower-hybrid wave with wavelength ~d_e. This in situ evidence of the full 3D reconnection geometry and associated dynamics provides an important step towards establishing an observational framework of 3D reconnection.

A key feature of collisionless magnetic reconnection is the formation of Hall magnetic and electric field structure in the vicinity of the diffusion region. Here we present multi-point Cluster observations of a reconnection event in the near-Earth magnetotail where the diffusion region was nested by the Cluster spacecraft; we compare observations made simultaneously by different spacecraft on opposite sides of the magnetotail current sheet. This allows the spatial structure of both the electric and magnetic field to be probed. It is found that, close to the diffusion region, the magnetic field displays a symmetric quadrupole structure. The Hall electric field is symmetric, observed to be inwardly directed on both sides of the current sheet. It is large (~40 mV m^-1) on the earthward side of the diffusion region, but substantially weaker on the tailward side, suggesting a reduced reconnection rate reflected by a similar reduction in E_y. A small-scale magnetic flux rope was observed in conjunction with these observations. This flux rope, observed very close to the reconnection site and entrained in the plasma flow, may correspond to what have been termed secondary islands in computer simulations. The core magnetic field inside the flux rope is enhanced by a factor of 3, even though the lobe guide field is negligible. Observations of the electric field inside the magnetic island show extremely strong (~100 mV m^-1) fields which may play a significant role in the particle dynamics during reconnection.

Contents:

• Hubble Status
• Spectral Signal-to-Noise
• Staff Update
• Re-activation of the ACS Solar Blind Channel (SBC)
• Scisoft VII - with VO Support
• Hubblecast: A Video Podcast from ST-ECF

The NUADU (NeUtral Atom Detector Unit) instrument aboard TC-2 recorded 4pi solid angle images of charged particles (E >180 keV) spiraling around the magnetic field lines in the near-Earth plasma sheet (at ~ -7 R_E, equatorial dawn-to-night side) during a geomagnetic storm (Dst =-219 nT) on August 24, 2005. Energetic ion beam events characterized by symmetrical, ring-like, solid angle distributions around ambient magnetic field lines were observed during a 34-minute traversal of the plasma sheet by the TC-2 spacecraft. Also, observations during these multiple crossings of the plasma sheet were monitored by the magnetometer experiment (FGM) aboard the same spacecraft. During each crossing, a whistler-mode chorus enhancement was observed in the anisotropic area by the TC-2 low frequency electromagnetic wave detector (LFEW/TC-2) at a frequency just above that of the local lower hybrid wave. A comparison of the ion pitch angle distribution (PAD) map with the ambient magnetic field shows that an enhancement in the field aligned energetic ion flux was accompanied by tailward stretching of the magnetic field lines in the plasma sheet. In contrast, the perpendicular ion-flux enhancement was accompanied by a signature indicating the corresponding shrinkage of the magnetic field lines in the plasma sheet.
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An analysis technique, termed MRA (magnetic rotation analysis), has been designed to probe three-dimensional magnetic field topology. It is based on estimating the gradient tensor of four-point measurements of the magnetic field which have been taken by the Cluster mission. The method first constructs the symmetrical magnetic rotation tensor and in general terms deduces the rotation rate of magnetic field along one arbitrary direction. In particular, the maximum, medium, and minimum magnetic rotation rates along corresponding characteristic directions of a magnetic structure can be obtained. The value of the curvature of a magnetic field line, for example, is given by the magnetic rotation rate along the magnetic unit vector and its corresponding radius of curvature is readily obtained. MRA has been applied here to analyze the geometrical structure of two distinct magnetospheric structures, i.e., the tail current sheet and the tail flux rope. The normal of the current sheet is the direction at which the magnetic field has the largest rotation rate. The half thickness of the one-dimensional neutral sheet can also be determined from the reciprocal of the maximum magnetic rotation rate. The advantage of the MRA method is that not only it can determine the orientation but also the internal geometrical configuration and spatial scale of the magnetic structures. A key feature of the MRA method is that it provides the detailed picture of the magnetic rotation point by point through any crossing of the current sheet. As a result, the thickness of the neutral sheet (NS) can be explicitly demonstrated to vary with time, as indicated in one case study, where the NS becomes thicker after the onset of a substorm. - Remainder of abstract truncated -

This document provides an overview of the Near Earth Asteroid Sample Return system design study. The Near Earth Asteroid Sample Return is one of ESA's Technology Reference Studies (TRS), which provide a focus for the development of strategically important technologies that are of likely relevance for future scientific missions. This is accomplished through the study of several technologically demanding and scientifically interesting mission concepts, which are not part of the ESA science programme. The TRSs subsequently act as a reference for possible future technology development activities.

