Suprathermal Ion Energy Spectra and Anisotropies near the Heliospheric Current Sheet Crossing Observed by the Parker Solar Probe during Encounter 7

M. I. Desai, D. G. Mitchell, D. J. McComas, J. F. Drake, T. Phan, J. R. Szalay, E. C. Roelof, J. Giacalone, M. E. Hill, E. R. Christian, N. A. Schwadron, R. L. McNutt, M. E. Wiedenbeck, C. Joyce, C. M.S. Cohen, A. J. Davis, S. M. Krimigis, R. A. Leske, W. H. Matthaeus, O. MalandrakiR. A. Mewaldt, A. Labrador, E. C. Stone, S. D. Bale, J. Verniero, A. Rahmati, P. Whittlesey, R. Livi, D. Larson, M. Pulupa, R. J. Macdowall, J. T. Niehof, J. C. Kasper, T. S. Horbury

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9 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present observations of ≳10-100 keV nucleon-1 suprathermal (ST) H, He, O, and Fe ions associated with crossings of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) at radial distances of <0.1 au from the Sun. Our key findings are as follows: (1) very few heavy ions are detected during the first full crossing, the heavy-ion intensities are reduced during the second partial crossing and peak just after the second crossing; (2) ion arrival times exhibit no velocity dispersion; (3) He pitch-angle distributions track the magnetic field polarity reversal and show up to ∼10:1 anti-sunward, field-aligned flows and beams closer to the HCS that become nearly isotropic farther from the HCS; (4) the He spectrum steepens either side of the HCS, and the He, O, and Fe spectra exhibit power laws of the form ∼E -4-E 6; and (5) maximum energies E X increase with the ion's charge-to-mass (Q/M) ratio as EX/EH∝ (QX/MX)δ, where δ ∼0.65-0.76, assuming that the average Q states are similar to those measured in gradual and impulsive solar energetic particle events at 1 au. The absence of velocity dispersion in combination with strong field-aligned anisotropies closer to the HCS appears to rule out solar flares and near-Sun coronal-mass-ejection-driven shocks. These new observations present challenges not only for mechanisms that employ direct parallel electric fields and organize maximum energies according to E/Q but also for local diffusive and magnetic-reconnection-driven acceleration models. Reevaluation of our current understanding of the production and transport of energetic ions is necessary to understand this near-solar, current-sheet-associated population of ST ions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number62
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume927
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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