A space hurricane over the Earth’s polar ionosphere
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
Journal article, Peer reviewed
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Date
2021Metadata
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- Department of Physics and Technology [2196]
- Registrations from Cristin [11278]
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.