Engineering topics

Kurth, W. S.

Publications and source records attributed to Kurth, W. S..

176 records · Page 10

NASA NTRS1979

Structure and properties of Jupiter's magnetoplasmadisc

Voyager 1 plasma-wave observations have revealed the existence of an earthlike continuum radiation trapped in Jupiter's magnetospheric cavity at frequencies below the solar-wind plasma frequency. This radiation serves as an accurate diagnostic of the local electron number density throughout most of Jupiter's outer magnetosphere and yields information regarding the gross configuration of the magnetoplasmadisk as well as its kinematical properties. Magnetic-field observations are used to construct radial profiles of plasma pressure, density, and temperature from 20-80 Jupiter radii in the early-morning plasma sheet, along with plasma-sheet crossings and estimated thicknesses. The study suggests that hot protons (about 10 keV) are the dominant constituents of the plasma sheet (average thickness about 4.2 Jupiter radii) out to 80 Jupiter radii, beyond which centrifugal effects take over and distort the sheet toward the rotational equator.

Barbosa, D. D.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Low frequency radio emissions from Jupiter - Jovian kilometric radiation

A new component of the Jovian radio spectrum has been observed by the plasma wave instruments on Voyager 1 and 2 at frequencies ranging from about 10 to 56 kHz or higher. This Jovian kilometric radiation is characterized by storms of emissions lasting typically 45 minutes at 56.2 kHz, however some events persist for as long as four hours. The storms usually exhibit impulsive bursts with time scales of a few seconds to several minutes, although some events show smoothly varying intensities as a function of time. High resolution frequency-time spectrograms reveal a continuum-like background with more intense, narrowband features superimposed. The narrowband, or discrete, features tend to decrease in frequency with increasing time, falling about 1 kHz in 5 to 60 seconds. The maximum power emitted assuming an isotropic radiator near Jupiter and a bandwidth for the most intense bursts of about 10 kHz is about 10 to the 19th watts. The Jovian kilometric radiation is most likely observed within + or - 45 deg of 200 deg System III longitude, lambda III, although there is a secondary maximum near lambda III = 25 deg.

Kurth, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Auroral hiss observed near the Io plasma torus

Characteristics of auroral hiss emissions detected near the Io plasma torus by Voyager 1 are described. These characteristics are compared with those of similar emissions detected in earth's magnetosphere. Implications are discussed regarding the interaction of the Io plasma torus with the Jovian magnetosphere.

Gurnett, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Plasma wave turbulence at Jupiter's bow shock

Voyager 1 measurements of wave-particle interactions of Jupiter's bow shock are reported. Some of the wave phenomena detected during the spacecraft's third inbound passage are discussed. The results indicate that the Jovian magnetosheath was characterized by a virtual absence of detectable plasma wave turbulence after passage through the bow shock and that there were impulsive wave structures within the shock with durations as small as 1, 2, or 3 sec.

Scarf, F. L.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Intense electrostatic waves near the upper hybrid resonance frequency

Plasma wave measurements using instruments on the Imp 6 and Hawkeye satellites are utilized in a study of very intense electrostatic waves near the upper hybrid resonance frequency in the region just outside the plasmapause. Studies of these electrostatic disturbances show that the events occur at local times and at magnetic latitudes varying from the equator to 50 deg, and the polarization of these waves is such that the wave electric field vector is oriented perpendicular to the geomagnetic field. In most cases the center frequency of the intense waves corresponds to an (n + 1/2) fg(-) harmonic near the upper hybrid resonance frequency. The hot distribution on function is described for a few events showing temperature anisotropy and a loss cone distribution. A possible mechanism for producing intense waves near the upper hybrid resonance frequency is suggested, and evidence which indicates that the intense electrostatic waves may be a source of nonthermal continuum radiation is given.

Kurth, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Pitch-angle diffusion by whistler mode waves near the Io plasma torus

As Voyager 1 traversed the inner radiation belt of Jupiter, wave-particle interactions involving energetic electrons and whistler mode turbulence were strongly affected by the presence of the Io plasma torus. Within the high density torus the resonant electron energy was low and the associated high index of refraction yielded high B-to-E ratios for the wave fields, leading to very strong pitch-angle scattering. It is shown that significant spatial and temporal variations in plasma conditions produced large fluctuations in local scattering times, and the problems associated with the evaluation of precipitation lifetime are discussed.

Scarf, F. L.↗

NASA NTRS1979

High-resolution spectrograms of ion acoustic waves in the solar wind

High-resolution, frequency-time spectrograms of ion acoustic waves in the solar wind obtained by the Voyager spacecraft at distances of up to 1.7 AU are examined. The plasma wave instrument on board the Voyager spacecraft used to acquire the spectra employs an electric dipole antenna with a 16-channel step frequency receiver and a high-bit-rate waveform receiver to detect and measure the electric field of plasma waves. Voyager spectrograms show that the ion acoustic waves consist of narrowband, rapidly varying bursts, lasting a few seconds or less, usually in the range between the plasma ion and electron frequencies. Spectrograms taken at 1.7 AU are shown to be essentially identical to similar measurements taken upstream of the earth's magnetosphere, which are produced by suprathermal protons streaming into the solar wind from the bow shock, and to those taken upstream of interplanetary shocks.

