Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “WHISTLER”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

On the Origin of Whistler Mode Radiation in the Plasmasphere

The origin of whistler mode radiation in the plasmasphere is examined from three years of plasma wave observations from the Dynamics Explorer and three years from the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) spacecraft. These data are used to construct plasma wave intensity maps of whistler mode radiation in the plasmasphere. The highest average intensities of the radiation in the wave maps show source locations and/or sites of wave amplification. Each type of emission is classified based on its magnetic latitude and longitude rather than any spectral feature. Equatorial electromagnetic (EM) emissions (approx. 30-330 Hz), plasmaspheric hiss (approx. 330 Hz - 3.3 kHz), chorus (approx. 2 kHz - 6 kHz), and VLF transmitters (approx. 10-50 kHz) are the main types of waves that are clearly delineated in the plasma wave maps. Observations of the equatorial EM emissions show that the most intense region is on or near the magnetic equator in the afternoon sector and that during times of negative B(sub z) (interplanetary magnetic field),the maximum intensity moves from L values of 3 to less than 2. These observations are consistent with the origin of this emission being particle-wave interactions in or near the magnetic equator. Plasmaspheric hiss shows high intensity at high latitudes and low altitudes (L shells from 2 to 4) and in the magnetic equator over L values from 2 to 3 in the early afternoon sector. The longitudinal distribution of the hiss intensity (excluding the enhancement at the equator) is similar to the distribution of lightning: stronger over continents than over the ocean, stronger in the summer than winter, and stronger on the dayside than nightside. These observations strongly support lightning as the dominant source for plasmaspheric hiss, which through particle-wave interactions, maintains the slot region in the radiation belts. The enhancement of hiss at the magnetic equator is consistent with particle-wave interactions. The chorus emissions are most intense on the morning side as previously reported. At frequencies from approx. 10-50 kHz VLF transmitters dominate the spectrum. The maximum intensity of the VLF transmitters is in the late evening or early morning with enhancements all along L shells from 1.8 to 3.

Green, James L.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Chaotic Motion of Relativistic Electrons Driven by Whistler Waves

Canonical equations governing an electron motion in electromagnetic field of the whistler mode waves propagating along the direction of an ambient magnetic field are derived. The physical processes on which the equations of motion are based .are identified. It is shown that relativistic electrons interacting with these fields demonstrate chaotic motion, which is accompanied by the particle stochastic heating and significant pitch angle diffusion. Evolution of distribution functions is described by the Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov equations. It is shown that the whistler mode waves could provide a viable mechanism for stochastic energization of electrons with energies up to 50 MeV in the Jovian magnetosphere.

Khazanov, G. V.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Dynamic Theory of Relativistic Electrons Stochastic Heating by Whistler Mode Waves with Application to the Earth Magnetosphere

In the Hamiltonian approach an electron motion in a coherent packet of the whistler mode waves propagating along the direction of an ambient magnetic field is studied. The physical processes by which these particles are accelerated to high energy are established. Equations governing a particle motion were transformed in to a closed pair of nonlinear difference equations. The solutions of these equations have shown there exists the energetic threshold below that the electron motion is regular, and when the initial energy is above the threshold an electron moves stochastically. Particle energy spectra and pitch angle electron scattering are described by the Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov equations. Calculating the stochastic diffusion of electrons due to a spectrum of whistler modes is presented. The parametric dependence of the diffusion coefficients on the plasma particle density, magnitude of wave field, and the strength of magnetic field is studies. It is shown that significant pitch angle diffusion occurs for the Earth radiation belt electrons with energies from a few keV up to a few MeV.

Khazanov, G. V.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Cascade and Dissipation of Solar Wind Turbulence at Electron Scales: Whistlers or Kinetic Alfv\'en Waves?

Over the past few decades, large-scales solar wind (SW) turbulence has been studied extensively, both theoretically and observationally. Observed power spectra of the low frequency turbulence, which can be described in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) limit, are shown to obey the Kolmogorov scaling, $k"{ -5/3 }$, down the local proton gyrofrequency ($C{ci} \sim O.l$-Hz). Turbulence at frequencies above $C{ci}$ has not been thoroughly investigated and remains far less well understood. Above $C{ ci}$ the spectrum steepens to $\sim f"{ -2.5}$ and a debate exists as to whether the turbulence has become dominated by dispersive kinetic Alfven waves (KA W) or by whistler waves, before it is dissipated at small scales, In a case study Sahraoui et al., PRL (2009) have reported the first direct determination of the dissipation range of solar wind turbulence near the electron gyroscale using the high resolution Cluster magnetic and electric field data (up to $10"2$-Hz in the spacecraft reference frame). Above the Doppler-shifted proton scale $C{\rho i}$ a new inertial range with a scaling $\sim f"{ -2.3}$ has been evidenced and shown to remarkably agree with theoretical predictions of a quasi-two-dimensional cascade into KA W turbulence. Here, we use a wider sample of data sets of small scale SW turbulence under different plasma conditions, and investigate under which physical criteria the KA W (or the whistler) turbulence may be observed to carry out the cascade at small scales, These new observations/criteria are compared to the predictions on the cascade and the (kinetic) dissipation from the Vlasov theory. Implications of the results on the heating problem of the solar wind will be discussed.

