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In this article, we present a study of the perturbations occurring in the Earth's environment on 7 October 2015. We use a multi-instrument approach, including space and ground observations. In particular, we study the ionospheric conditions at low latitudes. Two ionospheric storms are observed at the low latitude station of Tucumán ( 26 ∘ 51 ′ S, 65 ∘ 12 ′ W). We observe a negative ionospheric storm followed by a positive one. These ionospheric perturbations were triggered by two sudden storm commencements (SSCs) of a strong geomagnetic storm. Preliminary results show that the main mechanism involved in both ionospheric storms is the prompt penetration of electric fields (PPEFs) from the magnetosphere. Furthermore, in the positive storm, disturbed dynamo electric fields are observed acting in combination with the PPEFs. The impact of the solar wind on the Earth's environment is analyzed using geomagnetic data and proxies, combined with data acquired in the Tucumán Low Latitude Observatory for the Upper Atmosphere. We also investigate the solar and interplanetary drivers of this intense perturbation. We find that, although typically interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are the most geoeffective transient interplanetary events, in this case, a corotating interaction region (CIR) is responsible for these strong perturbations to the geospace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic clouds (MCs) are a subset of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). They are important because of their simple internal magnetic field configuration, which resembles a magnetic flux rope, and because they represent one of the most geoeffective types of solar transients. In this study, we analyze their internal structure using a superposed epoch method on 63 events observed at L1 by the Advance Composition Explorer (ACE), between 1998 and 2006. In this way, we obtain an average profile for each plasma and magnetic field parameter at each point of the cloud. Furthermore, we take a fixed time-window upstream and downstream from the MC to also sample the regions preceding the cloud and the wake trailing it. We then perform a detailed analysis of the internal characteristics of the clouds and their surrounding solar wind environments. We find that the parameters studied are compatible with log-normal distribution functions. The plasma $\beta $ and the level of fluctuations in the magnetic field vector are the best parameters to define the boundaries of MCs. We find that one third of the events shows a peak in plasma density close to the trailing edge of the flux ropes. We provide several possible explanations for this result and investigate if the density peak is of a solar origin ( e.g. erupting prominence material) or formed during the magnetic cloud travel from the Sun to 1 AU. The most plausible explanation is the compression due to a fast overtaking flow, coming from a coronal hole located to the east of the solar source region of the magnetic cloud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic clouds (MCs) are formed by flux ropes (FRs) launched from the Sun as part of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). They carry away a large amount of magnetic flux and helicity. The main aim of this study is to quantify these amounts from in situ measurements of MCs at 1 AU. The fit of these data by a local FR model provides the axial magnetic field strength, the radius, the magnetic flux, and the helicity per unit length along the FR axis. We show that these quantities are statistically independent of the position along the FR axis. We then derive the generic shape and length of the FR axis from two sets of MCs. These results improve the estimation of magnetic helicity. Next, we evaluate the total magnetic flux and helicity that cross the sphere of radius of 1 AU, centred at the Sun, per year and during a solar cycle. We also include in the study two sets of small FRs that do not have all the typical characteristics of MCs. While small FRs are at least ten times more numerous than MCs, the magnetic flux and helicity are dominated by the contribution from the larger MCs. In one year they carry away the magnetic flux of about 25 large active regions and the magnetic helicity of 200 of them. MCs carry away an amount of unsigned magnetic helicity similar to the amount estimated for the solar dynamo and that measured in emerging active regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar wind is a structured and complex system, in which the fields vary strongly over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. As an example, the turbulent activity in the wind affects the evolution in the heliosphere of the integral turbulent scale or correlation length [ λ], usually associated with the breakpoint in the turbulent-energy spectrum that separates the inertial range from the injection range. This large variability of the fields demands a statistical description of the solar wind. We study the probability distribution function (PDF) of the magnetic-autocorrelation lengths observed in the solar wind at different distances from the Sun. We used observations from the Helios, ACE, and Ulysses spacecraft. We distinguished between the usual solar wind and one of its transient components (interplanetary coronal mass ejections, ICMEs), and also studied solar-wind samples with low and high proton beta [β]. We find that in the last three regimes the PDF of λ is a