Engineering topics

Siscoe, G. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Siscoe, G. L..

At least 37 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1987

Types of planetary tori

While satellite tori are morphologically similar, they divide into dynamically distinct groups whose global balances of ions and neutrals are presently modeled in order to determine how a torus behaves as a consequence of whether it generates itself and whether it disperses or recombines in place. Six possible types of behavior result; attention is given to the equilibrium and stability of each type. The behavior of a perturbation is characterized by a trajectory in the two-dimensional space formed by the ion density and neutral density perturbations. The equilibrium is stable if a perturbation follows its trajectory toward the origin, but is unstable if the motion is away from it. An attempt is made to classify the Jupiter and Saturn tori in this light.

Huang, T. S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

IMF B(y) and day-night conductivity effects in the expanding polar cap convection model

During southward B(z) periods the open field line region in the ionosphere (polar cap) expands due to increased dayside merging. Ionospheric plasma flow patterns result which can be classified by the sign of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B(y) component. In this paper, a time-dependent ionospheric convection model is constructed to simulate these flows. The model consists of a spiral boundary with a gap in it. The sign of the IMF B(y) component determines the geometry of the gap. A potential is applied across the gap and distributed around the boundary. A flow results which enters the polar cap through the gap and uniformly pushes the boundary outward. Results of the model show that B(y) effects are greatest near the gap and virtually unnoticeable on the nightside of the polar cap. Adding a day-night ionospheric conductivity gradient concentrates the polar cap electric field toward dawn. The resulting flow curvature gives a sunward component that is independent of B(y). These patterns are shown to be consistent with published observations.

Moses, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Centrifugal field line breaking - An upper limit to Io mass injection

The magnetic field generated by the current needed to balance the centrifugal force on the Io torus plasma is considered to find a self-consistent equation for radial mass transport. Solutions are obtained which give plasma density and field strength as a function of distance for different mass transport rates. The solutions are subjected to a stability analyses to find where the field lines break about 3 x 10 to the 30th atoms/sec (about 100,000 kg/sec) it reaches Io. This sets an upper limit on the magnetosphere's ability to off-load mass from Io. The effect of corotation lag was ignored.

Huang, T. S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Stability of the Io torus

The inherent stability of the coupled neutral-plasma Io torus is investigated. Under the assumptions that the neutrals arise through sputtering by corotating torus ions, and that the ions move radially by centrifugally driven diffusion, it is found that the equilibrium state properties of the Io torus depend on two quantities: the sputtering yield, and Jupiter's ionospheric Pedersen conductance. For fixed values of these quantities, the torus equilibrium state is stable. When the torus neutral and ion densities deviate from the equilibrium state, the perturbations decay without oscillating, with a decay time near 1 day for the neutrals and near 60 days for the ions. The growths of the neutrals and ions from seed populations are computed. The torus evolves directly to its equilibrium state.

Huang, T. S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A model of the Io plasma ribbon

The plasma ribbon noted by Trauger's (1984) in earth-based measurements of the Io plasma torus is presently identified as the source of density fluctuations driving the plasma diffusion outward, in a linearized convection model. This model, which is found to be consistent with the Trauger data, yields simple expressions which encompass the thickness of the source ring, a linear convection cell dimension, and the exponent of the zenocentric radius power law satisfied by the plasma density in the source ring.

Summers, D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Satellite tori at Saturn

The inner satellites of Saturn are icy bodies imbedded in a plasma environment in which they are continuously bombarded by energetic ions, corotating plasma, and solar radiation. Laboratory sputtering experiments indicate that this should result in the injection of substantial amounts of neutral H, H2, OH, H2O, and O2 into the magnetosphere. The atomic processes affecting these neutrals and the neutrals and ions formed from them are modeled, and the steady state neutral and ion densities expected in the plasma tori of Enceladus, Dione-Tethys, and Rhea are calculated. Comparison with observations shows that recombination can limit the Enceladus and Dione-Tethys tori to the observed densities, but that transport rates of at least 4 x 10 to the -8th Saturn radii squared/s are required to limit torus densities at Rhea to the observed values.

