Engineering topics

Hughes, W. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Hughes, W. J..

29 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1984

Magnetospheric pulsations observed by ISEE 1 and 2 satellites

The ISEE 1 and 2 spacecraft studied whether observed amplitude variations in hydromagnetic waves were due to the motion of the spacecraft through a time stationary structure or were due to temporal changes. The data provide evidence for spatially limited standing hydromagnetic wave resonant regions. The standing wave harmonic and Poynting vector were deduced from the simultaneous observations of the wave magnetic and electric field.

Singer, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Multispacecraft observations of the harmonic structure of Pc 3-4 magnetic pulsations

Harmonically related Pc 3-4 pulsations (7-100 mHz) are observed simultaneously by the three geosynchronous satellites ATS 6, SMS 1, and SMS 2, which are separated 20 deg from one another. At a given instant the frequency of the same harmonic is different from one spacecraft to another and each spacecraft observes a decrease in the fundamental frequency as it moves from morning (15 mHz) to afternoon (10 mHz). This frequency behavior is explained in terms of standing Alfven waves, for which the frequency is determined by the local magnetic field and plasma density. Occurrence of harmonic Pc 3-4 waves only during daytime hours (0400-2000 LT) and their frequency characteristics suggest a broadband energy source located on the dayside. Possible azimuthal wave number m and azimuthal phase velocity V(phi) of the second through fourth harmonics are determined from an unusual interval during which identical harmonic frequencies were observed at SMS 1 and ATS 6. Under the assumption of tailward propagation of constant-phase fronts at the same velocity for all these harmonics, V(phi) of about 1700 km/s is obtained.

Takahashi, K.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A second harmonic geomagnetic field line resonance at the inner edge of the plasma sheet - GEOS 1, ISEE 1, and ISEE 2 observations

A description is provided of observations made by GEOS 1, ISEE 1, and ISEE 2 of a hydromagnetic wave with a period approximately 90 s observed near 0200 LT between L = 9 and L = 6, close to the measured inner boundary of the plasma sheet. The wave magnetic oscillations perpendicular to and along the ambient field had similar amplitudes. Using primarily the transverse magnetic components, it is shown that the wave is a second harmonic resonance of the local geomagnetic field lines. ISEE 1 and 2 observed the opposite sense of polarization for about 30 min, although the spacecraft were separated by only 9 min in their orbit; this remarkable feature cannot be explained by either a stationary spatial boundary or a simple temporal boundary but could result from a rapid movement of the resonant region. It is argued that the most likely energy source is bounce resonance with medium energy (approximately 5 keV) ions. Calculations of the wave Poynting vector at ISEE 1 support this conclusion.

Hughes, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The extreme nearfield of an acoustic diffraction grating

An expression for the transmitted sound field near (within a fraction of a wavelength) an array of slits is derived under the assumption that the normal component of the particle velocity is the same, in the slits, as if no grating were present and zero everywhere else in the plane of the grating. The expression is in the form of an inverse Fourier transform and can be evaluated quickly using a standard fast-Fourier-transform (FFT) algorithm. Using this technique, the sound pressure on the axis of symmetry normal to the grating was evaluated for a plane-wave incident at various angles with respect to the normal to the grating, and the results were found to provide an excellent qualitative (and to a significant degree quantitative) description of some experimental measurements. Extensions of the method to oscillating pistons of arbitrary (but planar) configuration in a rigid baffle are indicated.

Ochs, R. L., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Theory of hydromagnetic waves in the magnetosphere

A survey of theoretical and experimental research on the origin and characteristics of low-frequency hydromagnetic (HM) waves in the magnetosphere is presented, with a focus on advances in theory made in the last ten years. Basic wave theory and a collisionless plasma theory are applied to the magnetosphere as a HM system. Continuous energy sources are considered, such as the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, the ring-current plasma, and drift instabilities. Other topics discussed include the theory of inhomogeneous HM waves, signal behavior in atmosphere and ionosphere, Alfven waves and ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling, Pi2 signals, damping, pulsating aurora, heavy-ion scattering, and standing waves in high-speed flows (like the wake phenomena caused on Jupiter by the passing of Io, observed by Voyager 1).

Southwood, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Pulsation research during the IMS

After describing the development status of the field of magnetic pulsations in 1975, before the initiation of the International Magnetospheric Study (IMS), attention is given to the IMS's novel observational results and an attempt is made to identify the most effective research methods employed. It is found that the most fruitful work involved small-scale collaboration between a few individuals or a few groups possessing complementary data sets. Consideration is restricted to research on the long period pulsations which can be broadly classified as field line resonances. Recommendations are made for future research efforts.

