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Burch, J. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Burch, J. L..

At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Plasma boundaries in the inner magnetosphere

Based principally on data collected aboard the DE 1 and 2 spacecraft during the October 7 to December 1, 1981 period, plasma boundaries in the inner magnetosphere are studied. Results indicate that in the evening sector, the low-energy ion transition and the 100-eV inner edge of the electron plasma sheet are coincident with each other, with the field lines threading the 100-eV equatorward edge of the auroral electron precipitation, and with variations in magnetic activity. A characteristic energy dispersion, observed in the plasma sheet inner edges at 100 eV, 1 keV and 10 keV, with the lower energy boundaries located earthward of the higher energy boundaries, is shown to increase from the midnight sector toward dusk, and to decrease with increasing magnetic activity. In the evening sector, these boundaries are shown to be accurate signatures of the boundary between closed and open convection trajectories, and the characteristic electron energy sheet dispersion is found to be similarly governed by the convection pattern such that the inner edges may be seen as the Alfven layers at those energies.

Horwitz, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Aperture plane potential control for thermal ion measurements

The effects produced by the addition of an aperture plane to control the bias around an instrument for low-energy ion measurements on satellites collecting data in the plasmasphere and over the polar cap are analyzed. The analysis is based on the design and functions of the retarding ion mass spectrometer (RIMS) on the DE 1 satellite. The NASA Charging Analyzer Program, which treats the spacecraft as a cylinder, was used to generate one set of predictions. A second model involves solution of the Laplace equation with the spacecraft treated as a sphere. Both models were used to predict the barrier height expected at the aperture in response to the bias induced to offset the potential. Comparisons with plasma data show that in the thin sheath regime of the plasmasphere the detectors act as if the potential is shifted, thereby lowering the energy resolution of the instrument. Outside the plasmasphere the barrier height dominates the spin curve variations more than the potential. Partial potential control is available from induced bias apertures if control is active and guided by electron detectors with sensitivities in the 0.5-50.0 eV energy range.

Olsen, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The theta aurora

A comprehensive review is presented of the characteristics of theta aurora as revealed from four imaging efforts with the DE 1 and 2 satellites. The theta aurora consists of an auroral oval with a sun-aligned arc extending from the dayside to the nightside sectors of the oval. The DE 1 spacecraft provided high altitude simultaneous measurements of the electric and magnetic fields and plasma and the DE 2 collected equivalent low altitude data on the four events. The plasma was found to convect sunward when the transpolar arc appeared, while the convection was antisunward in other regions over the polar cap. The arc plasmas featured field-aligned electron acceleration into the polar atmosphere and field-aligned current sheets, both of which were sparse over the rest of the polar cap. The ions originated in the ionosphere and the solar wind; ions over the rest of the polar cap mainly arrived from the magnetosphere. Further discussions are provided of the dominant electrons and ions and the associated flow directions into and out of the various regions of the pole, similarities between the transpolar arc and the auroral oval, and interactions between the ionosphere and the auroral phenomena.

Frank, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Evidence of high densities and ion outflows in the polar cap during the recovery phase

The composition and characteristics of the polar cap plasma for an Oct. 14, 1981 outflow of polar wind ions are examined using data from the DE 1 satellite. The on-board instruments included a plasma wave instrument, a retarding ion mass spectrometer (RIMS) and a high altitude plasma instrument (HAPI). The outflow took place at an altitude of about 19,000 km at a magnetic local time of about midnight. The total plasma density measured was about 50/cu cm, which was an order of magnitude higher than normally recorded at that location and altitude. The background hydrogen plasma was disturbed by highly collimated flows of hydrogen and oxygen ions. The H(+) ions had a mean energy of 0.15 eV and a density of 6-10/cu cm. The O(+) ions had an average density of 20/cu cm and a temperature of 0.26 eV. The total flux of outflowing H(+) and O(+) was about 10 million/sq cm per sec. The HAPI data indicated that the O(+) ions appeared in the dayside ionosphere and the H(+) ions detected by the RIMS originated in the nightside polar cap.

Gallagher, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

DE-1 observations of hole electron distribution functions and the cyclotron maser resonance

The hole electron distribution functions observed by the DE-1 satellite within inverted-V events at altitudes of between 9000 km and 15,000 km are examined as a possible free energy source for exciting Z-mode radiation through cyclotron maser resonance. In the DE-1 observations the hole distribution function had center velocities varying between 8000 km/s and 20,000 km/s, with the radii varying between 2000 km/s and 10,000 km/s. The observed distribution function is fitted by an exponential function around the center of the hole, and is used to calculate growth rates of Z-mode radiation. Growth rates as high as 0.001 of the electron gyrofrequency are obtained. It is also shown that the observed hole distribution functions can excite Z-mode radiation at wave frequencies slightly above the gyrofrequency, and wave propagation angles slightly below 90 deg in the source region. The results suggest that the hole distribution function could provide additional amplification for Z-mode waves in the auroral zone.