Richardson, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

On the use of a sunward libration-point-orbiting spacecraft as an interplanetary magnetic field monitor for magnetospheric studies

In order to test the accuracy of using magnetometer data from a spacecraft orbiting the sunward libration point to determine the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), the angle between the IMF at ISEE 3, when it was positioned around the libration point, and at ISEE 1, orbiting the earth, has been calculated for a data set of 1-hour periods covering four months. For each period, a 10-minute average of ISEE 1 data is compared with 10-minute averages of ISEE 3 data at successively lagged intervals. It is concluded that the IMF orientation at a libration-point-orbiting spacecraft, lagged by the time required for the solar wind to convect to the earth, is a convenient predictor of IMF orientation near the earth, to within about 20-degree accuracy.

Kelly, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

International Cometary Explorer encounter with Giacobini-Zinner - Magnetic field observations

The vector helium magnetometer on the International Cometary Explorer observed the magnetic fields induced by the interaction of comet Giacobini-Zinner with the solar wind. A magnetic tail was penetrated about 7800 kilometers downstream from the comet and was found to be 10,000 kilometers wide. It consisted of two lobes, containing oppositely directed fields with strengths up to 60 nanoteslas, separated by a plasma sheet about 1000 kilometers thick containing a thin current sheet. The magnetotail was enclosed in an extended ionosheath characterized by intense hydromagnetic turbulence and interplanetary fields draped around the comet. A distant bow wave, which may or may not have been a bow shock, was observed at both edges of the ionoshpeath. Weak turbulence was observed well upstream of the bow wave.

Smith, E. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Major flattening of the distant geomagnetic tail

The development of a magnetotail cross section model is examined. The characteristics of the model are described. The flux content and magnetic field component are evaluated. The model predictions for the magnetotail are compared with observations. The model predicts insignificant flattening in the near-earth magnetotail, and sizable flattening in the deep and the distant magnetotail caused by the anisotropic magnetic pressure of magnetosheath field lines. Correlation between the model and observations for the distant magnetotail, magnetopause occurrence, and the magnetopause attitude is observed.

Sibeck, D. G.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The bow wave of Comet Giacobini-Zinner - ICE magnetic field observations

Fitting of a Mach 2 shock surface to the ICE magnetic field data obtained near Comet Giacobini-Zinner has provided subsolar bow wave distances that infer neutral gas outflow rates comparable to previous measurements, and orientations of the bow wave symmetry axis that are consistent with the plasma measurements and motion of the comet relative to the solar wind. Mach values of 1.5-2 and transition thicknesses of the order of 10,000 km are inferred when the field magnitude and variance data are compared. Cross spectra of the transverse field components in and near the bow wave exhibit a peak near 0.01 Hz, or near the cyclotron frequency of ions from the water group. However, the level of turbulence is not consistent with that observed for similar configurations at planetary bow shocks.

Jones, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Giacobini-Zinner magnetotail - Ice magnetic field observations

A well developed magnetotail with a diameter of about 10,000 km has been revealed 7800 km downstream of the nucleus of Comet Giacobini-Zinner by International Cometary Explorer magnetic field observations. The tail is composed of two lobes of opposite magnetic polarity that are separated by an approximately 1500 km-thick plasma sheets. The field magnitude increases by a factor of 2 between the outer portions of the lobe and the central regions, where peak fields of about 60 nT were measured. Flaring is lowest in the high field regions of the central tail and greatest in the outer portions of the lobes, where minimum variance analyses on the magnetopause crossings furnishes flare angles of 20-40 deg. The Alfven field line draping model of type I cometary tails is confirmed by these observations.

Slavin, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Statics and dynamics of Giacobini-Zinner magnetic tail

The data gathered by the International Cometary Explorer during its traversal of Comet Giacobini-Zinner's tail are subjected to stress balance requirements, yielding estimates of unmeasured quantities. It is noted that the comet's tail is embedded in an ionosheath whose static pressure is nearly equal to the solar wind stagnation pressure, leading to a large lobe field strength. A systematic variation is found in the ion temperature across the tail, implying the variation of the pickup velocity of new ions. Axial stress balance yields an expression for the strength of the lobe field which reveals weak variation with axial distance.