Hughes, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Standing hydromagnetic waves observed by ISEE 1 and 2 - Radial extent and harmonic

Direct measurements of the spatial extent of the resonant hydromagnetic waves associated with Pc 4 and 5 magnetic pulsations made by the closely spaced ISEE 1 and 2 satellites are presented together with ISEE 1 determinations of the harmonic of the resonant waves. The use of two satellites in similar orbits, which makes it possible to distinguish between spatial and temporal features, has shown the resonant region widths to extend over about 0.2 to 1.6 L shells for three events detected on the dayside between L = 4 and L = 7. The two events for which plasma density data was available occurred at plasma density gradients in the vicinity of the plasmapause. The standing wave harmonic was determined by the combination of two techniques: the comparison of the observed wave period with that predicted by standing wave theory, and the comparison of the phases of the observed wave electric and magnetic field. The two events analyzed are found to be second harmonic oscillations, suggesting internal generation in the magnetosphere by a bounce resonant mechanism.

Singer, H. J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Midlatitude Pi2 pulsations: AFGL and ISEE magnetometer observations correlated

The ISEE observations of the pi2 magnetic pulsations occuring substorm onset in the inner magnetosphere are discussed. One of these events which was also detected as a pi2 event by the AFGL midlatitude magnetometers is considered. The event occurred when the foot of the ISEE field line was over North America. The ground and satellite signals are remarkably similar: they start and stop at the same time, have the same period and can be correlated cycle by cycle. The waves are detected in the electric field data from ISEE 1 and in the magnetic field data from both ISEE 1 and ISEE 2. Calculation of the Poynting vector at ISEE 1 shows that the energy flowed mainly westward, but that there was also a component towards the nearer (southern) ionospheric foot of the field line. The phases between the various field components measured by ISEE 1 and 2 indicate that this is a standing hydromagnetic oscillation.

Hughes, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Geomagnetic pulsations observed simultaneously on three geostationary satellites

Simultaneous observations of magnetic pulsations have been made by three geostationary satellites carrying similar magnetometers and acting as an azimuthal array. Autospectral and cross-spectral analysis yields coherence and phase differences between the pulsations at the satellite positions. The majority of the data fit the Kelvin-Helmholtz generation mechanism. The azimuthal wave number changes sign near noon and corresponds to propagation away from noon. Usually, the wave number is less than 10 deg per degree of longitude. Later in the afternoon, however, strong pulsations are observed with low coherence, implying large wave numbers. This suggests an instability driven by a gradient in the intensity of energetic protons, which may be expected at this local time. The data also suggest that some of the observed phase difference between the azimuthal components is due to small separations in magnetic shell, whereas this is not the case for the radial components. This implies a localized field-line resonance.

Hughes, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

A statistical study of Pc 3 magnetic pulsations at synchronous orbit, ATS 6

Results are reported for a study designed to determine statistically the nature and variation of the polarization parameters of Pc3 magnetic pulsations at synchronous orbit. Data obtained with a triaxial flux gate magnetometer on the geosynchronous satellite ATS 6 are subjected to routine power spectral and polarization analyses, and the events examined are identified as peaks in the spectra. Coherence analysis of spectral matrices for these events indicates that Pc3 are very common at synchronous orbit and are primarily a local morning phenomenon with an occurrence peak around 1000 LT; that the pulsations occur at all frequencies in the Pc3 band, with the most common frequency at about 0.35 Hz; that the Pc3 at synchronous orbit are most often linear and generally transverse, but some have significant compressional components; and that based on azimuth angle, there are two distinct classes of Pc3 (azimuthal and radial) with different characteristics. These statistical results are compared with model predictions and ground-based observations.

Arthur, C. W.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Multiple satellite observations of pulsation resonance structure in the magnetosphere

Data from two intervals when pulsation activity was simultaneously observed on both ATS 1 and Ogo 5 satellites are presented. The first example, a Pc 4, indicates that this pulsation is caused by a field line near L = 7 resonating in its second-harmonic mode. This is inferred from both plasma density measurements and polarization characteristics. The wave was not observed at three ground stations in the vicinity of the satellite conjugate points. This indicates that Pc 4 waves are very localized in latitude and that a close array (less than 100 km) is needed to perform effective correlation with satellites. The second event, which is also in the Pc 4 band, can again be inferred to be a field line resonance from the polarization characteristics

Hughes, W. J.↗