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Thorne, R. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Thorne, R. M..

At least 37 records · Page 2
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NASA NTRS1981

A skeptic's view of PLR effects in the magnetosphere

A summary is provided of the current state of knowledge concerning the effects of man-made Power Line Harmonic Radiation (PLR) on the earth's magnetosphere and its energetic particle population. It is generally agreed that PLR is strongly attenuated as it propagates into the outer magnetosphere (outside the plasmasphere) and, other than rare cases where ducting occurs, the emissions either do not manage to propagate to the equatorial plane or are sufficiently reduced in amplitude to be below the sensitivity of currently orbiting plasma wave instrumentation. In either case PLR emissions are too weak to have a significant direct effect on scattering the trapped particle population; any possible effects must be indirect. It has, therefore, been postulated that PLR can act as an 'embryonic emission' for triggering intense whistler mode 'chorus', which then via cyclotron resonant interactions, cause particle pitch-angle scattering. Points of disagreement are related to the geographic distribution of chorus, the chorus starting frequency, the Sunday effect, and PLR effects within the plasmasphere.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Mechanisms for intense relativistic electron precipitation

An analysis of data gathered over a period of 14 months by the S3-3 satellite has revealed the detection of 313 relativistic electron precipitation events with isotropic flux over the upward-looking hemisphere, of which the majority occur at night in a narrow latitudinal zone which is embedded within a broader region of intense energetic ion precipitation. Three classes of precipitation are found to be associated with strong, diffusion resonant scattering due to known magnetospheric plasma waves. It is also found that intense electron energy deposition is a major source of middle-atmospheric, odd-hydrogen and odd-nitrogen molecules at sub-auroral latitudes, leading to an observable catalytic destruction of mesospheric ozone.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The importance of energetic particle precipitation on the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere

The present review deals with the importance of three distinct classes of precipitation which directly deposit energy into the middle atmosphere, viz. galactic cosmic radiation, energetic solar protons and relativistic electron precipitation from the earth's radiation belts. Chemical considerations during particle precipitation are discussed, with special emphasis on the relative production rate of odd nitrogen and odd hydrogen species during ionizing particle precipitation. The long residence time of NO in the upper stratosphere, where catalytic interaction with O3 is most effective, requires that this mechanism be included in future modeling of global distribution of O3. Other situations causing O3 depletion are also identified.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A search for geographic control on the occurrence of magnetospheric ELF emissions

Search coil magnetometer data obtained in the magnetosphere on Ogo 5 and Ogo 6 were studied for evidence of man-induced stimulation of the two dominant electromagnetic emissions, chorus and plasmaspheric hiss. Variability of chorus with geographic longitude and enhancements, onsets, and quantum jumps in chorus emissions at frequencies related to harmonics of the earth's transmission lines are discussed. The enhancement of weak emissions in the 340-360 deg dipole longitude region during quiet geomagnetic conditions is present only when ELF hiss is weak, and will not contribute to the non-adiabatic dynamics of radiation belt electrons. It is concluded that the data analyzed is consistent with a predominantly natural origin for chorus and plasmaspheric hiss, and that triggered waves do not play a major role in the non-adiabatic dynamics of geomagnetically trapped electrons.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Diffuse Jovian aurora influenced by plasma injection from Io

The paper demonstrates that the broad band of whistler-mode waves observed within the high density torus surrounding Io is consistent with electron cyclotron generation. Cyclotron resonant instability of Jovian energetic electrons is enhanced due to the lower resonant electron energy within the equatorial high density plasma torus surrounding the orbit of Io. The higher energy resonant electron scattering and the corresponding energetic electron lifetimes indicate that an efficient local acceleration process is required to replenish the precipitating relativistic electrons. Calculated energy deposition into the Jovian atmosphere should provide a dominant source of middle atmospheric ionization and excite a continuous band of diffuse auroral emission. It is suggested that the diffuse Jovian aurora should be influenced by the variable volcanic activity on Io which is thought to be an important source of plasma, since the cyclotron scattering process is strongly influenced by the ambient equatorial thermal plasma density.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Power-line harmonic radiation - Can it significantly affect the earth's radiation belts

It has been suggested that harmonic radiation from the earth's 50- and 60-hertz power transmission lines might significantly influence the distribution of electrons in the radiation belts. On the basis of observations presented here, it seems advisable to accept such a hypothesis with caution. New evidence suggests that power-line radiation does not play any major role in the nonadiabatic dynamics of radiation belt electrons.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Does ELF chorus show evidence of power line stimulation

A study to determine the effect of power line radiation on the stimulation of the ELF chorus detected on OGO-5 is presented. Chorus shows a maxima over the Eastern USSR, Greenland, and Central Siberia and minima over central and Eastern Canada, a distribution different than the OGO-3. This discrepancy is explained as due to data oversampling in the previous study; the OGO-5 data were reanalyzed with the oversampling removed, showing that none of the longitudinal maxima or minima are statistically significant. It is concluded that there is no significant correlation between longitude and chorus occurrence which implies that there is little or no evidence of power line harmonic radiation effects on chorus triggering.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The local time variation of ELF emissions during periods of substorm activity

A statistical study is reported concerning the occurrence probability of ELF emissions observed on the low-altitude polar-orbiting satellite OGO 6 during periods of substorm activity. Over 160 individual substorm periods have been selected and analyzed during the period from June 1969 to October 1970. The statistical results are discussed, taking into account ELF response to substorm activity and emissions during the recovery phase of magnetic storms.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Electromagnetic hiss and relativistic electron losses in the inner zone

