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At least 217 records · Page 12

Analysis of satellite data on energetic particles of ionospheric origin

The principal result of this program has been the completion of a detailed statistical study of the properties of precipitating O(+) and H(+) ions during two principal magnetic storms. The results of the analysis of selected data of ion mass spectrometer experiment on satellites are given with emphasis on the morphology of the O(+) ions of ionospheric origin with energies in the 0.7 les than or equal to E less than or equal to 12 keV range that were discovered with this experiment.

Sharp, R. D.↗

Particle sightings by the infrared telescope on Spacelab 2

Part of the objective of the cooled infrared telescope on Spacelab 2 was to determine the particle environment around the Space Shuttle. The telescope scanned the sky in six wavelength bands ranging from 2 to 100 microns with high time resolution. Dust particles could be identified from their particular signature in the data stream. Particle data from about 4 h early in the mission were analyzed in terms of size, color temperature, velocity, and time. The 1100 particles that were seen were slow moving and ranged in color temperature from 190 to 350 K with a few much hotter. The minimum detectable diameter is between 5 and 13 microns, depending on temperature. The size distribution resembles sample distributions collected at a Shuttle preparation facility. Although particle detection rates varied widely with time, no specific events were identified to be associated with particle production. It was not possible to determine the particle composition, although it was probably not ice.

Simpson, J. P.↗

Particle Detectors and Data Analysis for Cusp Transient Features Campaign

On December 3, 1997, a rocket payload (36.152) was launched from N(sub y) Alesund into the dark cusp at 0906:00 U (1206:00 LT) during an interval of southward B(sub z) and positive B(sub y). Launch occurred during a time interval of northeastward moving auroral forms observed between 0845 and 0945 UT by ground-based meridian scanning photometers. Ground photometric measurements during the flight show that the payload passed over the poleward portion of the most intense 6300 A emissions of the dayside cusp/cleft region. Electrons of energy up to a few hundred eV were detected immediately upon instrument turn-on at an altitude of 205 km and throughout the flight until the payload reached an altitude of -197 km on the downleg. Electron spectra were either quasithermal with peak energies -100 eV or showed evidence of acceleration along the magnetic field line by potentials of 100-200 V. Precipitating ions were observed throughout much of the flight. Their spectra were broadly peaked in energy with the peak energy decreasing from -500 eV to -250 eV as the payload flew approximately westward over the dayside precipitation region. Structure (spatial or temporal intensity variation) was observed between T + 180 s and T + -400 s. At the rocket altitudes (<450 km) the ions were observed to be precipitating. During the flight, the DMSP F-13 satellite passed through the all-sky imager field-of-view just poleward of the brightest dayside emissions enabling the identification of plasma sheet and boundary layer regions along the orbit. We thus conclude that particle fluxes detected by the rocket flight were either cusp plasma or boundary layer/mantle plasma just poleward of the dayside cusp/cleft. A paper describing the fields and plasmas observed during the flight is now being prepared for publication.

Sharber, James R.↗

Particle Detectors and Data Analysis for Cusp Transient Features Campaign

On December 3, 1997, a rocket payload (36.152) was launched from Ny Alesund into the dark cusp at 0906:00 U (1206:00 LT) during an interval of southward B(sub Z), and positive B(sub y). Launch occurred during a time interval of northeastward moving auroral forms observed between 0845 and 0945 UT by ground-based meridian scanning photometers. Ground photometric measurements during the flight show that the payload passed over the poleward portion of the most intense 6300 A emissions of the dayside cusp/cleft region. Electrons of energy up to a few hundred eV were detected immediately upon instrument turn-on at an altitude of 205 km and throughout the flight until the payload reached an altitude of approximately 197 km on the downleg. Electron spectra were either quasithermal with peak energies approximately 100 eV or showed evidence of acceleration along the magnetic field line by potentials of 100-200 V. Precipitating ions were observed throughout much of the flight. Their spectra were broadly peaked in energy with the peak energy decreasing from approximately 500 eV to approximately 250 eV as the payload flew approximately westward over the dayside precipitationregion. Structure(spatial or temporal intensity variation) was observed between T + 180 s and T + approximately 400 s. At the rocket altitudes(less than 450km) the ions were observed to be precipitating. During the flight, the DMSPF-13 satellite passed through the all-sky imager field-of-view just poleward of the brightest dayside emissions enabling the identification of plasma sheet and boundary layer regions along the orbit. We thus conclude that particle fluxes detected by the rocket flight were either cusp plasma or boundary layer/mantle plasmajust poleward of the dayside cusp/cleft. Further investigation of the particle characteristics and their relationship to ionospheric convection patterns is continuing.