Lin, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Heating of upflowing ionospheric ions on auroral field lines

The upflow of ionospheric ions along auroral field lines is investigated on the basis of nearly simultaneous particle measurements obtained with DE-1 at 9000-15,000 km and DE-2 at 400-800 km during four auroral conjunction events in 1981. The data are presented in extensive graphs and maps and characterized in detail. The distributions of the upflowing ions are shown to be consistent with acceleration of a Maxwellian by a parallel electric field, but from the energy levels involved (hundreds of eV) it is inferred that an ionospheric source is being heated within or above the acceleration region, possibly by an ion two-stream instability.

Reiff, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Banded ion morphology - Main and recovery storm phases

The occurrence of bands in ion spectra obtained with the high-altitude and low-altitude plasma instruments on DE-1 and DE-2, respectively, during main and recovery storm phases from the period September 1981 - January 1982 is analyzed statistically. Typical spectra are shown; diagrams and graphs of storm morphology are provided; and two theoretical models (one based on time-of-flight effects and another based on convective dispersion) are discussed. It is found that bands occur more often in the main phase than in the recovery phase, and more often and at higher latitudes in the evening than before noon. From the stability of the bands and the dependence of energy on latitude it is inferred that convective dispersion plays a more important role than time-of-flight effects in the motion of heavy ions in the magnetosphere.

Frahm, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Statistical study of enhanced ion fluxes in the outer plasmasphere

DE-1 measurements of ion outflows at E = 5 eV to 32 keV in the Northern Hemisphere outer plasmasphere are compiled in graphs and investigated statistically. The data comprise 40 dayside (6:00-12:00 magnetic local time) and 50 nightside (18:00-23:00) passages at magnetic activities Kp = 0-7 and include six magnetic storms and recoveries as well as quiet periods. Features noted include enhanced number fluxes during periods of increased magnetic activity, upward dayside and downward nightside flows, peak net H(+) fluxes greater than 10 to the 8th/sq cm sec, and greater field-aligned flows (but at lower ion temperatures) in the outer plasmasphere than in the plasma trough.

Menietti, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

DE-1 observations of solar wind-magnetosphere coupling processes in the polar cusp

Measurements of hot plasma distribution functions in the midaltitude polar cusp by the Dynamics Explorer-1 spacecraft have provided new information on the processes of magnetosheath plasma injection and transport and the dependence of these phenomena on solar-wind parameters. Results on magnetosheath plasma injection have included: (1) localization of the region of plasma injection to the high-latitude cusp-magnetosheath interface, (2) movement of this region toward lower latitudes as B(z) becomes more southward, (3) maintenance of quasi-neutrality of suprathermal plasmas within the cusp, and (4) support for merging-type injection at the high-latitude cusp boundary for northward IMF. Plasma flow measurements from Dynamics Explorer-1 have led to a global IMF-dependent convection model which contains both merging and viscous driving forces.

Burch, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Auroral zone electric fields from DE 1 and 2 at magnetic conjunctions

Nearly simultaneous measurements of auroral zone electric fields are obtained by the Dynamics Explorer spacecraft at altitudes below 900 km and above 4,500 km during magnetic conjunctions. The measured electric fields are usually perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. The north-south meridional electric fields are projected to a common altitude by a mapping function which accounts for the convergence of the magnetic field lines. When plotted as a function of invariant latitude, graphs of the projected electric fields measured by both DE-1 and DE-2 show that the large-scale electric field is the same at both altitudes, as expected. Superimposed on the large-scale fields, however, are small-scale features with wavelengths less than 100 km which are larger in magnitude at the higher altitude. Fourier transforms of the electric fields show that the magnitudes depend on wavelength. Outside of the auroral zone the electric field spectrums are nearly identical. But within the auroral zone the high and low altitude electric fields have a ratio which increases with the reciprocal of the wavelength. The small-scale electric field variations are associated with field-aligned currents. These currents are measured with both a plasma instrument and magnetometer on DE-1.

Weimer, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Quasi-neutrality in the polar cusp

Data from the High Altitude Plasma Instrument on Dynamics Explorer have shown a remarkably close correspondence between the densities of suprathermal electrons and positive ions at altitudes between 16,000 and 23,000 km in the polar cusp. It is argued that this quasi-neutrality results from an ambipolar electric field at the magnetopause, which allows the entry of magnetosheath electrons only to the extent required to balance the charge carried by the positive ions.

