• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 1989

Magnetospheic substorm in the magnetotail region is studied numerically by means of a three dimensional MHD code. The analytic solution for the quiet magnetotail is employed as an initial configuration. The localized solar wind is modeled to enter the simulation domain through the boundaries located in the magnetotail lobe region. As a result of the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, the magnetic field lines are stretched, and the plasma sheet becomes thinner and thinner. When the current driven resistivity is generated, magnetic reconnection is triggered by this resistivity. The resulting plasma jetting is found to be super-magnetosonic. Although the plasmoid formation and its tailward motion is not quite clear as in the two dimensional simulation, which is mainly because of the numerical model chosen for the present simulation, the rarification of the plasmas near the x-point is observed. Field aligned currents are observed in the late expansive stage of the magnetospheric substorm. These field aligned currents flow from the tail toward the ionosphere on the dawn side from the ionosphere to ward the tail on the dusk side, namely in the same sense of the region 1 current. As the field aligned currents develop, it is found that the cross tail current in the earth side midnight section of the magnetic x-point is reduced.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.116.2-116.2
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• 2012

The structure of plasmasphere plays an important role in determining properties of geomagnetic ULF pulsations such as Pi 2 pulsations and field line resonances (FLRs) in the Earth's magnetosphere. We have performed a 3-D MHD wave simulation to investigate the generation and propagation of ULF waves in dipole geometry. Various 3-D density structures are assumed, which include a relatively sharp density gradient and gradually less slopes at the plasmapause. The former condition can refer to the plasmasphere from local midnight to dawn, whereas the latter represents the region near noon to dusk where it bulges out. We show how Pi 2 pulsations and FLRs differentially appear at both multi-point satellite locations and ground stations for different local times. Our results suggest that 1) the local radial density structure significantly affects the peak frequencies for Pi 2 oscillations, while the polarization changes remain similar in the radial direction, and 2) the radial location of strong FLRs varies for different density profiles. It is also suggested how multi satellite measurements and ground-based observations can confirm this differential feature in space.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.39.2-39.2
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• 2010

Field line resonances (FLRs) observed in the magnetosphere often have the amplitude of a few nT, which indicates that dB/B roughly satisfies ~0.01. It is well known that the FLRs are excited by compressional waves via mode conversion, but there has been no apparent criterion on the maximum amplitude in the regime of linear approximations. Such limited range of amplitude should be understood by including nonlinear saturation of FLRs, which has not been examined until now. In this study, using a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation code, we examine the evolution of nonlinear field line resonances (FLRs) in the cold plasmas. The MHD code used in this study allows a full nonlinear description and enables us to study the maximum amplitude of FLRs. When the disturbance is sufficiently small, it is shown that linear properties of MHD wave coupling are well reproduced. In order to examine a nonlinear excitation of FLRs, it is shown how these FLRs become saturated as the initial magnitude of disturbances is assumed to increase. Our results suggest that the maximum amplitude of FLRs become saturated at the level of the same order of dB/B as in observations. In addition, we discuss the role of both linear terms and nonlinear terms in the MHD wave equations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.133-147
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• 2019

Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite magnetic data are used to investigate the latitudinal variation of the storm-time meso-scale field-aligned currents by defining a new metric called the FAC range. Three major geomagnetic storm events are considered. Alongside SymH, the possible contributions from solar wind dynamic pressure and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) $B_Z$ are also investigated. The results show that the new metric predicts the latitudinal variation of FACs better than previous studies. As expected, the equatorward expansion and poleward retreat are observed during the storm main phase and recovery phase respectively. The equatorward shift is prominent on the northern duskside, at ${\sim}58^{\circ}$ coinciding with the minimum SymH and dayside at ${\sim}59^{\circ}$ compared to dawnside and nightside respectively. The latitudinal shift of FAC range is better correlated to IMF $B_Z$ in northern hemisphere dusk-dawn magnetic local time (MLT) sectors than in southern hemisphere. The FAC range latitudinal shifts responds better to dynamic pressure in the duskside northern hemisphere and dawnside southern hemisphere than in southern hemisphere dusk sector and northern hemisphere dawn sector respectively. FAC range exhibits a good correlation with dynamic pressure in the dayside (nightside) southern (northern) hemispheres depicting possible electrodynamic similarity at day-night MLT sectors in the opposite hemispheres.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.109-122
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• 2003