Kurth, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

A comparison of intense electrostatic waves near f-UHR with linear instability theory

Intense electrostatic waves near the upper hybrid resonance frequency (f-UHR) have recently been detected near but beyond the plasmapause between + or -50 deg magnetic latitude at all local times. The paper shows that the electrostatic waves observed with the ISEE 1 plasma wave receiver near f-UHR are in qualitative agreement with linear theory of multicyclotron harmonic emissions. The peak amplitudes and bandwidths observed are similar to those calculated for maximum spatial growth rates. Measurements on Hawkeye of similar waves suggest that the electric field polarization is also consistent with theory. For a wide range of plasma parameters, nonconvective instability or large spatial growth rates occur within the cyclotron band encompassing the cold upper hybrid frequency.

Kurth, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Whistlers observed by Voyager 1 - Detection of lightning on Jupiter

During the Voyager 1 encounter with Jupiter a number of discrete signals were identified in the wideband plasma wave data with characteristics similar to whistlers generated by lightning. In this paper we show that the calculated whistler-mode travel times from Jupiter to the spacecraft are in good agreement with the measured dispersion characteristics, thereby confirming that the signals are caused by lightning on Jupiter and substantiating the Voyager 1 photographic evidence for lightning on Jupiter. A quantitative estimate of the north-south thickness of the Io plasma torus is also obtained from the measured whistler dispersion.

Gurnett, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The heliocentric radial variation of plasma oscillations associated with type III radio bursts

A survey is presented of all of the electron plasma oscillation events found to date in association with low-frequency type III solar radio bursts using approximately 9 years of observations from the Imp 6 and 8, Helios 1 and 2, and Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. Plasma oscillation events associated with type III radio bursts show a pronounced increase in both the intensity and the frequency of occurrence with decreasing heliocentric radial distance. This radial dependence explains why intense electron plasma oscillations are seldon observed in association with type III radio bursts at the orbit of the earth. Possible interpretations of the observed radial variation in the plasma oscillation intensity are considered.

Gurnett, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Direction-finding measurements of type III radio bursts out of the ecliptic plane

A series of two-dimensional direction-finding measurements for three type III solar radio bursts is presented which is based on spin-modulation measurements from two satellites (IMP 8 and Hawkeye I) whose spin axes were nearly perpendicular to each other. The two-dimensional direction-finding technique is combined with a model of the solar-wind plasma density in order to provide determinations of type III source locations out of the ecliptic plane as well as information on the three-dimensional structure of the solar magnetic field at radial distances of 0.2 to 1.0 AU from the sun. The direction-finding technique is described in detail, characteristics of the bursts observed by the two satellites are summarized, and the solar-wind model is outlined. The results show that the source locations follow an Archimedean spiral when projected onto the ecliptic plane but usually follow a constant heliocentric latitude perpendicular to that plane. It is also found that measured source sizes are a factor of two larger than the angular sizes of previously reported solar-flare electron emissions, that the spin-modulation factor tends to be largest near the beginning of a type III event, and that the arrival direction of the radiation varies systematically during an event.

Baumback, M. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Direction-finding measurements of type 3 radio bursts out of the ecliptic plane

Direction-finding measurements with the plasma wave experiments on the HAWKEYE 1 and IMP 8 satellites are used to find the source locations of type 3 solar radio bursts in heliocentric latitude and longitude in a frequency range from 31.1 kHz to 500 kHz. Using an empirical model for the emission frequency as a function of radial distance from the sun the three-dimensional trajectory of the type 3 radio source can be determined from direction-finding measurements at different frequencies. Since the electrons which produce these radio emissions follow the magnetic field lines from the sun these measurements provide information on the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field in the solar wind. The source locations projected into the ecliptic plane follow an Archimedian spiral. Perpendicular to the ecliptic plane the source locations usually follow a constant heliocentric latitude. With direction-finding measurements of this type it is also possible to determine the source size from the modulation factor of the received signals.

Baumback, M. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Direction-finding measurements of auroral kilometric radiation

Direction-finding measurements with plasma wave experiments on the Hawkeye 1 and Imp 8 satellites are used to locate the source region of auroral kilometric radiation. This radiation has peak intensities between about 100 and 300 kHz and is emitted in intense sporadic bursts lasting for from half an hour to several hours. At peak intensity the total power emitted in this frequency range exceeds 1 billion W. The occurrence of this radiation is known to be closely associated with bright auroral arcs which occur in the local evening auroral regions. Hawkeye 1 provides direction-finding measurements of kilometric radiation from observations at high latitudes over the northern polar regions, and Imp 8 provides similar observations at large radial distances near the equatorial plane. Results from both satellites place the source of the intense auroral kilometric rdiation in the late local evening at about 22.0 hours LT and at a distance of about 0.75 earth radii from the polar axis of the earth.

Kurth, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Direction finding measurements of auroral kilometric radiation

Direction finding measurements with plasma wave experiments onboard the Hawkeye-1 and IMP-8 satellites were used to locate the source region of auroral kilometric radiation. The radiation exhibits peak intensities between about 100 kHz and 300 kHz, and emits intense sporadic bursts lasting for between one half hour to several hours. The total power emitted in this frequency range exceeds 10 to the 9th power watts at peak intensity. The occurrence of the radiation is known to be closely associated with bright auroral arcs which occur in the local evening auroral regions.

Kurth, W. S.↗