We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
A space hurricane over the Earth's polar ionosphere.
- Authors
Zhang, Qing-He; Zhang, Yong-Liang; Wang, Chi; Oksavik, Kjellmar; Lyons, Larry R.; Lockwood, Michael; Yang, Hui-Gen; Tang, Bin-Bin; Moen, Jøran Idar; Xing, Zan-Yang; Ma, Yu-Zhang; Wang, Xiang-Yu; Ning, Ya-Fei; Xia, Li-Dong
- Abstract
In Earth's low atmosphere, hurricanes are destructive due to their great size, strong spiral winds with shears, and intense rain/precipitation. However, disturbances resembling hurricanes have not been detected in Earth's upper atmosphere. Here, we report a long-lasting space hurricane in the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere during low solar and otherwise low geomagnetic activity. This hurricane shows strong circular horizontal plasma flow with shears, a nearly zero-flow center, and a coincident cyclone-shaped aurora caused by strong electron precipitation associated with intense upward magnetic field-aligned currents. Near the center, precipitating electrons were substantially accelerated to ~10 keV. The hurricane imparted large energy and momentum deposition into the ionosphere despite otherwise extremely quiet conditions. The observations and simulations reveal that the space hurricane is generated by steady high-latitude lobe magnetic reconnection and current continuity during a several hour period of northward interplanetary magnetic field and very low solar wind density and speed. Hurricanes in the Earth's low atmosphere are known, but not detected in the upper atmosphere earlier. Here, the authors show a long-lasting hurricane in the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere with large energy and momentum deposition despite otherwise extremely quiet conditions.
- Subjects
ATMOSPHERIC boundary layer; IONOSPHERE; INTERPLANETARY magnetic fields; UPPER atmosphere; GEOMAGNETISM; PLASMA flow; HURRICANES
- Publication
Nature Communications, 2021, Vol 12, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2041-1723
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/s41467-021-21459-y