Sahraoui, Fouad↗
NASA NTRS2010

Whistler Waves Driven by Anisotropic Strahl Velocity Distributions: Cluster Observations

Observed properties of the strahl using high resolution 3D electron velocity distribution data obtained from the Cluster/PEACE experiment are used to investigate its linear stability. An automated method to isolate the strahl is used to allow its moments to be computed independent of the solar wind core+halo. Results show that the strahl can have a high temperature anisotropy (T(perpindicular)/T(parallell) approximately > 2). This anisotropy is shown to be an important free energy source for the excitation of high frequency whistler waves. The analysis suggests that the resultant whistler waves are strong enough to regulate the electron velocity distributions in the solar wind through pitch-angle scattering

Vinas, A.F.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Observation of Relativistic Electron Microbursts in Conjunction with Intense Radiation Belt Whistler-Mode Waves

We present multi-satellite observations of large amplitude radiation belt whistler-mode waves and relativistic electron precipitation. On separate occasions during the Wind petal orbits and STEREO phasing orbits, Wind and STEREO recorded intense whistler-mode waves in the outer nightside equatorial radiation belt with peak-to-peak amplitudes exceeding 300 mV/m. During these intervals of intense wave activity, SAMPEX recorded relativistic electron microbursts in near magnetic conjunction with Wind and STEREO. This evidence of microburst precipitation occurring at the same time and at nearly the same magnetic local time and L-shell with a bursty temporal structure similar to that of the observed large amplitude wave packets suggests a causal connection between the two phenomena. Simulation studies corroborate this idea, showing that nonlinear wave.particle interactions may result in rapid energization and scattering on timescales comparable to those of the impulsive relativistic electron precipitation.

Kersten, K.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Large-Amplitude Transmitter-Associated and Lightning-Associated Whistler Waves in the Earth's Inner Plasmasphere at L less than 2

We report observations of very large amplitude whistler mode waves in the Earth fs nightside inner radiation belt enabled by the STEREO Time Domain Sampler. Amplitudes range from 30.110 mV/m (zero ]peak), 2 to 3 orders of magnitude larger than previously observed in this region. Measurements from the peak electric field detector (TDSMax) indicate that these large ]amplitude waves are prevalent throughout the plasmasphere. A detailed examination of high time resolution electric field waveforms is undertaken on a subset of these whistlers at L < 2, associated with pump waves from lightning flashes and the naval transmitter NPM in Hawaii, that become unstable after propagation through the ionosphere and grow to large amplitudes. Many of the waveforms undergo periodic polarization reversals near the lower hybrid and NPM naval transmitter frequencies. The reversals may be related to finite plasma temperature and gradients in density induced by ion cyclotron heating of the plasma at 200 Hz, the modulation frequency of the continuous ]mode NPM naval transmitter signal. Test particle simulations using the amplitudes and durations of the waves observed herein suggest that they can interact strongly with high ]energy (>100 keV) electrons on a time scale of <1 s and thus may be an important previously unaccounted for source of energization or pitch ]angle scattering in the inner radiation belt.

Breneman, A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Lightning-Generated Whistler Waves Observed by Probes On The Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System Satellite at Low Latitudes

Direct evidence is presented for a causal relationship between lightning and strong electric field transients inside equatorial ionospheric density depletions. In fact, these whistler mode plasma waves may be the dominant electric field signal within such depletions. Optical lightning data from the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System (C/NOFS) satellite and global lightning location information from the World Wide Lightning Location Network are presented as independent verification that these electric field transients are caused by lightning. The electric field instrument on C/NOFS routinely measures lightning ]related electric field wave packets or sferics, associated with simultaneous measurements of optical flashes at all altitudes encountered by the satellite (401.867 km). Lightning ]generated whistler waves have abundant access to the topside ionosphere, even close to the magnetic equator.

