Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69902-2
Jing Song, Yongqi Pan, Ruobing Xin, Zifei Yan, Tianyao Tang, Kai Wang, Yujun Wang, Jian Deng, Guangsheng Luo
Aromatic nitration, a hazardously complex process, poses serious risks. A major challenge for the reaction is the trade-off effect between spatiotemporal conversion rate and selectivity, particularly the over-nitration side reactions that have plagued the field for nearly 200 years. We propose a countercurrent microflow mode between two microreactors, which boosts spatiotemporal conversion rate by over five times compared to the normal single-stage co-current microflow mode, and two orders of magnitude compared to traditional batch reactors. Meanwhile, we identify an inhibition mechanism of over-nitration. The generated H2O in the main reaction can in situ reduce the dissolution of nitroaromatics in the aqueous phase and effectively prevent over-nitration. Through synergistic control of both kinetics and thermodynamics in the microreaction process, high spatiotemporal conversion and selectivity are achieved simultaneously, overcoming the trade-off effect. Furthermore, we demonstrate the broad applicability of the microflow strategy across various aromatic nitration processes.
{"title":"A countercurrent microflow strategy for simultaneous high selectivity and conversion in aromatic nitration.","authors":"Jing Song, Yongqi Pan, Ruobing Xin, Zifei Yan, Tianyao Tang, Kai Wang, Yujun Wang, Jian Deng, Guangsheng Luo","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69902-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69902-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aromatic nitration, a hazardously complex process, poses serious risks. A major challenge for the reaction is the trade-off effect between spatiotemporal conversion rate and selectivity, particularly the over-nitration side reactions that have plagued the field for nearly 200 years. We propose a countercurrent microflow mode between two microreactors, which boosts spatiotemporal conversion rate by over five times compared to the normal single-stage co-current microflow mode, and two orders of magnitude compared to traditional batch reactors. Meanwhile, we identify an inhibition mechanism of over-nitration. The generated H<sub>2</sub>O in the main reaction can in situ reduce the dissolution of nitroaromatics in the aqueous phase and effectively prevent over-nitration. Through synergistic control of both kinetics and thermodynamics in the microreaction process, high spatiotemporal conversion and selectivity are achieved simultaneously, overcoming the trade-off effect. Furthermore, we demonstrate the broad applicability of the microflow strategy across various aromatic nitration processes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146257917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69106-8
Andrei Fokine, Jingen Zhu, Thomas Klose, Frank Vago, Charles-Adrien Arnaud, Zhiqing Wang, Baldeep Khare, Michael G. Rossmann, Zhenguo Chen, Lei Sun, Qianglin Fang, Richard J. Kuhn, Venigalla B. Rao
{"title":"In situ structures of the portal-neck-tail complex of bacteriophage T4 inform a viral genome positioning mechanism","authors":"Andrei Fokine, Jingen Zhu, Thomas Klose, Frank Vago, Charles-Adrien Arnaud, Zhiqing Wang, Baldeep Khare, Michael G. Rossmann, Zhenguo Chen, Lei Sun, Qianglin Fang, Richard J. Kuhn, Venigalla B. Rao","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69106-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69106-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146223267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Inspired by the Kolmogorov-Arnold representation theorem, the Kolmogorov-Arnold networks serve as promising alternatives to multilayer perceptrons. Kolmogorov-Arnold networks utilize a superposition of finite basis functions to implement variable continuous univariate activation functions, offering greater flexibility and adaptability. However, the hardware implementation of its basis functions remains costly, making it challenging to achieve complex computations with minimal equipment. Here, we designed the device defined as Gaussian-like memory cell, composed of a Gaussian transistor and a memristor, to ensure the tunable Gaussian-like current-voltage responses. Furthermore, we constructed the circuits based on Gaussian-like memory cells to accommodate the parallel inference computation of Kolmogorov-Arnold networks. This study demonstrates that the proposed architecture based on Gaussian-like memory cells can effectively maintain the algorithmic advantages across various tasks including one-dimensional function regression, image recognition, partial differential equation solving, and time-series forecasting. Notably, the proposed architecture achieves significant improvements in energy efficiency. The results provide a promising avenue for computing-in-memory architecture for Kolmogorov-Arnold networks, and expand the flexibility and efficiency of the neuromorphic computing paradigm.