Burch, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

'Electron conic' signatures observed in the nightside auroral zone and over the polar cap

The high altitude plasma instrument, i.e., five electrostatic analyzers, on board the DE 1 satellite obtained data on electron conical distributions during two nightside auroral zone passes and one polar cap pass. The southern orbit apogee was 675 km, the northern, 24,000 km. Electrons confined to the outside of the loss cone were the highest energy particles detected. The upward integrated flux was greater than the downward flux, indicating the presence of a heating process perpendicular to the geomagnetic field.

Menietti, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Wave-particle interactions induced by SEPAC on Spacelab 1 Wave observations

Space experiments with particle accelerators (SEPAC) flew on Spacelab 1 in November and December 1983. SEPAC included an accelerator which emitted electrons into the ionospheric plasma with energies up to 5 keV and currents up to 300 mA. The SEPAC equipment also included an energetic plasma generator, a neutral gas generator, and an extensive array of diagnostics. The diagnostics included plasma wave detectors, and energetic electron analyzer, a photometer, a high sensitivity television camera, a Langmuir probe and a pressure gage. Twenty-eight experiments were performed during the mission to investigate beam-plasma interactions, electron beam dynamics, plasma beam propagation, and vehicle charging. The wave-particle interactions were monitored by the plasma wave instrumentation, by the energetic electron detector and by the optical detectors. All show evidence of wave-particle interactions, which are described in this paper.

Taylor, W. W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

IMF By-dependent plasma flow and Birkeland currents in the dayside magnetosphere. I - Dynamics Explorer observations

Plasma, magnetic-field, and dc electric-field observations from Dynamics Explorers 1 and 2 are used to investigate the morphology of solar-wind ion injection, Birkeland currents, and plasma convection in the morning sector for both positive and negative interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By components. The results of the study are used to construct a By-dependent global convection model for southward IMF. A significant element of the model is the coexistence of three types of convection cells ('merging cells', 'viscous cells', and 'lobe cells'). This model can account for observations of a nearly stationary (in local time) convection 'throat', a sunward-antisunward convection reversal zone at the polar-cap boundary in both the morning and afternoon quadrants, the morphology of solar-wind ion injection and transport in the mid-altitude polar cusp, and the By-dependent dawn-dusk asymmetry of polar-cap electron fluxes.

Burch, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

IMF B(y)-dependent plasma flow and Birkeland currents in the dayside magnetosphere. II - A global model for northward and southward IMF

The qualitative convection pattern presented by Burch et al. (1984) is extended here to all interplanetary magnetic field orientations. The model of Burch et al. is based on the antiparallel merging hypothesis of Crooker (1979) with the addition of small but finite cells driven by quasi-viscous processes on the dawn and dusk edges of the polar cap. Although the treatment presented here is only qualitative, interesting predictions are made about newly observed phenomena, such as theta auroras.

Reiff, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Escape of suprathermal O(+) ions in the polar cap

Instruments on board the Dynamics Explorer (DE) 1 and 2 spacecraft have been used to investigate the characteristics of a very low-energy (less than 10 eV) outflow of O(+) ions at high altitudes over the polar cap. The measured O(+) outflow has a relatively high Mach number (2-6) and a flux of about 2 x 10 to the 8th/(sq cm s). A statistical study using 50 orbits of retarding ion mass spectrometer data indicates that the outflows occur during active magnetic conditions, lasting for several hours over large areas of the polar cap. The observations are then discussed and analyzed in a framework based on polar wind models with particular attention paid to the new information obtained by the DE 2 Fabry-Perot interferometer, and the impact these flows have on the composition of the magnetosphere. The observed suprathermal outflow of O(+) suggests a scenario requiring both significant compositional changes in the high latitude thermosphere and significant heating of the ions and electrons in the topside ionoshpere.

Waite, J. H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Enhanced ion outflows measured by the DE 1 high altitude plasma instrument in the dayside plasmasphere during the recovery phase

Ion flow velocities both parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field, and including the effects of spacecraft charging and spacecraft velocity, have been measured during the recovery phase of two large magnetic storms on October 14 and 21 of 1981. These measurements were made both inside and outside the plasmasphere and indicate unreported yet substantial outflows of ions within the dayside plasmasphere (October 14). Combined data from instruments on board the Dynamics Explorer satellite, including the high altitude plasma instrument, the energetic ion composition spectrometer, the retarding ion mass spectrometer, and the plasma wave instrument, indicate that these ions are most likely dominantly O(+) at energies at least as low as 5 eV. The nightside pass (October 21), which occurred during the recovery phase of a similar storm, showed no plasmaspheric outflows. The results indicate that a large contribution to the outflux into the dayside plasmasphere during the recovery period is due to E greater than 5 eV ions.

Menietti, J. D.↗