A space hurricane over the Earth’s polar ionosphere

Qing-He Zhang (), Yong-Liang Zhang, Chi Wang, Kjellmar Oksavik, Larry R. Lyons, Michael Lockwood, Hui-Gen Yang, Bin-Bin Tang, Jøran Idar Moen, Zan-Yang Xing, Yu-Zhang Ma, Xiang-Yu Wang, Ya-Fei Ning and Li-Dong Xia
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Qing-He Zhang: Shandong University
Yong-Liang Zhang: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Chi Wang: State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kjellmar Oksavik: University of Bergen
Larry R. Lyons: University of California
Michael Lockwood: University of Reading
Hui-Gen Yang: Polar Research Institute of China
Bin-Bin Tang: State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jøran Idar Moen: The University Centre in Svalbard
Zan-Yang Xing: Shandong University
Yu-Zhang Ma: Shandong University
Xiang-Yu Wang: Shandong University
Ya-Fei Ning: Shandong University
Li-Dong Xia: Shandong University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21459-y

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