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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

Polar Cap Plasma and Convection

This presentation will describe the character of the polar cap plasma in 10% AGU Spring 1998 particular the convection velocities at the perigee (about 1.8 Re) and apogee( about 8.9 Re) of Polar in relationship to Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) and solar wind parameters. This plasma is thought to be due to several sources; the polar wind, cleft ion fountain, and auroral outflow. The plasma in the polar cap tends to be mostly field-aligned. At any given point in the polar cap, this plasma could be from a different regions since convection of magnetic field lines can transport this material. it is quite difficult to study such a phenomena with single point measurements. Current knowledge of the polar cap plasma obtained by in situ measurements will be presented along with recent results from the Polar mission. This study also examines the direct electrical coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere by comparing convection velocities measured by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) and Magnetic Field Experiment (MFE) instruments in magnetosphere and measurements of the ionosphere by ground-based radars. At times such a comparison is difficult because the Polar satellite at apogee spends a large amount of time in the polar cap which is a region that is not coverage well by the current SuperDam coherent radars. This is impart due to the lack of irregularities that returns the radar signal.

Elliott, Heather A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Observations of Ion Signatures of Magnetic Reconnection for Northward IMF

Magnetic merging at Earth's magnetopause produces distinct mixtures of ions and electrons as well as signatures in their distribution functions. High resolution measurements allow for the separation of the different distributions and quantification of their characteristics. This provides details on the temporal and spatial nature of the merging site and the resulting history of the merged fields. The event of May 29, 1996 resulted in remote observations of the effects of reconnection on both magnetosheath and magnetosphere populations for a period of approximately three hours. Three-dimensional ion distributions obtained by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment on the Polar spacecraft show that field lines threading the spacecraft's location in the northern cusp region contained a mix of D-shaped ions from the magnetosheath and accelerated magnetospheric ions both moving parallel to the local magnetic field. This mix of ions resulted from transmission of magnetosheath ions across the magnetopause at speeds greater than the de-Hoffman-Teller speed and the reflection of cold, slow-moving plasmasphere-like ions at the magnetopause. These observations are used to conclude that these field lines were connected to the ionosphere in the northern hemisphere and, southward of the spacecraft, the interplanetary magnetic field and crossed the magnetopause in the equatorial region southward of the spacecraft.

Chandler, Michael O.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Polar Observations of Properties of H+ and O+ Conics in the Cusp Near ~5300 km Altitude

Observations by the thermal ion dynamics experiment (TIDE) on POLAR are used to explore features of low-energy ionospheric ion conical distributions at approximately 5300 km altitude over the southern cusp under different interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions with negative and positive B(sub z) components. The properties are summarized as follows: (1) At the edge upstream of the convection in the cusp, the energy of outflowing ion distributions abruptly increased from a few eV to approximately 100 eV; (2) The angular distributions also abruptly changed from rammed < approximately 5 eV polar wind distributions to approximately 10-100 eV conics; (3) These conic signatures gradually gave way again to polar wind components further downstream of the cusp; (4) The uppermost energy of the detected O+ was larger than that of H+, while the density and flux of O+ were lower than those of H+; (5) The cone angles for both light and heavy ion conics were largest for the upstream region of the convection; (6) Cone angles are wider for O+ than H+; (7) The cone angles as well as the conic energies gradually decreased in the convection direction; (8) The UFI beams and conics were sometimes observed alternately, particularly for H+, and (9) In some cases, the distinct ion conic bursts occurred multiple times during a single cusp crossing.

Hirahara, M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Study of Ion Velocities Observed by TIDE and How It Relates to Magnetospheric Circulation

The high-latitude ion velocities measured by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) instrument on the Polar spacecraft will be examined in relation to magnetospheric circulation. TIDE derives ion velocities from moments of measured distribution functions. Hydrogen and oxygen ions are E X B drifting in the polar cap and cleft regions with a speed of about 5-20 km/s at apogee (approximately 9 Re) and a speed of 1-2 km/s at perigee (approximately 1.8 Re). At perigee 0+ is typically seen flowing down in the polar cap and outflowing from the cleft. At the transition from downflowing to upflowing there is also seen a reversal in the ion convection. The convection at perigee is consistent with standard ionospheric convection models for given Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) conditions. Convection at high altitude (approximately 8.9 Re) polar regions has not been studied very much since there have not been many satellites in this region. Unlike previous missions to this region TIDE in conjunction the Plasma Source Instrument (PSI) can measure ions with as low an energy as several electron Volts. The outflowing ions observed by TIDE at apogee are believed to be important to the overall circulation of the magnetosphere. The convection of these outflowing ions at apogee will be related to the IMF. This study tries to answer the question of how the IMF response of the convection influences the overall circulation of the magnetosphere.