It is shown that ELF hiss is present in the inner radiation zone (L less than 2) during both storms and substorms. This presence is ascribed to propagation of waves into this region from a distributed source located at high altitude near the equatorial plasmapause. Two major effects allow hiss to reach the inner zone during storms and substorms: (1) the observed tendency for plasmaspheric hiss to be greatly intensified during the recovery phase as the outward-moving plasmapause encounters the electrons that have been freshly injected into the magnetosphere; (2) the displacement of the plasmapause, and the presumed source region, to low altitudes during high levels of magnetic activity.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Intensity variation of ELF hiss and chorus during isolated substorms

Electromagnetic ELF emissions (100-1000 Hz) observed on the polar-orbiting OGO-6 satellite within three hours of the dawn-dusk meridian consistently exhibit a predictable response to isolated substorm activity. Near dawn, the emissions intensify during the substorm and then subside following the magnetic activity; the waves are most intense at L greater than 4, exhibit considerable structure and have been primarily identified as chorus. At dusk the response is entirely different; the wave intensity falls to background levels during substorm activity but subsequently intensifies, usually reaching levels well in excess of that before the disturbance. The emissions near dusk extend to low L, are relatively featureless, and have been identified as plasmaspheric hiss. These features are interpreted in terms of changes in the drift orbits of outer-zone electrons which cyclotron resonate with ELF waves.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Plasmaspheric hiss intensity variations during magnetic storms

The storm time intensity variations of ELF electromagnetic emissions have been studied by using the Ogo 6 search coil magnetometer. Low-latitude signals exhibit a sharp low-frequency cutoff and are identified as plasmaspheric hiss. Such waves show pronounced intensification during the recovery phase of magnetic storms but remain close to background levels during the storm main phase. This behavior is consistent with cyclotron resonant generation within the plasmasphere as the latter expands into the intensified belt of outer zone electrons during the storm recovery.

Smith, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Stably trapped proton fluxes in the Jovian magnetosphere

A model of the energetic proton fluxes in the Jovian magnetosphere is constructed based on the inward radial diffusion of protons from the solar wind and the plasma turbulent precipitation loss of protons from the radiation belts. Outside 12 Jovian radii the proton fluxes follow a loss-free radial diffusion profile. Inside 12 Jovian radii the proton fluxes should be near the stably trapped limit flux set by convective marginal stability to the electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave and the quasi-electrostatic ion loss-cone wave.

Coroniti, F. V.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Plasmaspheric hiss.

A relatively steady band of ELF hiss has been detected by the OGO 5 search coil magnetometer on almost every passage through the plasmasphere; except for an anomalous region of the dayside at high geomagnetic latitudes, the emissions terminate abruptly at the plasmapause and are therefore referred to as 'plasmaspheric hiss.' A preliminary statistical study of the properties of the observed whistler mode turbulence has yielded the following characteristics: the waves are band limited with a sharp lower-frequency cutoff and a more diffuse upper-frequency cutoff; power spectra show a well-defined maximum near a few hundred hertz, the peak intensities generally ranging between 10 to the minus 7th power and 0.00001 gamma squared/Hz; the wave energy is spread over a bandwidth of a few hundred hertz, and corresponding wideband amplitudes are 5 to 50 milligamma; the waves are highly turbulent in nature and show little tendency toward definite polarization.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Magnetospheric electrons.

Aspects of convection dominated electrons in the auroral zone are considered, giving attention to the plasma sheet as the source of auroral electrons, the convection electron spatial distribution, the observed electron spatial distribution, and the coupling of convection and precipitation. Questions regarding geomagnetically trapped electrons are also investigated, taking into account the source of Van Allen electrons, the inward radial diffuse transport, the spatial structure of Van Allen electrons, electron slot formation, and the rapid loss of outer zone MeV electrons.

Coroniti, F. V.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A self-consistent model for Jupiter's radiation belts

The solar wind is assumed to be a sufficient source for the radiation belts of Jupiter, with radial diffusion as the process for getting the solar wind fluxes into the inner regions of the radiation belts. The process of a radial diffusion source is combined with pitch-angle diffusion losses to estimate an upper limit to the proton and electron fluxes. The upper limit to the integral proton and electron fluxes in the outer zone scale as L to the -6th power throughout the outer zone, assuming that the magnetic moment is conserved. It is important that these fluxes are above the stably trapped flux levels in the outer regions of the belts; the instability will work because the energies of the particles are above the critical value required.

Thorne, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Magnetospheric electrons

Coupling of source, transport, and sink processes produces a fairly accurate model for the macroscopic structure and dynamics of magnetospheric electrons. Auroral electrons are controlled by convective transport from a plasma sheet source coupled with a precipitation loss due to whistler and electrostatic plasma turbulence. Outer and inner zone electrons are governed by radial diffusion transport from convection and acceleration sources external to the plasmapause and by parasitic precipitation losses arising from cyclotron and Landau interactions with whistler and ion cyclotron turbulence.

Coroniti, F. V.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Pitch-angle diffusion of radiation belt electrons within the plasmasphere.

Study of the formation of the quiet-time electron slot, which divides the radiation belt electrons into an inner and an outer zone. The pitch-angle diffusion of radiation belt electrons resulting from resonant interactions with the observed plasmaspheric whistler-mode wave band is quantitatively investigated. The effects of wave propagation obliquely to the geomagnetic field direction with the resulting diffusion at all cyclotron-harmonic resonances and the Landau resonance are evaluated along with the effects of interactions occuring at all geomagnetic latitudes. The results obtained account for the long-term stability of the inner radiation zone, the location of its outer edge as a function of electron energy, and the removal of electrons to levels near zero throughout the slot. Computed pitch-angle distributions and precipitation decay rates are in good agreement with slot-region observations.

Lyons, L. R.↗