{"title":"Computing-in-memory architecture for Kolmogorov-Arnold networks based on tunable Gaussian-like memory cells","authors":"Zhixing Wen, Qirui Zhang, Jiangang Chen, Tianhua Yang, Fan Yang, Xuemei Wang, Qing Liu, Xiao Luo, Peng Lin, Liang-Jian Deng, Fucai Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69592-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69592-w","url":null,"abstract":"Inspired by the Kolmogorov-Arnold representation theorem, the Kolmogorov-Arnold networks serve as promising alternatives to multilayer perceptrons. Kolmogorov-Arnold networks utilize a superposition of finite basis functions to implement variable continuous univariate activation functions, offering greater flexibility and adaptability. However, the hardware implementation of its basis functions remains costly, making it challenging to achieve complex computations with minimal equipment. Here, we designed the device defined as Gaussian-like memory cell, composed of a Gaussian transistor and a memristor, to ensure the tunable Gaussian-like current-voltage responses. Furthermore, we constructed the circuits based on Gaussian-like memory cells to accommodate the parallel inference computation of Kolmogorov-Arnold networks. This study demonstrates that the proposed architecture based on Gaussian-like memory cells can effectively maintain the algorithmic advantages across various tasks including one-dimensional function regression, image recognition, partial differential equation solving, and time-series forecasting. Notably, the proposed architecture achieves significant improvements in energy efficiency. The results provide a promising avenue for computing-in-memory architecture for Kolmogorov-Arnold networks, and expand the flexibility and efficiency of the neuromorphic computing paradigm.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146223258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69857-4
Lior Goldberg, Eric R. Haas, Jiaqi Wu, Bryan Garcia, Ryan Urak, Vibhuti Vyas, Ruby Espinosa, Tamara Munoz, Shirley Bierkatz, Khyatiben V. Pathak, Nathaniel P. Hansen, Patrick Pirrotte, Jyotsana Singhal, James L. Figarola, Ricardo Zerda Noriega, Zhuo Li, Dasol Wi, Erin Tanaka, Ramon Klein Geltink, Min-Hsuan Chen, Xiwei Wu, Jamie R. Wagner, Jinny Paul, Mary C. Clark, Dat Ngo, Ibrahim Aldoss, Stephen J. Forman, Xiuli Wang
Although most patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) receiving CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy achieve remission, loss of CAR T cell functionality and subsequent relapse remains an unmet therapeutic need. Herein, we apply an integrative approach to study the immunometabolism of pre- and post-infusion CD19-CAR T cells of patients with relapsed/refractory B-ALL. Pre-infusion CAR T cells of long-term responders (LTR) have increased oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, and pentose phosphate pathway activities, higher mitochondrial mass, tighter cristae, and lower mTOR expression compared to products of short-term responders. Post-infusion CAR T cells in bone marrow (BM) of LTR have high immunometabolic plasticity and mTOR-pS6 expression supported by the BM microenvironment. Transient inhibition of mTOR during manufacture induces metabolic reprogramming and enhances anti-tumor activity of CAR T cells. Our findings provide insight into immunometabolic determinants of long-term response and suggest a therapeutic strategy to improve long-term remission.