To examine the causal relationship between geomagnetic storm and substorm, we investigate the correlation between dispersionless particle injection rate of proton flux observed from geosynchronous satellites, which is known to be a typical indicator of the substorm expansion activity, and Dst index during magnetic storms. We utilize geomagnetic storms occurred during the period of 1996 ~ 2000 and categorize them into three classes in terms of the minimum value of the Dst index ($Dst_{min}$); intense ($-200nT{$\leq$}Dst_{min}{$\leq$}-100nT$), moderate($-100nT{\leq}Dst_{min}{\leq}-50nT$), and small ($-50nT{\leq}Dst_{min}{\leq}-30nT$) -30nT)storms. We use the proton flux of the energy range from 50 keV to 670 keV, the major constituents of the ring current particles, observed from the LANL geosynchronous satellites located within the local time sector from 18:00 MLT to 04:00 MLT. We also examine the flux ratio ($f_{max}/f_{ave}$) to estimate particle energy injection rate into the inner magnetosphere, with $f_{ave}$ and $f_{max}$ being the flux levels during quiet and onset levels, respectively. The total energy injection rate into the inner magnetosphere can not be estimated from particle measurements by one or two satellites. However, the total energy injection rate should be at least proportional to the flux ratio and the injection frequency. Thus we propose a quantity, “total energy injection parameter (TEIP)”, defined by the product of the flux ratio and the injection frequency as an indicator of the injected energy into the inner magnetosphere. To investigate the phase dependence of the substorm contribution to the development of magnetic storm, we examine the correlations during the two intervals, main and recovery phase of storm separately. Several interesting tendencies are noted particularly during the main phase of storm. First, the average particle injection frequency tends to increase with the storm size with the correlation coefficient being 0.83. Second, the flux ratio ($f_{max}/f_{ave}$) tends to be higher during large storms. The correlation coefficient between $Dst_{min}$ and the flux ratio is generally high, for example, 0.74 for the 75~113 keV energy channel. Third, it is also worth mentioning that there is a high correlation between the TEIP and $Dst_{min}$ with the highest coefficient (0.80) being recorded for the energy channel of 75~113 keV, the typical particle energies of the ring current belt. Fourth, the particle injection during the recovery phase tends to make the storms longer. It is particularly the case for intense storms. These characteristics observed during the main phase of the magnetic storm indicate that substorm expansion activity is closely associated with the development of mangetic storm.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.143-156
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• 2020

Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) installed an ionospheric sounding radar system called Vertical Incidence Pulsed Ionospheric Radar (VIPIR) at Jang Bogo Station (JBS) in 2015 in order to routinely monitor the state of the ionosphere in the auroral oval and polar cap regions. Since 2017, after two-year test operation, it has been continuously operated to produce various ionospheric parameters. In this article, we will introduce the characteristics of the JBS-VIPIR observations and possible applications of the data for the study on the polar ionosphere. The JBS-VIPIR utilizes a log periodic transmit antenna that transmits 0.5-25 MHz radio waves, and a receiving array of 8 dipole antennas. It is operated in the Dynasonde B-mode pulse scheme and utilizes the 3-D inversion program, called NeXtYZ, for the data acquisition and processing, instead of the conventional 1-D inversion procedure as used in the most of digisonde observations. The JBS-VIPIR outputs include the height profiles of the electron density, ionospheric tilts, and ion drifts with a 2-minute temporal resolution in the bottomside ionosphere. With these observations, possible research applications will be briefly described in combination with other observations for the aurora, the neutral atmosphere and the magnetosphere simultaneously conducted at JBS.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.309-316
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• 2013

Since the solar activity, one of the factors influencing on lunar communication systems, is to reach its maximum occurring at 11-year solar cycle in autumn 2013, the solar burst frequency and strength are expected to increase. The solar burst has an effect on earth magnetosphere and causes malfunction, loss of communication, and breakdown of various types of satellites and probes. These problems give rise to huge economic and physical loss. Therefore, we should analyze the effect of solar burst on lunar communications and minimize the expected loss. In this paper, we perform the analysis of the link model and link performance between a land station and a lunar orbiter under the solar burst for orbiter's survivability and stable communication channel operations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2011

