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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1971

Geomagnetic survey by the polar-Orbiting Geophysical Observatories.

Summary of reduced data from the polar Orbiting Geophysical Observatories OGO 2 and 4, spanning the time period from Oct. 14, 1965 to the end of 1967. A brief discussion of the accuracy of the observations is followed by a description of the data extent. It is shown that the quantity of data acquired by the OGO magnetometers far exceeds the total for all other magnetic survey sources. Data acquisition for only about a two-week interval gives virtually complete global coverage. Procedures and considerations underlying the data analysis performed are discussed. Suggestions for further work are presented.

Cain, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Enrichment of very heavy nuclei in the composition of solar accelerated particles.

Measurement of the abundances of the nuclei C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, Ar, and Ca and the group Cr-Co relative to oxygen from seven solar energetic-particle events in the energy range from about 14 to 61 MeV per nucleon with a solid-state detector telescope on the OGO-5 satellite, 1968-1971. The differential energy spectra of O (14 to 29 MeV per nucleon) and Cr-Co (3 to 61 MeV per nucleon) have a spectral index of about (-3) for a power law in kinetic energy. The relative abundances of C, N, O, and Ne are in excellent agreement with emulsion studies. However, when compared with the solar photospheric and coronal abundances, the OGO-5 measurements show a large enhancement of relative abundances beginning with Si, and extending to the Cr-Co group. The enhancement over the solar and universal abundances is in rough agreement with the composition of the galactic cosmic radiation.

Mogro-Campero, A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Large-scale coherence and high velocities of the earth's bow shock on February 12, 1969.

The earth's bow shock exhibited a clean laminar profile at low Mach number as it crossed and recrossed Ogo 5, Heos 1, and Explorer 33 on February 12, 1969. The approximate 120 earth radii distance between Heos and Explorer during one set of crossings indicated the abrupt character of the laminar shock 'front' and the absence of magnetosheath turbulence both in the dayside hemisphere above the ecliptic and in the flank of the shock 75 earth radii behind the earth and below the ecliptic. The abruptness of the shock and coplanarity of the loci of Ogo and Heos with the local shock normal permit the most reliable estimates yet obtained of shock velocities along the normal. These mean velocities ranged from 11 to at least 100 km/sec over distances of 2-7 earth radii.

Greenstadt, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Errors in retarding potential analyzers caused by nonuniformity of the grid-plane potential.

One aspect of the degradation in performance of retarding potential analyzers caused by potential depressions in the retarding grid is quantitatively estimated from laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations. A simple expression is obtained that permits the use of laboratory measurements of grid properties to make first-order corrections to flight data. Systematic positive errors in ion temperature of approximately 16% for the Ogo 4 instrument and 3% for the Ogo 6 instrument are deduced. The effects of the transverse electric fields arising from the grid potential depressions are not treated.

Hanson, W. B.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Plasma waves in the dayside polar cusp. I - Magnetospheric observations.

General survey of the Ogo 5 plasma-wave measurements for the dayside polar-cusp encounters of Nov. 1, 1968, and detailed analysis of the observations at the low-altitude (r approximately 3 to 5 earth radii) cusp boundaries. The survey section contains an overall discussion of the ULF magnetic-field wave levels and the VLF electric-field amplitude ranges measured from perigee out to 9 earth radii on Nov. 1, 1968. These cusp-associated observations are compared with those made on Oct. 27 and Nov. 6, 1968, when Ogo 5 traversed the dayside magnetosphere without encountering the cusp. It is shown that at the November 1 low-altitude cusp boundaries intense wave levels were detected over a broad spectral region at the steep gradients in cusp plasma density and thermal energy. The results are interpreted in terms of drift instabilities for low-beta plasmas with hot ions, and associated wave-particle and wave-wave interactions are briefly discussed.

Scarf, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Neutral composition in the thermosphere.

Data obtained from the Ogo 6 neutral atmospheric composition (NAC) experiment for a period of more than 1 year are used to compare the average constituent composition at an altitude of 400 km with that predicted by the Jacchia 1971 and 1965 models. The comparison shows that the Jacchia 1971 model underestimates the molecular nitrogen densities at 400 km by a factor of 2. An atmosphere is constructed down to 120 km by means of the Stein and Walker technique. A fit is made with (1) the 400-km total densities from drag measurements and the composition from Ogo 6 NAC, (2) the 250-km measured molecular nitrogen densities, and (3) the 150-km total densities from drag. This fit shows that the Jacchia 1971 model overestimates the atomic oxygen content at 150 km.