{"title":"Immunometabolic determinants of long-term response in leukemia patients receiving CD19 CAR T cell therapy","authors":"Lior Goldberg, Eric R. Haas, Jiaqi Wu, Bryan Garcia, Ryan Urak, Vibhuti Vyas, Ruby Espinosa, Tamara Munoz, Shirley Bierkatz, Khyatiben V. Pathak, Nathaniel P. Hansen, Patrick Pirrotte, Jyotsana Singhal, James L. Figarola, Ricardo Zerda Noriega, Zhuo Li, Dasol Wi, Erin Tanaka, Ramon Klein Geltink, Min-Hsuan Chen, Xiwei Wu, Jamie R. Wagner, Jinny Paul, Mary C. Clark, Dat Ngo, Ibrahim Aldoss, Stephen J. Forman, Xiuli Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69857-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69857-4","url":null,"abstract":"Although most patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) receiving CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy achieve remission, loss of CAR T cell functionality and subsequent relapse remains an unmet therapeutic need. Herein, we apply an integrative approach to study the immunometabolism of pre- and post-infusion CD19-CAR T cells of patients with relapsed/refractory B-ALL. Pre-infusion CAR T cells of long-term responders (LTR) have increased oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, and pentose phosphate pathway activities, higher mitochondrial mass, tighter cristae, and lower mTOR expression compared to products of short-term responders. Post-infusion CAR T cells in bone marrow (BM) of LTR have high immunometabolic plasticity and mTOR-pS6 expression supported by the BM microenvironment. Transient inhibition of mTOR during manufacture induces metabolic reprogramming and enhances anti-tumor activity of CAR T cells. Our findings provide insight into immunometabolic determinants of long-term response and suggest a therapeutic strategy to improve long-term remission.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146223261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69876-1
Yanzhong Yao, Bingbing Han, Peter M. van Bodegom, Xunzhuo Dong, Yunyao Zhong, Shuli Niu, Xinping Chen, Zhaolei Li
{"title":"Plant traits explain variation in symbiotic nitrogen fixation responses to global nitrogen enrichment: a meta-analysis","authors":"Yanzhong Yao, Bingbing Han, Peter M. van Bodegom, Xunzhuo Dong, Yunyao Zhong, Shuli Niu, Xinping Chen, Zhaolei Li","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69876-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69876-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146223263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69716-2
Pranali Sonpatki, Hyun Jung Park, Yao Lulu Xing, Kyung Yeon Han, Brett A. Schroeder, Hyeon Jong Yu, Hye Jin Kim, Tamrin Chowdhury, Jong Ha Hwang, Sun Mo Nam, Yoon Hwan Byun, Ho Kang, Joo Ho Lee, Soon-Tae Lee, Jae-Kyung Won, Tae Min Kim, Seung Hong Choi, Ja-Lok Ku, Sungyoung Lee, Hongseok Yun, Sung-Hye Park, Claudia K. Petritsch, Chul-Kee Park, Woong-Yang Park, Nameeta Shah
{"title":"A spatially resolved human glioblastoma atlas reveals distinct cellular and molecular patterns of anatomical niches","authors":"Pranali Sonpatki, Hyun Jung Park, Yao Lulu Xing, Kyung Yeon Han, Brett A. Schroeder, Hyeon Jong Yu, Hye Jin Kim, Tamrin Chowdhury, Jong Ha Hwang, Sun Mo Nam, Yoon Hwan Byun, Ho Kang, Joo Ho Lee, Soon-Tae Lee, Jae-Kyung Won, Tae Min Kim, Seung Hong Choi, Ja-Lok Ku, Sungyoung Lee, Hongseok Yun, Sung-Hye Park, Claudia K. Petritsch, Chul-Kee Park, Woong-Yang Park, Nameeta Shah","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69716-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69716-2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146223269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68933-z
Alex G Contreras, Skylar Walters, Jaclyn M Eissman, Derek B Archer, Alexandra N Regelson, Alaina Durant, Michelle Clifton, Subhabrata Mukherjee, Michael L Lee, Seo-Eun Choi, Phoebe Scollard, Emily H Trittschuh, Jesse Mez, William S Bush, Brian W Kunkle, Carlos Cruchaga, Adam C Naj, Katherine A Gifford, Murat Bilgel, Amanda B Kuzma, Michael L Cuccaro, Margaret A Pericak-Vance, Lindsay A Farrer, Li-San Wang, Gerard D Schellenberg, Jonathan L Haines, Angela L Jefferson, Walter A Kukull, C Dirk Keene, Andrew J Saykin, Paul M Thompson, Eden R Martin, Marilyn S Albert, Sterling C Johnson, Corinne D Engelman, Luigi Ferrucci, David A Bennett, Lisa L Barnes, Julie A Schneider, Reisa A Sperling, Susan M Resnick, Paul K Crane, Logan Dumitrescu, Timothy J Hohman