Sharber, James R.↗

Role of gas surface interactions in the reduction of OGO-6 neutral gas particle mass spectrometer data

The gas-surface interaction effects observed by the quadrupole mass spectrometer are described, and the technique developed to account for them in determining ambient neutral densities is summarized. The total ion current and the ion currents for ions with molecular weights 2, 4, 16, 28, and 32 are sampled for 1.125 sec once every 9.216 sec, for 258 sec out of a 368 sec cycle. An equation is given for the number density of any constituent in the ion source region, and source density data are discussed. The mass 28 background gas is considered to be CO rather than N2, and a CO model is developed. A quasi-equilibrium model of the atomic oxygen interactions is constructed, and a set of surface parameters is determined which provides a reasonable fit to the mass 16 and 32 source densities consistent with the predicted ambient atomic oxygen.

Hedin, A. E.↗

Role of gas-surface interactions in the reduction of OGO 6 neutral-particle mass spectrometer data

Data obtained with the quadrupole mass spectrometer aboard the OGO 6 satellite show the effects of significant surface interaction processes, including nearly complete recombination of incoming atomic oxygen on the walls of the instrument antechamber plus absorption and desorption of oxygen and carbon monoxide. The observed data are fit by solving the time-dependent continuity equations accounting for production and loss of atomic oxygen, molecular oxygen, and (in the case of mass 28) carbon monoxide. The surface parameters that best fit the data are selected and applied to the determination of ambient densities and their estimated errors.

Hedin, A. E.↗

Role of gas-surface interactions in the reduction of Ogo 6 neutral particle mass spectrometer data.

Data obtained with the quadrupole mass spectrometer aboard the Ogo 6 satellite show the effects of significant surface interaction processes, including nearly complete recombination of incoming atomic oxygen on the walls of the instrument antechamber plus adsorption and desorption of oxygen and carbon monoxide. The observed data are fit by solving the time-dependent continuity equations accounting for production and loss of atomic oxygen, molecular oxygen, and (in the case of mass 28) carbon monoxide. The surface parameters that best fit the data are selected and applied to the determination of ambient densities and their estimated errors.

Hedin, A. E.↗

Analysis of satellite data on energetic particles of ionospheric origin

The morphology was studied of precipitating O(+) and H(+) ions in the energy range 0.7 equal to or less than E equal to or less than 12 keV during the storm-time period from December 16-18, 1971, which encompassed two principal magnetic storms. The results are described with emphasis on the temporal variations of parameters characterizing the intensity, average energy, and spatial location of the zones of precipitation of the two ionic species. One of the principal results was the finding that the intensity of the precipitating O(+) ions was well correlated with the geomagnetic indices which measure the strength of magnetospheric substorm activity and the strength of the storm-time ring current. Since the O(+) ions are almost certainly of ionospheric origin the correlations indicate that a previously unknown strong coupling mechanism existed between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere during the storm period.

Sharp, R. D.↗

An Application Programming Interface for Synthetic Snowflake Particle Structure and Scattering Data

The work by Kuo and colleagues on growing synthetic snowflakes and calculating their single-scattering properties has demonstrated great potential to improve the retrievals of snowfall. To grant colleagues flexible and targeted access to their large collection of sizes and shapes at fifteen (15) microwave frequencies, we have developed a web-based Application Programming Interface (API) integrated with NASA Goddard's Precipitation Processing System (PPS) Group. It is our hope that the API will enable convenient programmatic utilization of the database. To help users better understand the API's capabilities, we have developed an interactive web interface called the OpenSSP API Query Builder, which implements an intuitive system of mechanisms for selecting shapes, sizes, and frequencies to generate queries, with which the API can then extract and return data from the database. The Query Builder also allows for the specification of normalized particle size distributions by setting pertinent parameters, with which the API can also return mean geometric and scattering properties for each size bin. Additionally, the Query Builder interface enables downloading of raw scattering and particle structure data packages. This presentation will describe some of the challenges and successes associated with developing such an API. Examples of its usage will be shown both through downloading output and pulling it into a spreadsheet, as well as querying the API programmatically and working with the output in code.

reflectivity properties of snowflakes↗

Coupling of Coastal Zone Color Scanner data to a physical-biological model of the southeastern U.S. continental shelf ecosystem. I - CZCS data description and Lagrangian particle tracing experiments. II - An Eulerian model. III - Nutrient and phytoplankton fluxes and CZCS data assimilation