log-normal function, consistent with the multiplicative and nonlinear processes that take place in the solar wind, the initial λ (before the Alfvénic point) being larger in ICMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flux ropes are twisted magnetic structures that can be detected by in-situ measurements in the solar wind. However, different properties of detected flux ropes suggest different types of flux-rope populations. As such, are there different populations of flux ropes? The answer is positive and is the result of the analysis of four lists of flux ropes, including magnetic clouds (MCs), observed at 1 AU. The in-situ data for the four lists were fitted with the same cylindrical force-free field model, which provides an estimate of the local flux-rope parameters such as its radius and orientation. Since the flux-rope distributions have a broad dynamic range, we went beyond a simple histogram analysis by developing a partition technique that uniformly distributes the statistical fluctuations across the radius range. By doing so, we found that small flux ropes with radius R<0.1 AU have a steep power-law distribution in contrast to the larger flux ropes (identified as MCs), which have a Gaussian-like distribution. Next, from four CME catalogs, we estimated the expected flux-rope frequency per year at 1 AU. We found that the predicted numbers are similar to the frequencies of MCs observed in-situ. However, we also found that small flux ropes are at least ten times too abundant to correspond to CMEs, even to narrow ones. Investigating the different possible scenarios for the origin of these small flux ropes, we conclude that these twisted structures can be formed by blowout jets in the low corona or in coronal streamers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For large eruptions on the Sun, it is often a problem that the core dimming region cannot be observed due to the bright emission from the flare itself. However, spectroscopic data can provide the missing information through the measurement of Doppler velocities. In this paper we analyse the well-studied flare and coronal mass ejection that erupted on the Sun on 13 December 2006 and reached the Earth on 14 December 2006. In this example, although the imaging data were saturated at the flare site itself, by using velocity measurements we could extract information on the core dimming region, as well as on remote dimmings. The purpose of this paper is to determine more accurately the magnetic flux of the solar source region, potentially involved in the ejection, through a new technique. The results of its application are compared to the flux in the magnetic cloud observed at 1 AU, as a way to check the reliability of this technique. We analysed data from the Hinode EUV Imaging Spectrometer to estimate the Doppler velocity in the active region and its surroundings before and after the event. This allowed us to determine a Doppler velocity 'difference' image. We used the velocity difference image overlayed on a Michelson Doppler Imager magnetogram to identify the regions in which the blue shifts were more prominent after the event; the magnetic flux in these regions was used as a proxy for the ejected flux and compared to the magnetic cloud flux. This new method provides a more accurate flux determination in the solar source region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ data provide only a one-dimensional sample of the plasma velocity along the spacecraft trajectory crossing an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME). Then, to understand the dynamics of ICMEs it is necessary to consider some models to describe it. We derive a series of equations in a hierarchical order, from more general to more specific cases, to provide a general theoretical basis for the interpretation of in situ observations, extending and generalizing previous studies. The main hypothesis is a self-similar expansion, but with the freedom of possible different expansion rates in three orthogonal directions. The most detailed application of the equations is though for a subset of ICMEs, magnetic clouds (MCs), where a magnetic flux rope can be identified. The main conclusions are the following ones. First, we obtain theoretical expressions showing that the observed velocity gradient within an ICME is not a direct characteristic of its expansion, but that it depends also on other physical quantities such as its global velocity and acceleration. The derived equations quantify these dependencies for the three components of the velocity. Second, using three different types of data we show that the global acceleration of ICMEs has, at most, a small contribution to the in situ measurements of the velocity. This eliminates practically one contribution to the observed velocity gradient within ICMEs. Third, we provide a method to quantify the expansion rate from velocity data. We apply it to a set of 26 MCs observed by Wind or ACE spacecrafts. They are typical MCs, and their main physical parameters cover the typical range observed in MCs in previous statistical studies. Though the velocity difference between their front and back includes a broad range of values, we find a narrow range for the determined dimensionless expansion rate. This implies that MCs are expanding at a comparable rate, independently of their size or field strength, despite very different magnitudes in their velocity profiles. Furthermore, the equations derived provide a base to further analyze the dynamics of