Holzworth, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Electron Scattering by Low-frequency Whistler Waves at Earth’s Bow Shock

Electrons are accelerated to nonthermal energies at shocks in space and astrophysical environments. While shock drift acceleration (SDA) has been considered a key process of electron acceleration at Earth’s bow shock, it has also been recognized that SDA needs to be combined with an additional stochastic process to explain the observed power-law energy spectra. Here, we show mildly energetic (∼0.5 keV) electrons are locally scattered (and accelerated while being confined) by magnetosonic-whistler waves within the shock transition layer, especially when the shock angle is large (θ(sub Bn) approximately equal or greater than 70°). When measured by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission at a high cadence, ∼0.5 keV electron flux increased exponentially in the shock transition layer. However, the flux profile was not entirely smooth and the fluctuation showed temporal/spectral association with large-amplitude (δB/B ~ 0.3), low-frequency (approximately equal or less than 0.1 Ω(sub ce) where Ω(sub ce) is the cyclotron frequency), obliquely propagating (θ(sub kB) ~ 30°–60°, where θ(sub kB) is the angle between the wave vector and background magnetic field) whistler waves, indicating that the particles were interacting with the waves. Particle simulations demonstrate that, although linear cyclotron resonances with ∼0.5 keV electrons are unlikely due to the obliquity and low frequencies of the waves, the electrons are still scattered beyond 90° pitch angle by (1) resonant mirroring (transit-time damping), (2) non-resonant mirroring, and (3) subharmonic cyclotron resonances. Such coupled nonlinear scattering processes are likely to provide the stochasticity needed to explain the power-law formation.

Oka, M.↗
DOE OSTI2013

Parameter spaces for linear and nonlinear whistler-mode waves

We examine the growth of magnetospheric whistler-mode waves which comprises a linear growth phase followed by a nonlinear growth phase. We construct time-profiles for the wave amplitude that smoothly match at the transition between linear and nonlinear wave growth. This matching procedure can only take place over a limited “matching region” in (N{sub h}/N{sub 0},A{sub T})-space, where A{sub T} is the electron thermal anisotropy, N{sub h} is the hot (energetic) electron number density, and N{sub 0} is the cold (background) electron number density. We construct this matching region and determine how the matching wave amplitude varies throughout the region. Further, we specify a boundary in (N{sub h}/N{sub 0},A{sub T})-space that separates a region where only linear chorus wave growth can occur from the region in which fully nonlinear chorus growth is possible. We expect that this boundary should prove of practical use in performing computationally expensive full-scale particle simulations, and in interpreting experimental wave data.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

A generalized two-fluid picture of non-driven collisionless reconnection and its relation to whistler waves

A generalized, intuitive two-fluid picture of 2D non-driven collisionless magnetic reconnection is described using results from a full-3D numerical simulation. The relevant two-fluid equations simplify to the condition that the flux associated with canonical circulation Q=m e ∇×u e +q e B is perfectly frozen into the electron fluid. In the reconnection geometry, flux tubes defined by Q are convected with the central electron current, effectively stretching the tubes and increasing the magnitude of Q exponentially. This, coupled with the fact that Q is a sum of two quantities, explains how the magnetic fields in the reconnection region reconnect and give rise to strong electron acceleration. The Q motion provides an interpretation for other phenomena as well, such as spiked central electron current filaments. The simulated reconnection rate was found to agree with a previous analytical calculation having the same geometry. Energy analysis shows that the magnetic energy is converted and propagated mainly in the form of the Poynting flux, and helicity analysis shows that the canonical helicity ∫P·Q dV as a whole must be considered when analyzing reconnection. A mechanism for whistler wave generation and propagation is also described, with comparisons to recent spacecraft observations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

ON ELECTRON-SCALE WHISTLER TURBULENCE IN THE SOLAR WIND

For the first time, the dispersion relation for turbulence magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind is determined directly on small scales of the order of the electron inertial length, using four-point magnetometer observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. The data are analyzed using the high-resolution adaptive wave telescope technique. Small-scale solar wind turbulence is primarily composed of highly obliquely propagating waves, with dispersion consistent with that of the whistler mode.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Hybrid simulation of whistler excitation by electron beams in two-dimensional non-periodic domains

We present a two-dimensional hybrid fluid-PIC scheme for the simulation of whistler wave excitation by relativistic electron beams. This scheme includes a number of features which are novel to simulations of this type, including non-periodic boundary conditions and fresh particle injection. Results from our model suggest that non-periodicity of the simulation domain results in the development of fundamentally different wave characteristics than are observed in periodic domains.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Circular polarization of obliquely propagating whistler wave magnetic field

