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At least 199 records · Page 11

High energy proton model for the inner radiation belt.

Reconsideration of inner radiation belt processes and proton theories. The ability of trapped particles to diffuse across magnetic shells is shown radically to alter the view of magnetospheric processes and to call for such a reconsideration. Inner belt calculations incorporating radial diffusion processes are performed in a manner parametrizing the radial diffusion coefficient. The latter is then varied so as to obtain agreement with experiment. The diffusion coefficient thus obtained is compared with coefficients derived by other means.

Walt, M.↗

Jupiter's radiation belts.

A model for the production and loss of energetic electrons in Jupiter's radiation belt is presented. It is postulated that the electrons originate in the solar wind and are diffused in toward the planet by perturbations which violate the particles' third adiabatic invariant. At large distances, magnetic perturbations, electric fields associated with magnetospheric convection, or interchange instabilities driven by thermal plasma gradients may drive the diffusion. Inside about 10 Jupiter radii, the diffusion is probably driven by electric fields associated with the upper atmosphere dynamo which is driven by neutral winds in the ionosphere. The diurnal component of the dynamo wind fields produces a dawn-dusk asymmetry in the decimetric radiation from the electrons in the belts, and the lack of obvious measured asymmetries in the decimetric radiation measurements provides estimates of upper limits for these Jovian ionospheric neutral winds.

Brice, N.↗

Jupiter's radiation belts and the sweeping effect of its satellites.

Jupiter's electron and proton radiation belts are analyzed, with particular reference to the sweeping effect of its five inner satellites, located deep within its magnetosphere. The characteristics of trapped electrons and protons with a magnetic moment of 50 MeV/G, considered typical at Jupiter, are calculated. The assumption is then made that a particle would be removed from the radiation belt if, in its normal motion, it would happen to impact a satellite. The mean absorption time before impact is calculated for particles located at the radial distance of each of the satellites. This average lifetime is found to be of the order of a few days. A characteristic diffusion time near each satellite was calculated, assuming violation of the third invariant due to magnetic fluctuations associated with fluctuations in the solar wind.

Mead, G. D.↗

High-energy proton radiation belt.

The experiments and theories to explain the high-energy protons trapped in the earth's radiation belt are reviewed. The theory of cosmic ray albedo neutron decay injection of protons into the radiation belt is discussed. Radial diffusion and change in the earth's dipole moment are considered along with losses of protons by ionization and nuclear collision. It is found that the measured albedo neutron escape current is sufficient to supply trapped protons above 30 MeV. The theoretical calculations of the trapped protons are in agreement with the measurements for L less than or equal to 1.7 both on and off the equator. For L greater than or equal to 1.7, additional trapped proton differential energy measurements should be made before the theory can be adequately tested. It appears that an additional loss mechanism such as pitch angle scattering may be required.

White, R. S.↗

Apparatus for heat treating plastic belts

Apparatus performs programed rotating, stretching/shrinking and heat treatment necessary to fabrication of high-performance plastic belts. Belts can be treated in lengths varying from 7 to 48 in., in widths up to 1 in., and in thicknesses up to approximately 0.003 in.

Topits, A., Jr.↗

Jupiter's radiation belts: Can Pioneer 10 survive?

Model calculations of Jupiter's electron and proton radiation belts indicate that the Galilean satellites can reduce particle fluxes in certain regions of the inner magnetosphere by as much as six orders of magnitude. Average fluxes should be reduced by a factor of 100 or more along the Pioneer 10 trajectory through the heart of Jupiter's radiation belts in early December. This may be enough to prevent serious radiation damage to the spacecraft.