Taeusch, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Outer magnetosphere near midnight at quiet and disturbed times.

Ogo 5 magnetic-field and energetic-electron (E greater than 50 keV) data are used to study both the quiet-time, steady-state configuration of the outer magnetosphere or near tail region near midnight and the disturbed time changes of this configuration. The nighttime cusp is found to be a distinct feature within the plasma sheet at quiet times but indistinguishable from the plasma sheet at disturbed times. The sequence of thinning and expansion of the plasma sheet in this region in association with the substorms is studied. The response of the plasma sheet in the near tail at about 10 earth radii is found to be similar to that in the more distant tail at more than 20 earth radii. Finally, the nature of field-aligned currents flowing on the plasma-sheet boundary is investigated. Assuming infinite current sheets, the sheet current density at Ogo 5 is found to be approximately .01 A/m.

Aubry, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Seasonal and altitude variations in field-aligned precipitation occurrence

Data from more than 7500 orbits of the polar-orbiting satellite OGO-4 have been analyzed to determine the existence of seasonal, altitude, or universal time differences in the occurrence of field-aligned electrons. Unexpected variations in frequency of occurrence have been found at different altitudes and in different seasons. In particular, the probability of observing this phenomenon at high latitudes was found to be greatest in the winter months at the highest altitudes attained by OGO-4. A localized parallel electric field acceleration mechanism is presented which could account for the particle observations.

Berko, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Global characteristics in the diurnal variations of the thermospheric temperature and composition

Global characteristics in the diurnal components of OGO-6 neutral mass spectrometer measurements near 450 km are discussed qualitatively as well as quantitatively on the basis of a theoretical model. Observations and conclusion are summarized: (1) During equinox the temperature maximum occurs after 1600 LT at the equator and shifts toward 1500 LT at the poles, while the oxygen concentration at 450 km peaks about one hour earlier. (2) There is general agreement between the magnitudes and phases of the diurnal, semidiurnal and terdiuranal temperature components at 450 km from theory as well as OGO-6 and radar backscatter measurements. (3) The maximum in the diurnal variation of He is observed near 1030 LT consistent with theoretical results which further emphasize the importance of dynamics and diffusion. (4) During solstice conditions the diurnal temperature maximum shifts toward later local times, in substantial agreement with radar temperature measurements. (5) the temperature-oxygen density phase difference at 450 km is observed to decrease with latitude from the winter toward the summer hemisphere, where oxygen may even peak after the temperature at high latitudes.

Mayr, H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Equatorial current sheet in the magnetosphere.

The delta B distribution deduced from the Ogo 3 and 5 satellites shows large field depressions in the equatorial region inside the plasmasphere. On the basis of the delta B distribution, it is shown that what is usually considered the quiet-time ring current is an equatorial sheet current that is an extension of the neutral sheet current in the magnetospheric tail. The primary source of the large field reductions inside the plasmasphere is a population of protons with energies of 0.1-1 Mev initially detected by Davis and Williamson (1963) and Davis (1965) on Explorer 12, 14, and 15. Low-energy protons extensively measured on Ogo 3 by Frank (1967, 1971) are primarily responsible for the current near and outside the plasmapause.

Sugiura, M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Evidence for electron excitation of type III radio burst emission.

Type III radio bursts observed at kilometric wavelengths (less than or about equal to 0.35 MHz) by the Ogo-5 spacecraft are compared with greater than 45 keV solar electron events observed near 1 AU by the IMP-5 and Explorer 35 spacecraft for the period from March 1968 to November 1969. Fifty-six distinct type III bursts extending to less than or about equal to 0.35 MHz were observed above the threshold of the Ogo-5 detector; all but two were associated with solar flares. Twenty-six of the bursts were followed less than or about equal to 40 min later by greater than 45 keV solar electron events observed at 1 AU. All of these 26 bursts were identified with flares located west of W09 solar longitude. Of the bursts not associated with electron events only three were identified with flares west of W09, 18 were located east of W09, and seven occurred during times when electron events would be obscured by high background particle fluxes.