MCs/ICMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar wind conditions at one astronomical unit (AU) can be strongly disturbed by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). A subset, called magnetic clouds (MCs), is formed by twisted flux ropes that transport an important amount of magnetic flux and helicity, which is released in CMEs. At 1 AU from the Sun, the magnetic structure of MCs is generally modeled by neglecting their expansion during the spacecraft crossing. However, in some cases, MCs present a significant expansion. We present here an analysis of the huge and significantly expanding MC observed by the Wind spacecraft during 9 – 10 November 2004. This MC was embedded in an ICME. After determining an approximate orientation for the flux rope using the minimum variance method, we obtain a precise orientation of the cloud axis by relating its front and rear magnetic discontinuities using a direct method. This method takes into account the conservation of the azimuthal magnetic flux between the inbound and outbound branches and is valid for a finite impact parameter ( i.e., not necessarily a small distance between the spacecraft trajectory and the cloud axis). The MC is also studied using dynamic models with isotropic expansion. We have found (6.2±1.5)×1020 Mx for the axial flux and (78±18)×1020 Mx for the azimuthal flux. Moreover, using the direct method, we find that the ICME is formed by a flux rope (MC) followed by an extended coherent magnetic region. These observations are interpreted by considering the existence of a previously larger flux rope, which partially reconnected with its environment in the front. We estimate that the reconnection process started close to the Sun. These findings imply that the ejected flux rope is progressively peeled by reconnection and transformed to the observed ICME (with a remnant flux rope in the front part). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. This is consistent with the primary direction of travel of the fast halo CME observed at the Sun. Moreover, the NCDE and helium enrichment are consistent with the position near the streamer belt of the flaring active region NOAA 10720 associated with the CME. However, differences between interplanetary and solar observations indicate a large rotation of the erupting filament and overlying arcade, which can be attributed to the flux rope being subject to the helical kink instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronal dimmings are often present on both sides of erupting magnetic configurations. It has been suggested that dimmings mark the location of the footpoints of ejected flux ropes and, thus, their magnetic flux can be used as a proxy for the flux involved in the ejection. If so, this quantity can be compared to the flux in the associated interplanetary magnetic cloud to find clues about the origin of the ejected flux rope. In the context of this physical interpretation, we analyze the event, flare, and coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred in active region 10486 on 28 October 2003. The CME on this day is associated with large-scale dimmings, located on either side of the main flaring region. We combine SOHO/Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope data and Michelson Doppler Imager magnetic maps to identify and measure the flux in the dimming regions. We model the associated cloud and compute its magnetic flux using in situ observations from the Magnetometer Instrument and the Solar Wind Electron Proton Alpha Monitor aboard the Advance Composition Explorer. We find that the magnetic fluxes of the dimmings and magnetic cloud are incompatible, in contrast to what has been found in previous studies. We conclude that, in certain cases, especially in large-scale events and eruptions that occur in regions that are not isolated from other flux concentrations, the interpretation of dimmings requires a deeper analysis of the global magnetic configuration, since at least a fraction of the dimmed regions is formed by reconnection between the erupting field and the surrounding magnetic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that study of the evolving magnetic nature of coronal dimming regions can be used to probe the large-scale magnetic structure involved in the eruption of a coronal mass ejection (CME). We analyse the intensity evolution of coronal dimming regions using 195 Å data from the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). We measure the magnetic flux, using data from the SOHO/Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), in the regions that seem most likely to be related to plasma removal. Then, we compare these magnetic flux measurements to the flux in the associated magnetic cloud (MC). Here, we present our analysis of the well-studied event on 12 May 1997 that took place just after solar minimum in a simple magnetic configuration. We present a synthesis of results already published and propose that driven “interchange reconnection” between the expanding CME structure with ‘`open’' field lines of the northern coronal hole region led to the asymmetric temporal and spatial evolution of the two main dimming regions, associated with this event. As a result of this reconnection process, we find the southern-most dimming region to be the principal foot-point of the MC. The magnetic flux from this dimming region and that of the MC are found to be in close agreement within the same order of magnitude, 1021 Mx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]