Link to publication Study Overview
Link to publication Mission Analysis Annex

Nonlinear isolated electrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) are observed routinely at many of Earth's major boundaries by the Wideband Data (WBD) plasma wave receivers that are mounted on the four Cluster satellites. The current study discusses two aspects of ESWs: their characteristics in the magnetosheath, and their propagation in the magnetosheath and in the auroral acceleration (upward current) region. The characteristics (amplitude and time duration) of ESWs detected in the magnetosheath are presented for one case in which special mutual impedance tests were conducted allowing for the determination of the density and temperature of the hot and cold electrons. These electron parameters, together with those from the ion experiment, were used as inputs to an electron acoustic soliton model as a consideration for the generation of the observed ESWs. The results from this model showed that negative potential ESWs of a few Debye lengths (10-50 m) could be generated in this plasma. Other models of ESW generation are discussed, including beam instabilities and spontaneous generation out of turbulence. The results of two types of ESW propagation (in situ and remote sensing) studies are also presented. - Remainder of abstract truncated -

We examine the near-Earth Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection (ICME) apparently related to the intense Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) event of 20 January 2005. Our purpose is to contribute to the understanding of the macroscopic structure, evolution and dynamics of the solar corona and heliosphere. Using Cluster, ACE and Wind data in the solar wind, and Geotail data in the magnetosheath, we perform a multi-spacecraft analysis of the ICME-driven shock, post-shock magnetic discontinuities and ejecta. Traversals by the well-separated near-Earth spacecraft provide a coherent picture of the ICME geometry. Following the shock, the ICME sequence starts with a hot pileup, i.e., a sheath, followed by a fast ejecta characterised by a non-compressive density enhancement (NCDE), which is caused essentially by an enrichment in helium. The plasma and magnetic observations of the ejecta are consistent with the outskirts of a structure in strong expansion, consisting of nested magnetic loops still connected to the Sun. Within the leading edge of the ejecta, we establish the presence of a tilted current sheet substructure. An analysis of the observations suggests that the tilted current sheet is draped within the overlying cloud canopy, ahead of a magnetic cloud-like structure. The flux rope interpretation of this structure near L1, confirmed by observations of the corresponding magnetic cloud, provided by Ulysses at 5.3 AU and away from the Sun-Earth line, indicates that the bulk of the cloud is in the northwest sector as seen from the Earth, with its axis nearly perpendicular to the ecliptic. - Remainder of abstract truncated -

The processes of nonadiabatic ion acceleration occurring in the vicinity of magnetic neutral lines produce highly accelerated (up to 2500 km/s) field-aligned ion beams (beamlets) with transient appearance streaming earthward in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) of the Earth's magnetotail. Previous studies of these phenomena based on single spacecraft (s/c) missions supported the view that beamlets are temporal transients, since the typical time of a beamlet observation at a given s/c very rarely exceeds ~1-2 min. Now multipoint Cluster observations have led to a new understanding of these phenomena with a spatial rather than a temporal structure. On the basis of 3-year Cluster measurements made in the PSBL, we present statistical evaluation of the beamlet duration (at least 5-15 min) and confirm well-manifested localization of the beamlet along Z and in some cases along Y directions, i.e., approximately across the lobe magnetic field. Earlier results reporting shorter beamlet observations could be understood by invoking not only PSBL flapping motions but also of an additional effect revealed by Cluster: earthward propagation of kink-like perturbations along the beamlet filaments. Phase velocity of these perturbations is of the order of the local Alfven velocity (V ~ 600-1400 km/s) and related fast flappings of localized beamlet structures in the Y-Z direction significantly decreasing the time of their observation at a given spacecraft. Multipoint observations of beamlets revealed that they represent long-living (~5-15 min) plasma filaments elongated along the lobe magnetic field (~60-100R_E) and strongly localized in direction perpendicular to the PSBL-lobe boundary (~0.2-0.7R_E). In some cases, it was also possible to estimate the width of beamlet in dawn-dusk direction which was of the order of fractions of R_E.