Alvarez, H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Field-aligned currents, plasma waves, and anomalous resistivity in the disturbed polar cusp.

During the magnetic storm of November 1, 1968, the Ogo 5 spacecraft encountered the polar cusp region at low magnetic latitudes. We show that the region just outside the last closed field lines contained a warm magnetosheath plasma, magnetic field perturbations interpretable as field-aligned current layers, and electrostatic waves possibly due to plasma instabilities driven by these currents. Estimates of anomalous resistivity extrapolated along the field lines due to these electrostatic waves lead to estimates of field-aligned potential drops between Ogo 5 and the ionosphere on the order of 2 kV.

Fredricks, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Satellite studies of magnetospheric substorms on August 15, 1968. III - Some features of magnetospheric convection.

New details of unsteady magnetospheric convection and gradual erosion of the plasmasphere during a weak magnetic storm are revealed in the light of presented ground data and OGO-4 and OGO-5 data for August 13-15, 1968. These new findings suggest that westward electric fields of the order of 0.5 mv/m were present in the midnight sector during the substorms studied.

Carpenter, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Upper limit to the 1-20 MeV solar neutron flux.

The upper limit on the quiet time solar neutron flux from 1 to 20 MeV has been measured to be less than .002 neutrons at the 95% confidence level. This result is deduced from the OGO-6 neutron detector measurements of the 'day-night' effect near the equator at low altitudes for the period from June 7 to Dec. 23, 1969. The OGO-6 detector had very low (less than 4%) counting rate contributions from locally produced neutrons in the detecting system and the spacecraft and from charged-particle interactions in the neutron sensor.

Lockwood, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Dynamics of midlatitude light ion trough and plasmatails

Light ion trough measurements near midnight made by the RF ion mass spectrometer on OGO-4 operating in the high resolution mode in Feb. 1968 reveal the existence of irregular structure on the low latitude side of the midlatitude trough. Using two different relations between the equatorial convection electric field, assumed spatially invariant and directed from dawn to dusk, and Kp (one based on plasmapause measurements, the other on polar cap E field measurements) a model development was made of the outer plasmasphere. The model calculations produced multiple plasmatail extensions of the plasmasphere which compare favorably with the observed irregularities. Due to magnetic local time differences between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere along OGO's orbit, the time dependent irregularity structure observed is not symmetrical about the equator. The model development produces an outer plasmasphere boundary location which varies similarly to the observed minimum density point of the light ion trough. However the measurements are not extensive enough to yield conclusive proof that one of the electric field models is better than the other.

Chen, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

LLL electron and proton spectrometer on NASA's Orbiting Geophysical Observatory 5

The LLL energetic electron and proton spectrometer on NASA's Orbiting Geophysical Observatory 5 (OGO-5) operated successfully from launch - March 4, 1968 - until retirement in August 1971. Data recovery during this time was about 95% of the orbit except for the last few months. The electron spectrometer used a magnetic field for electron momentum selection which served also as an electron broom for a proton range - energy telescope. The energy range was approximately 60 to 2950 keV for electrons (seven channels) and 0.10 to approximately 94 MeV for protons (seven channels). The experiment was scanned relative to the stabilized OGO-5 for obtaining directional information. Excellent data were taken throughout the magnetosphere and in the interplanetary region. Studies were carried out in the areas of equatorial pitch-angle distributions, substorm dynamics and field topology, particle spectra (time history), particle spatial distributions, and solar particle events.

West, H. I., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The inner zone electron model AE-5

A description is given of the work performed in the development of the inner radiation zone electron model, AE-5. A complete description of the omnidirectional flux model is given for energy thresholds E sub T in the range 4.0 E sub T/(MeV) 0.04 and for L values in the range 2.8 L 1.2 for an epoch of October 1967. Confidence codes for certain regions of B-L space and certain energies are given based on data coverage and the assumptions made in the analysis. The electron model programs that can be supplied to a user are referred to. One of these, a program for accessing the model flux at arbitrary points in B-L space and arbitrary energies, includes the latest outer zone electron model and proton model. The model AE-5, is based on data from five satellites, OGO 1, OGO 3, 1963-38C, OV3-3, and Explorer 26, spanning the period December 1964 to December 1967.

Teague, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

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.↗