Estimation of the solar wind extreme events

Abstract

This research provides an analysis of extreme events in the solar wind and in the magnetosphere due to disturbances of the solar wind. Extreme value theory has been applied to a 20-year data set from the Advanced Composition Explorer spacecraft for the period 1998–2017. The solar proton speed, solar proton temperature, solar proton density, and magnetic field have been analyzed to characterize extreme events in the solar wind. The solar wind electric field, vBz has been analyzed to characterize the impact from extreme disturbances in the solar wind to the magnetosphere. These extreme values were estimated for 1-in-40- and 1-in-80-year events, which represent two and four times the range of the original data set. The estimated values were verified in comparison with measured values of extreme events recorded in previous years. Finally, our research also suggests the presence of an upper boundary in the magnitudes under study.