Siscoe, G. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Cometary rays - Magnetically channeled outflow

The present model of the structure and evolution of cometary rays views this radiation as the channeled outflow of cometary ions from the ionosphere. While ions in the central tail ray flow down the channel formed by the tailward closing of the draped interplanetary field, ions in the side rays flow through magnetic flux ropes that become embedded in the cometary ionosphere through Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of the cometary ionopause. The flux ropes tunnel through the ionosphere, penetrate the ionopause at two points, and extend out into the solar wind on both sides of the comet. Differences in observed cometary ray structure are attributed to differences in the radial distance and ecliptic latitude of different comets at the time of observation.

Wolff, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Calculation of charge-state ratios for satellite Tor I

The diffusion of ions in a satellite plasma torus is presently modeled in terms of a one-dimensional random walk in which the particle source is at 0, the particle sink is at an N value that is an integer greater than 2, and the scale size of the diffusion cell is unity. The probability distribution function of the number of steps to exit for an ion is obtained and used in a model which incorporates ionization by electron impact to derive steady state expressions for the ratio of doubly to singly ionized ions, as well as the total number of ions in the torus. The results thus obtained are applied to the torus of the Jovian satellite Io, in order to predict mean residence times for sulfur and oxygen ions.

Summers, D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

High-latitude convection on open and closed field lines for large IMF B(y)

S3-3 electric field observations for August 23, 1976, show a single convection cell engulfing the northern polar cap. The flow direction is that for a positive IMF B(y) component. The particle data indicate that nearly half the duskside sunward flow occurs on closed field lines whereas the dawnside flow is entirely on open field lines. This is interpreted in terms of an IMF B(y)-induced deformation in the polar cap boundary, where the deformation moves with the convective flow. Thus, convection streamlines cross the deformed polar cap boundary, but no flow crosses the boundary because it is carried by the flow. Since southern hemisphere convection is expected to occur with the opposite sense of rotation, closed field lines that will be forced to tilt azimuthally are predicted. On the nightside the tilt produces a y component of the magnetic field in the same direction as the IMF for either sign of IMF B(y). This interpretation is consistent with observations of a greater y component in the plasma sheet than the tail lobes, which are difficult to understand in terms of the common explanation of IMF penetration. Alternatives to this interpretation are also discussed.

Moses, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Magnetic field properties of the distant magnetotail magnetopause and boundary layer

Models incorporating merging between dayside magnetosheath and magnetosphere field lines predict the location of the magnetotail boundary layer and bending of magnetotail field lines in the direction of the IMF. Previous observations supporting these models are reviewed, and a case of dense magnetotail boundary layer plasma and strongly bent field lines observed by ISEE 3 is examined. Observations of boundary layer plasma within a tangential discontinuity magnetopause are discussed. The model to explain this phenomenon requires that interconnected magnetotail and magnetosheath field lines leave the magnetotail via a narrow 'window'. Field lines in the dense boundary layer plasma veer away from the aberrated x axis more than those in the void magnetotail lobes in order to pass through the windows. Magnetosheath plasma must enter the magnetotail lobes through the windows at all downstream distances in order to supply he observed tailward flux of lobe plasma.

Sibeck, D. G.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Wave modes of the Io plasma torus

The corotating magnetospheric convection model is analyzed with the objective of deriving the fundamental wave modes present in the Io torus. The time-dependent equations of motion are linearized for the case of the absence of plasma mass and momentum sources. By separating the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling equation into two equations and by adopting a specific analytic form for the equilibrium plasma density, a cubic equation is derived for the dispersion relation defining the angular frequencies of the fundamental wave modes. A detailed analysis of the dispersion relation yields three fundamental wave modes. One of the modes is identified as the previously studied inertial interchange (unstable) mode, while the other two are newly derived decaying modes. The results obtained are discussed in the context of plasma transport in the Io torus.

Summers, D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The distant magnetotail's response to a strong interplanetary magnetic field By - Twisting, flattening, and field line bending

During an interval of strong interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By, while ISEE 3 was in the distant magnetotail, the north lobe was observed south of the ecliptic plane. Lobe field lines were strongly bent in the direction of the IMF, and a dense boundary layer plasma was observed. During the interval, magnetopause normals pointed in the z direction, although ISEE 3 was near the dawnside ecliptic plane. The observations are interpreted in terms of field line bending within a twisted and flattened magnetotail.

Sibeck, D. G.↗