Hess, W. N.↗

Identifications of the polar cap boundary and the auroral belt in the high altitude magnetosphere: A model for field aligned currents

Using the OGO-5 fluxgate magnetometer data, the polar cap boundary is identified in the high altitude magnetosphere by a sudden transition from a dipolar field to a more tail like configuration. The basic pattern of the magnetic field variations observed during the satellite's traversal of the auroral belt is presented. This pattern shows the existence of a field aligned current layer on the equator side of the polar cap boundary. Currents flow in the opposite directions in the two field aligned current layers. The current directions in these layers as observed by OGO-5 in the high-altitude magnetosphere are the same as those observed at low altitudes by the polar orbiting TRIAD satellite. The magnetic field in the region where the lower latitude field aligned current layer is situated is essentially meridional. Thus the equatorial current closure of this current system must be via the equatorial current sheet. The two field aligned current systems, one at the polar cap boundary and the other on the low latitude side of the auroral belt, are coupled through the Pedersen current in the ionosphere.

Sugiura, M.↗

Jupiter's radiation belts

Fluxes of electrons and protons in Jupiter's radiation belts are calculated with the source (radial diffusion inward from the solar wind) and the loss (synchroton radiation). The calculations are tested against the measured radio-wave wavelength distribution, the radio-wave distribution with distance from Jupiter, and the degree of polarization of the radio waves. The Fokker-Planck equation is solved by using the method of Farley and Walt (1971) with the fixed flux at the outer boundary and the zero flux at Jupiter's surface. It is found, in agreement with Brice and McDonough (1973), Jacques and Davis (1973), and Birmingham et al. (1974), that the usual magnetic and electric diffusions, which vary as L to the 10th power and L to the 6th power, respectively, are insufficient to furnish the required electrons and that the diffusion driven by ionospheric winds of Brice and McDonough is strong enough to furnish Jupiter's belts. An additional loss mechanism close to Jupiter is required to remove the electrons, particularly those at low energies.

Stansberry, K. G.↗

The radiation belts of Jupiter

The cloud of relativistic electrons which forms the Jupiter radiation belts at a distance of a few Jovian radii from the planet is considered. The inner belt is shown to consist of electrons with about three times the energy of those in the outer zone, and to have an equatorial density which is about one half the peak density in the outer zone. The pitch angle distribution of the electrons in the outer zone becomes gradually more confined to the magnetic equator with increasing distance from the planet.

Degioanni, J. J. C.↗

Geography of the asteroid belt

The CSM classification serves as the starting point on the geography of the asteroid belt. Raw data on asteroid types are corrected for observational biases (against dark objects, for instance) to derive the distribution of types throughout the belt. Recent work on family members indicates that dynamical families have a true physical relationship, presumably indicating common origin in the breakup of a parent asteroid.

Zellner, B. H.↗

Photometry and polarimetry of Jupiter at large phase angles. I - Analysis of imaging data of a prominent belt and a zone from Pioneer 10

Photopolarimetric observations of a prominent bright zone and a dark belt of Jupiter in red and blue light are analyzed which were performed by Pioneer 10 at phase angles of 12, 23, 34, 109, 120, 127, and 150 deg. Geometric and photometric reductions of the imaging data are described, the instrument sensitivity at various times is evaluated, and the data are referred to an absolute scale. The observations are analyzed in detail by comparing the data with results of radiative-transfer calculations for specific scattering models of Jupiter's atmosphere. These models include those with a vertical structure consisting of a layer of Rayleigh-scattering gas above a semiinfinite mixture of cloud particles and gas, those having a small quantity of aerosols in the gas above either the diffuse cloud in a reflecting-scattering model or the top cloud of a two-cloud-layer model, those in which a forward-scattering haze is mixed uniformly with gas, and those containing dust layers. It is found that in both the belt and the zone in red as well as blue light, cloud phase functions are required which provide both strong forward scattering and some backscattering.

Tomasko, M. G.↗

Equatorial irregularity belt and its movement during a magnetic storm

Evidence for an equatorial irregularity belt and its movement during a magnetic storm has been obtained from Faraday rotation measurements at a chain of 140-MHz radio beacons receiving from the ATS-6 satellite. The stations covered a latitude region from the magnetic equator to the 45 deg N dip on the Indian subcontinent. An irregularity belt extending from the magnetic equator to about 27 deg N latitude was observed during the main phase of the magnetic storm of 10 January, 1976.