Surface phytoplankton biomass of the southeastern U.S. continental shelf area is discussed based on coastal zone color scanner (CZCS) images obtained in April 1980. Data of chlorophyll distributions are analyzed in conjunction with concurrent flow and temperature fields. Lagrangian particle tracing experiments show that the particles move consistently with the evolution of the chlorophyll patterns. A four-component physical-biological model for a horizontal plane at a nominal depth of 17 m is presented. Model simulations using various physical-biological dynamics and boundary conditions show that the variability of chlorophyll distributions is controlled by horizontal advection. Phytoplankton and nutrient fluxes, calculated using the model, show considerable variability with time. The chlorophyll distributions obtained from the CZCS images are assimilated into the model to improve the phytoplankton flux estimates.

Ishizaka, Joji↗

Particle acceleration

Data is compiled from Solar Maximum Mission and Hinothori satellites, particle detectors in several satellites, ground based instruments, and balloon flights in order to answer fundamental questions relating to: (1) the requirements for the coronal magnetic field structure in the vicinity of the energization source; (2) the height (above the photosphere) of the energization source; (3) the time of energization; (4) transistion between coronal heating and flares; (5) evidence for purely thermal, purely nonthermal and hybrid type flares; (6) the time characteristics of the energization source; (7) whether every flare accelerates protons; (8) the location of the interaction site of the ions and relativistic electrons; (9) the energy spectra for ions and relativistic electrons; (10) the relationship between particles at the Sun and interplanetary space; (11) evidence for more than one acceleration mechanism; (12) whether there is single mechanism that will accelerate particles to all energies and also heat the plasma; and (13) how fast the existing mechanisms accelerate electrons up to several MeV and ions to 1 GeV.

Vlahos, L.↗

Evaluation of energetic particle effects on BUV data and atmospheric ozone

To aid investigations of energetic particle effects on the backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) instrumentation aboard Nimbus 4, solar proton events characterized as polar cap absorption events occurring in the period April 1970 to April 1976 were summarized. Energetic particle effects on total ozone above the 4 mb pressure level measured by Nimbus 4 were analyzed. Proceedings of a workshop meeting of operation aurorozone are included as background material for possible effects of bremsstrahlung on atmospheric ozone.

Herman, J. R.↗

Transverse ion energization and low-frequency plasma waves in the mid-altitude auroral zone - A case study

Evidence of transverse ion energization at altitudes of several earth radii in the auroral zone was reexamined using several hundred hours of high-sensitivity and high-resolution plasma data obtained by the Dynamics Explorer 1 satellite. The data on particle environment encountered at midaltitudes in the auroral zone disclosed rapid variations in the values of total density, thermal structure, and composition of the plasma in the interval measured; the modes of low-frequency plasma waves also varied rapidly. It was not possible to unambiguously identify in these data particle and wave signature of local transverse ion energization; however, many intervals were found where local transverse ion heating was consistent with the observations.

Peterson, W. K.↗

Analysis of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) Data for Acoustic Velocity Measurements

Acoustic velocity measurements were taken using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in a Normal Incidence Tube configuration at various frequency, phase, and amplitude levels. This report presents the results of the PIV analysis and data reduction portions of the test and details the processing that was done. Estimates of lower measurement sensitivity levels were determined based on PIV image quality, correlation, and noise level parameters used in the test. Comparison of measurements with linear acoustic theory are presented. The onset of nonlinear, harmonic frequency acoustic levels were also studied for various decibel and frequency levels ranging from 90 to 132 dB and 500 to 3000 Hz, respectively.

Blackshire, James L.↗

Cloud-encounter and particle-concentration variabilities from GASP data

Summary statistics, tabulations, and variability studies are presented for cloud encounter and particle concentration data taken as part of the NASA global atmospheric sampling program. Cloud encounter was experienced in about 15 percent of the data samples; however, the percentage varies with season, latitude, and altitude (particularly distance from the tropopause). In agreement with classical storm models, the data show more clouds in the upper troposphere in anticyclones than in cyclones. The concentration of particles with a diameter greater than 3 micron also varies with time and location, depending primarily on the horizontal extent of cloudiness. Some examples of the application of the statistical data to the estimation of the frequency of cloud encounter and laminar flow loss to be expected on long range airline routes are also presented.

Nastrom, G. D.↗