The APOE-ε4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. However, APOE-ε4 is not deterministic, highlighting the need to identify additional genetic and environmental factors. APOE-ε4 has been linked to accelerated cognitive decline, so we sought to investigate genetic factors that modify APOE-ε4-associated cognitive decline. We conduct cross-ancestry APOE-ε4-stratified and interaction GWAS using harmonized cognitive data from 32,778 participants, including 29,354 non-Hispanic White and 3,424 non-Hispanic Black individuals. Our primary outcome is late-life cognition, measured using harmonized composite scores for memory, executive function, and language, modeled as continuous traits reflecting both normative cognitive aging and disease-related decline. We identify two genome-wide significant loci in APOE-ε4 carriers, reaching genome-wide significance for executive function. These loci also demonstrate nominal associations across the other domains, suggesting broad effects on cognition. In non-carriers, we identify a genome-wide significant association at ITGB8 restricted to executive function, and another locus associated with language. We further link these loci to SEMA6D, GRIN3A, and ITGB8 through expression and methylation databases. Post-GWAS analyses implicate additional genes including SLCO1A2, and DNAH11. Genetic correlation analyses reveal differences by APOE-ε4 status for immune-related traits, suggesting immune-related predispositions may exacerbate cognitive risk in APOE-ε4 carriers.
{"title":"Genetic modifiers of APOE-ε4-associated cognitive decline.","authors":"Alex G Contreras, Skylar Walters, Jaclyn M Eissman, Derek B Archer, Alexandra N Regelson, Alaina Durant, Michelle Clifton, Subhabrata Mukherjee, Michael L Lee, Seo-Eun Choi, Phoebe Scollard, Emily H Trittschuh, Jesse Mez, William S Bush, Brian W Kunkle, Carlos Cruchaga, Adam C Naj, Katherine A Gifford, Murat Bilgel, Amanda B Kuzma, Michael L Cuccaro, Margaret A Pericak-Vance, Lindsay A Farrer, Li-San Wang, Gerard D Schellenberg, Jonathan L Haines, Angela L Jefferson, Walter A Kukull, C Dirk Keene, Andrew J Saykin, Paul M Thompson, Eden R Martin, Marilyn S Albert, Sterling C Johnson, Corinne D Engelman, Luigi Ferrucci, David A Bennett, Lisa L Barnes, Julie A Schneider, Reisa A Sperling, Susan M Resnick, Paul K Crane, Logan Dumitrescu, Timothy J Hohman","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-68933-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68933-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The APOE-ε4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. However, APOE-ε4 is not deterministic, highlighting the need to identify additional genetic and environmental factors. APOE-ε4 has been linked to accelerated cognitive decline, so we sought to investigate genetic factors that modify APOE-ε4-associated cognitive decline. We conduct cross-ancestry APOE-ε4-stratified and interaction GWAS using harmonized cognitive data from 32,778 participants, including 29,354 non-Hispanic White and 3,424 non-Hispanic Black individuals. Our primary outcome is late-life cognition, measured using harmonized composite scores for memory, executive function, and language, modeled as continuous traits reflecting both normative cognitive aging and disease-related decline. We identify two genome-wide significant loci in APOE-ε4 carriers, reaching genome-wide significance for executive function. These loci also demonstrate nominal associations across the other domains, suggesting broad effects on cognition. In non-carriers, we identify a genome-wide significant association at ITGB8 restricted to executive function, and another locus associated with language. We further link these loci to SEMA6D, GRIN3A, and ITGB8 through expression and methylation databases. Post-GWAS analyses implicate additional genes including SLCO1A2, and DNAH11. Genetic correlation analyses reveal differences by APOE-ε4 status for immune-related traits, suggesting immune-related predispositions may exacerbate cognitive risk in APOE-ε4 carriers.</p>","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146258649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69300-8
Feimeng Zheng, Caifeng Yue, Guohui Li, Bin He, Wei Cheng, Xi Wang, Min Yan, Zijie Long, Wanshou Qiu, Zhongyu Yuan, Jie Xu, Bing Liu, Qian Shi, Eric W-F Lam, Mien-Chie Hung, Quentin Liu