Vats, H. O.↗

Theory for charge states of energetic oxygen ions in the earth's radiation belts

Fluxes of geomagnetically trapped energetic oxygen ions have been studied in detail. Ion distributions in radial locations below the geostationary orbit, energy spectra between 1 keV and 100 MeV, and the distribution over charge states have been computed for equatorially mirroring ions. Both ionospheric and solar wind oxygen ion sources have been considered, and it is found that the charge state distributions in the interior of the radiation belts are largely independent of the charge state characteristics of the sources. In the MeV range, oxygen ions prove to be a more sensitive probe for radiation belt dynamics than helium ions and protons.

Spjeldvik, W. N.↗

Jupiter's radiation belts and atmosphere

Maps and stripscans of the radio emission from Jupiter were made during the Pioneer 10 flyby in December 1973 at wavelengths of 6 cm, 21 cm, and 50 cm using the Westerbork telescope in the Netherlands. With this instrument the disk of the planet was resolved at 6 and 21 cm. The pictures are averaged over 15 deg of Jovian longitude. At 21 cm the stripscans clearly show the existence of a 'hot region' in the radiation belts at a System III longitude (1965.0) of 255 + or - 10 deg. Its flux is about 9% of the total nonthermal flux, and it has a volume emissivity enhanced by a factor of about 1.6 with respect to the general radiation belts. The temperature of the thermal disk at 21 cm appears to be 290 + or - 20 K. This is likely due to a high ammonia mixing ratio in the atmosphere, a factor of 4-5 larger than the expected solar value of 0.00015.

De Pater, I.↗

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.↗

Axial force and efficiency tests of fixed center variable speed belt drive

An investigation of how the axial force varies with the centerline force at different speed ratios, speeds, and loads, and how the drive's transmission efficiency is affected by these related forces is described. The tests, intended to provide a preliminary performance and controls characterization for a variable speed belt drive continuously variable transmission (CVT), consisted of the design and construction of an experimental test rig geometrically similar to the CVT, and operation of that rig at selected speed ratios and power levels. Data are presented which show: how axial forces exerted on the driver and driven sheaves vary with the centerline force at constant values of speed ratio, speed, and output power; how the transmission efficiency varies with centerline force and how it is also a function of the V belt coefficient; and the axial forces on both sheaves as normalized functions of the traction coefficient.

Bents, D. J.↗

Radio maps of Jupiter's radiation belts and planetary disk at lambda 6 cm

Two-dimensional maps of Jupiter's radio emission were made in April 1978 at a frequency of 4885 MHz (6 cm) using the Westerbork telescope in the Netherlands. Pictures in the Stokes parameters I, Q and U have been obtained every 15 deg in longitude, each smeared over 20 deg of the planet's rotation. The half power beam width was approximately 1/6 of the disk diameter in right ascension and approximately 1/2 in declination. The planetary disk shows little or no limb darkening at this wavelength and has a temperature of 220 + or - 8 K. The radiation belts clearly show a kind of plateau or flattening in intensity in the outer part of the belt. A comparison with 21 and 50 cm maps indicate no difference in the width and form of the emission regions with wavelength.

De Pater, I.↗

Dynamics of the outer radiation belts in relation to polar substorms and hot plasma injections at geostationary altitude

Geostationary satellite and ground measurements of dynamic variations of the outer radiation belts and their relations with the development of auroral structures during magnetospheric substorms are analyzed. A comparison of measurements of the H or X geomagnetic field components made by seven auroral stations with ATS-6 low-energy and high-energy particle measurements during the multiple-onset substorm of Aug. 16, 1974 is presented which demonstrates that while the decrease in energetic particle fluxed ends only at the time of a strong substorm onset, rapid motions of the outer radiation belts may occur during the flux decrease. All-sky photographs of auroral phenomena taken at Fort Yukon and College, Alaska are then compared with ATS-1 energetic particle flux measurements in order to demonstrate the relation between flux decreases and increases and distinct substorm phases. Results support the hypothesis of a magnetospheric substorm precursor which appears to be an instability growing at the inner boundary of the plasma layer and approaching the earth, and underline the importance of current and magnetic field variations in charged particle dynamics.

Sauvaud, J. A.↗