In this paper, the anisotropic nature of the magnetic turbulence associated with magnetic dipolarizations in the Earth's plasma sheet is examined. Specifically, we determine the power spectral indices for the perpendicular and parallel components of the fluctuating magnetic field with respect to the background magnetic field, and compare them in order to identify possible anisotropic features. For this study, we identify a total of 47 dipolarization events in February 2008 using the magnetic field data observed by the THEMIS A, D and E satellites when they are situated near the neutral sheet in the near-Earth tail. For the identified events, we estimate the spectral indices for the frequency range from 1.3 mHz to 42 mHz. The results show that the degree of anisotropy, as defined by the ratio of the spectral index of the perpendicular components to that of the parallel component, can range from ~0.2 to ~2.6, and there are more events associated with the ratio greater than unity (i.e., the perpendicular index being greater than the parallel index) than those which are anisotropic in the opposite sense. This implies that the dipolarization-associated turbulence of the magnetic field is often anisotropic, to some non-negligible degree. We then discuss how this result differs from what the theory of homogeneous, anisotropic, magnetohydrodynamic turbulence would predict.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2014

As the prediction of geomagnetic storms is becoming an important and practical problem, conditions in the Earth's magnetosphere have been studied rigorously in terms of those in the interplanetary space. Another approach to space weather forecast is to deal with it as a probabilistic geomagnetic storm forecasting problem. In this study, we carry out detailed statistical analysis of solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices examining the dependence of the distribution on the solar cycle and annual variations. Our main findings are as follows: (1) The distribution of parameters obtained via the superimposed epoch method follows the Gaussian distribution. (2) When solar activity is at its maximum the mean value of the distribution is shifted to the direction indicating the intense environment. Furthermore, the width of the distribution becomes wider at its maximum than at its minimum so that more extreme case can be expected. (3) The distribution of some certain heliospheric parameters is less sensitive to the phase of the solar cycle and annual variations. (4) The distribution of the eastward component of the interplanetary electric field BV and the solar wind driving function BV2, however, appears to be all dependent on the solar maximum/minimum, the descending/ascending phases of the solar cycle and the equinoxes/solstices. (5) The distribution of the AE index and the Dst index shares statistical features closely with BV and $BV^2$ compared with other heliospheric parameters. In this sense, BV and $BV^2$ are more robust proxies of the geomagnetic storm. We conclude by pointing out that our results allow us to step forward in providing the occurrence probability of geomagnetic storms for space weather and physical modeling.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2004

We have investigated characteristic solar wind dynamics associated with relativistic electron events at geosynchronous orbit. Most of the events for April, 1999 through December, 2002 are found to be accompanied by a prolonged solar quiet period which is characterized as low solar wind density, weak interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and fast alfvenic fluctuations in IMF $B_z$. In a typical relativistic event, electron fluxes begin to increase by orders of magnitude when solar wind parameters drop to low values (e.g., $n_{sw}∼5 cm^{-3}$ and ｜$B_{IMF}$∼5 nT) after sharp peaks. Then the elevated electron fluxes stay at the high level during the solar quiet period. This observation may suggest the following scenario for the occurrence of a geosynchronous relativistic event: (ⅰ) Quiet solar winds can yield a stable and more dipole-like magnetospheric configurations in which the geosynchronous orbit locates well inside the trapping boundary of the energetic electrons. (ⅱ) If a large population of MeV electrons are generated (by whatever acceleration process(es)) in the inner magnetosphere, they can be trapped and effectively accumulated to a high intensity. (ⅲ) The high electron flux can persist for a number of days in the geosynchronous region as long as the solar wind dynamics stays quiet. Therefore the scenario indicates that the occurrence of a relativistic event would be a result of a delicate balance between the effects of electron acceleration and loss. In addition, the sensitive dependence of a relativistic event on the solar wind conditions makes the prediction of solar wind variability as important as understanding of electron acceleration processes in the forecast of a relativistic event.