Magnetosheath jets constitute a significant coupling effect between the solar wind (SW) and the magnetosphere of the Earth. In order to investigate the effects and forecasting of these jets, we present the first‐ever statistical study of the jet production during large‐scale SW structures like coronal mass ejections (CMEs), stream interaction regions (SIRs) and high speed streams (HSSs). Magnetosheath data from Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) spacecraft between January 2008 and December 2020 serve as measurement source for jet detection. Two different jet definitions were used to rule out statistical biases induced by our jet detection method. For the CME and SIR + HSS lists, we used lists provided by literature and expanded on incomplete lists using OMNI data to cover the time range of May 1996 to December 2020. We find that the number and total time of observed jets decrease when CME‐sheaths hit the Earth. The number of jets is lower throughout the passing of the CME‐magnetic ejecta (ME) and recovers quickly afterward. On the other hand, the number of jets increases during SIR and HSS phases. We discuss a few possibilities to explain these statistical results.
Aims. We inspect the evolution of stream interaction regions (SIRs) from Earth to Mars, covering the distance range 1–1.5 AU, over the declining phase of solar cycle 24 (2014–2018). So far, studies only analyzed SIRs measured at Earth and Mars at different times. We compare existing catalogs for both heliospheric distances and arrive at a clean dataset for the identical time range. This allows a well-sampled statistical analysis and for the opposition phases of the planets an in-depth analysis of SIRs as they evolve with distance. Methods. We use in situ solar wind data from OMNI and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft as well as remote sensing data from Solar Dynamics Observatory. A superposed epoch analysis is performed for bulk speed, proton density, temperature, magnetic field magnitude and total perpendicular pressure. Additionally, a study of events during the two opposition phases of Earth and Mars in the years 2016 and 2018 is conducted. SIR related coronal holes with their area as well as their latitudinal and longitudinal extent are extracted and correlated to the maximum bulk speed and duration of the corresponding high speed solar wind streams following the stream interaction regions. Results. We find that while the entire solar wind high speed stream shows no expansion as it evolves from Earth to Mars, the crest of the high speed stream profile broadens by about 17%, and the magnetic field and total pressure by about 45% around the stream interface. The difference between the maximum and minimum values in the normalized superposed profiles increases slightly or stagnates from 1–1.5 AU for all parameters, except for the temperature. A sharp drop at zero epoch time is observed in the superposed profiles for the magnetic field strength at both heliospheric distances. The two opposition phases reveal similar correlations of in situ data with coronal hole parameters for both planets. Maximum solar wind speed has a stronger dependence on the latitudinal extent of the respective coronal hole than on its longitudinal extent. We arrive at an occurrence rate of fast forward shocks three times higher at Mars than at Earth.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.