The circular polarization of the magnetic field of obliquely propagating whistler waves is derived using a basis set associated with the wave partial differential equation. The wave energy is mainly magnetic and the wave propagation consists of this magnetic energy sloshing back and forth between two orthogonal components of magnetic field in quadrature. The wave electric field energy is small compared to the magnetic field energy.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Nonlinear electron acceleration by oblique whistler waves: Landau resonance vs. cyclotron resonance

This paper is devoted to the study of the nonlinear interaction of relativistic electrons and high amplitude strongly oblique whistler waves in the Earth's radiation belts. We consider electron trapping into Landau and fundamental cyclotron resonances in a simplified model of dipolar magnetic field. Trapping into the Landau resonance corresponds to a decrease of electron equatorial pitch-angles, while trapping into the first cyclotron resonance increases electron equatorial pitch-angles. For 100 keV electrons, the energy gained due to trapping is similar for both resonances. For electrons with smaller energy, acceleration is more effective when considering the Landau resonance. Moreover, trapping into the Landau resonance is accessible for a wider range of initial pitch-angles and initial energies in comparison with the fundamental resonance. Thus, we can conclude that for intense and strongly oblique waves propagating in the quasi-electrostatic mode, the Landau resonance is generally more important than the fundamental one.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Comparison of formulas for resonant interactions between energetic electrons and oblique whistler-mode waves

Test particle simulation is a useful method for studying both linear and nonlinear wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere. The gyro-averaged equations of particle motion for first-order and other cyclotron harmonic resonances with oblique whistler-mode waves were first derived by Bell [J. Geophys. Res. 89, 905 (1984)] and the most recent relativistic form was given by Ginet and Albert [Phys. Fluids B 3, 2994 (1991)], and Bortnik [Ph.D. thesis (Stanford University, 2004), p. 40]. However, recently we found there was a (−1){sup l−1} term difference between their formulas of perpendicular motion for the lth-order resonance. This article presents the detailed derivation process of the generalized resonance formulas, and suggests a check of the signs for self-consistency, which is independent of the choice of conventions, that is, the energy variation equation resulting from the momentum equations should not contain any wave magnetic components, simply because the magnetic field does not contribute to changes of particle energy. In addition, we show that the wave centripetal force, which was considered small and was neglect in previous studies of nonlinear interactions, has a profound time derivative and can significantly enhance electron phase trapping especially in high frequency waves. This force can also bounce the low pitch angle particles out of the loss cone. We justify both the sign problem and the missing wave centripetal force by demonstrating wave-particle interaction examples, and comparing the gyro-averaged particle motion to the full particle motion under the Lorentz force.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Wave-particle interactions with parallel whistler waves: Nonlinear and time-dependent effects revealed by particle-in-cell simulations

We present a self-consistent Particle-in-Cell simulation of the resonant interactions between anisotropic energetic electrons and a population of whistler waves, with parameters relevant to the Earth's radiation belt. By tracking PIC particles and comparing with test-particle simulations, we emphasize the importance of including nonlinear effects and time evolution in the modeling of wave-particle interactions, which are excluded in the resonant limit of quasi-linear theory routinely used in radiation belt studies. In particular, we show that pitch angle diffusion is enhanced during the linear growth phase, and it rapidly saturates well before a single bounce period. This calls into question the widely used bounce average performed in most radiation belt diffusion calculations. Furthermore, we discuss how the saturation is related to the fact that the domain in which the particles pitch angle diffuses is bounded, and to the well-known problem of 90° diffusion barrier.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Probability of relativistic electron trapping by parallel and oblique whistler-mode waves in Earth's radiation belts

We investigate electron trapping by high-amplitude whistler-mode waves propagating at small as well as large angles relative to geomagnetic field lines. The inhomogeneity of the background magnetic field can result in an effective acceleration of trapped particles. Here, we derive useful analytical expressions for the probability of electron trapping by both parallel and oblique waves, paving the way for a full analytical description of trapping effects on the particle distribution. Numerical integrations of particle trajectories allow to demonstrate the accuracy of the derived analytical estimates. For realistic wave amplitudes, the levels of probabilities of trapping are generally comparable for oblique and parallel waves, but they turn out to be most efficient over complementary energy ranges. Trapping acceleration of <100 keV electrons is mainly provided by oblique waves, while parallel waves are responsible for the trapping acceleration of >100 keV electrons.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