We report on magnetically conjugate Cluster and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite observations of subauroral ion drifts (SAID) during moderate geomagnetic activity levels on 8 April 2004. To our knowledge, the field-aligned separation of DMSP and Cluster (~28,000 km) is the largest separation ever analyzed with respect to the SAID phenomenon. Nonetheless, we show coherent, subauroral magnetosphere-ionosphere (MI) coupling along an entire field line in the post-dusk sector. The four Cluster satellites crossed SAID electric field channels with meridional magnitude E_M of 25 mV/m in situ and latitudinal extent DeltaLambda ~ 0.5° in the southern and northern hemispheres near 07:00 and 07:30 UT, respectively. Cluster was near perigee (R ~ 4 R_E) and within 5° (15°) of the magnetic equator for the southern (northern) crossing. The SAID were located near the plasmapause-within the ring current-plasmasphere overlap region. Downward field-aligned current signatures were observed across both SAID crossings. The most magnetically and temporally conjugate SAID field from DMSP F16A at 07:12 UT was practically identical in latitudinal size to that mapped from Cluster. Since the DMSP ion drift meter saturated at 3000 m/s (or ~114 mV/m) and the electrostatically mapped value for E_M from Cluster exceeded 300 mV/m, a magnitude comparison of E_M was not possible. Although the conjugate measurements show similar large-scale SAID features, the differences in substructure highlight the physical and chemical diversity of the conjugate regions.

The XEUS payload module accommodation study is the basis for the forthcoming XEUS mission system study. The main objectives of the accommodation study are

• to define the preliminary Detector SpaceCraft PayLoad Module (DSC PL design)
• to identify the resources drivers
• to define the interfaces
• to assess the feasibility with core and extended instruments configuration
• to identify the potential solutions for cryogenic chain
• to identify the technology development and the critical issues

The Xeus mission goals are not achievable by means of a monolithic X-ray telescope but requires two satellites in a formation flying configuration at L2:

• The Mirror SpaceCraft (MSC) hosting the Telescope Module, a circular X-ray composite optics with a diameter of 4.25 metres
• The Detector SpaceCraft (DSC) hosting the Payload Module with core instruments of Wide Field Imager (WFI) and Narrow Filed Imager (NFI)

In the L2 Halo orbit, the MSC and DSC in formation flying, will operate like a large X-ray observatory with a focal length of 35 metres.

XEUS (X-ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy) is one of the missions under consideration by ESA for its Cosmic Vision programme of advanced space exploration concepts set for launch in the 2015-2025 timeframe. Following-on from ESA successes in space observatories like XMM-Newton, XEUS relies on a number of innovative technologies to explore the universe at X-Ray wavelengths (e.g., micropore optics, formation flying control and detector and cooling technologies). Although the launch of XEUS is still some years away, the technology developments needed to meet the exacting science requirements mean that an early start is required to ensure that these technologies can be fully tested and qualified beforehand. At the same time this will enable XEUS to take full advantage of additional performance that these technologies can offer and deliver exciting new science. The XEUS Instrument Accommodation study was specifically focussed on assessing the spacecraft resource and technology development implications of carrying a suite of instruments on XEUS is thus the first step towards the successful implementation of XEUS.

The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) on the boundary of a flow channel in the Earth's plasma sheet is investigated using Cluster and Double Star TC1 data. It is shown that when Cluster moves into the flow channel the magnetometer measures strong oscillations of the magnetic field, that increase as the spacecraft move further into the flow channel. These waves are identified as Kelvin Helmholtz waves. DoubleStar TC1, closer to the Earth, also observes these waves when entering the flow channel but at larger amplitude and with only little flow. The increase in wave amplitude agrees with the KHI wave growth. It is argued that the development of the KHI can play a major rôle in flow braking in the magnetotail, which is an important aspect of magnetotail dynamics. The large amount of kinetic energy released by a reconnection event or bursty bulk flow gets converted to other kinds of energy such that in the near Earth region the flow is stopped.