{"title":"Author Correction: Nuclear AURKA acquires kinase-independent transactivating function to enhance breast cancer stem cell phenotype.","authors":"Feimeng Zheng, Caifeng Yue, Guohui Li, Bin He, Wei Cheng, Xi Wang, Min Yan, Zijie Long, Wanshou Qiu, Zhongyu Yuan, Jie Xu, Bing Liu, Qian Shi, Eric W-F Lam, Mien-Chie Hung, Quentin Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69300-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41467-026-69300-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12923848/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146258673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69753-x
Tonghui Wang, Lei Dai, C. Philippe Escoubet, Walter Gonzalez, Yong Ren, Minghui Zhu, Shan Wang, Chi Wang, Xu Wang, Kailai Wang, Jinjuan Liu
Geomagnetic substorms transfer solar wind energy into the planetary magnetosphere and ionosphere, producing auroral displays and ground magnetic disturbances, particularly intense during the expansion phase. Despite decades of study, the mechanisms governing the expansion phase remain unresolved. Based on coordinated observations of storm-time intense substorms, we reveal that substorm expansion is temporally embedded within a global cycle of field-aligned currents and auroral electrojets, coupled to large-scale plasma convection. The cycle manifests as a coherent movement of current peaks across magnetic longitude and latitude—first antisunward and equatorward, then sunward and poleward—and coincides with enhanced sunward ionospheric convection. This cycle involves two components of the auroral electrojets: the convection-driven DP-2 current and the expansion-phase DP-1 substorm current. The antisunward-equatorward phase, corresponding to intervals of dominant dayside reconnection, begins with DP-2 and can stepwise transition into DP-1. During the subsequent sunward-poleward phase, reflecting intervals of dominant nightside reconnection, DP-1 either persists from the earlier interval or develops within this phase. These observations show that expansion onset can occur under dominance of either dayside or nightside reconnection, while the full development of DP-1 generally involves nightside reconnection, providing insight into substorm evolution.
{"title":"Substorm expansion embedded in a global cycle of field-aligned currents and auroral electrojets","authors":"Tonghui Wang, Lei Dai, C. Philippe Escoubet, Walter Gonzalez, Yong Ren, Minghui Zhu, Shan Wang, Chi Wang, Xu Wang, Kailai Wang, Jinjuan Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41467-026-69753-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69753-x","url":null,"abstract":"Geomagnetic substorms transfer solar wind energy into the planetary magnetosphere and ionosphere, producing auroral displays and ground magnetic disturbances, particularly intense during the expansion phase. Despite decades of study, the mechanisms governing the expansion phase remain unresolved. Based on coordinated observations of storm-time intense substorms, we reveal that substorm expansion is temporally embedded within a global cycle of field-aligned currents and auroral electrojets, coupled to large-scale plasma convection. The cycle manifests as a coherent movement of current peaks across magnetic longitude and latitude—first antisunward and equatorward, then sunward and poleward—and coincides with enhanced sunward ionospheric convection. This cycle involves two components of the auroral electrojets: the convection-driven DP-2 current and the expansion-phase DP-1 substorm current. The antisunward-equatorward phase, corresponding to intervals of dominant dayside reconnection, begins with DP-2 and can stepwise transition into DP-1. During the subsequent sunward-poleward phase, reflecting intervals of dominant nightside reconnection, DP-1 either persists from the earlier interval or develops within this phase. These observations show that expansion onset can occur under dominance of either dayside or nightside reconnection, while the full development of DP-1 generally involves nightside reconnection, providing insight into substorm evolution.","PeriodicalId":19066,"journal":{"name":"Nature Communications","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":16.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146223216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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