Elliott, H. A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Relationship of O(+) Field-Aligned Flows and Densities to Convection Speed in the Polar Cap at 5000 km Altitude

Measurements of thermal O(+) ion number fluxes, densities, field-aligned velocities, and convective velocities from the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) on POLAR obtained near 5000 km altitude over the Southern hemisphere are examined. We find that the O(+) parallel velocities and densities are strongly related to the convection speeds. The polar cap densities decrease rapidly with convection speed, with a linear least square fit formula to bin averaged data giving the relationship log(N(sub (sub _)O(+))) = -0.33* V(sub (sub _)conv)) + 0.07, with a linear regression coefficient of r = -0.96. The parallel bulk flow velocities are on average slightly downward (0 - 2 km/s) for V(sub (sub _)conv) < 2.5 km/s, but tend to be upward (0 - 4 km/s) for average V(sub (sub _)conv) > 2.5 km/s. We interpret these relationships in terms of the Cleft Ion Fountain paradigm [e.g., Horwitz and Lockwood, 1985]. The densities decline with convection speed owing to increased spreading and resulting dilution from the restricted cleft source over the polar cap area with convection speed. The parallel velocities tend to be downward for low convection speeds because they fall earthward after initial cleft injection at shorter distances into the polar cap for low convection speeds. At the higher convection speeds, the initially-upward flows are transported further into the polar cap and thus occupy a larger area of the polar cap.

Stevenson, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Low-Energy Electron Effects on the Polar Wind Observed by the POLAR Spacecraft

Large ion outflow velocity variation at POLAR apogee have been observed. The observed H+ flow velocities were in the range of 23-110 km/s and 0+ flow velocities were in the range of 5-25 km/s. These velocity ranges lie between those predicted by simulations of the photoelectron-driven polar wind and "baseline" polar wind. The electric current contributions of the photoelectrons and polar rain are expected to control the size and altitude of an electric potential drop which accelerates the polar wind at relatively high altitudes. In this presentation, we compare polar wind characteristics observed near 5000 km and 8 RE altitudes by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) with measurements of low-energy electrons sampled by HYDRA, both from the POLAR spacecraft, to examine possible effects of the polar rain and photoelectrons on the polar wind. Both correlations and anti-correlations are found between the polar wind velocities and the polar rain fluxes at POLAR apogee during different polar cap crossings. Also, the low-altitude upward/downward photoelectron spectra are used to estimates the potential drops above the spacecraft. We interpret these observations in terms of the effects that both photoelectrons and polar rain may have on the electric potential and polar wind acceleration along polar cap magnetic field lines.

Horwitz, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Evidence of Component Merging Equatorward of the Cusp

The Polar spacecraft passed through a region near the dayside magnetopause on May 29, 1996, at a geocentric distance of approx. 8 R (sub E) and high, northern magnetic latitudes. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was northward during the pass. Data from the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment revealed the existence of low-speed (approx. 50 km s (exp-1)) ion D-shaped distributions mixed with cold ions (approx. 2 eV) over a period of 2.5 hours. These ions were traveling parallel to the magnetic field toward the Northern Hemisphere ionosphere and were convecting primarily eastward. The D-shaped distributions are distinct from a convecting Maxwellian and, along with the magnetic field direction, are taken as evidence that the spacecraft was inside the magnetosphere and not in the magnetosheath. Furthermore, the absence of ions in the antiparallel direction is taken as evidence that low-shear merging was occurring at a location southward of the spacecraft and equatorward of the Southern Hemisphere cusp. The cold ions were of ionospheric origin, with initially slow field-aligned speeds, which were accelerated upon reflection from the magnetopause. These observations provide significant new evidence consistent with component magnetic merging sites equatorward of the cusp for northward IMF.

Chandler, M. O.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Survey of the Polar Wind near 1 and 8Re with POLAR

Recent theoretical/modeling developments as well as measurements by Akebono and other spacecraft have created renewed interest in the polar wind. This interest arises generally from two principal aspects: (a) Understanding the physics of such plausible influences as photo-electron-driven parallel electric fields and convection-driven centrifugal acceleration on the polar wind transport; and (b) Understanding the intermediate fate of the polar wind--in particular, its contribution to the plasma content of such magnetospheric domains as the plasma sheet and tail lobes. In this talk, we will describe the results of a new survey of the intermediate(lR(sub E)) and high(8 R(sub E)) polar wind, based on high-resolution core ion measurements with the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment(TIDE) on POLAR. These new measurements of H(+), He(+), and O(+) densities, parallel flow velocities, Mach numbers and fluxes, and parallel and perpendicular temperatures, will be used to explore such issues as: (1) Supersonic vs. subsonic polar wind flows; (2) Upward and downward O(+) flows, and the origin of the polar cap ions; (3) Parallel flow speeds for various polar wind ion species in the context of various acceleration/transport mechanisms; and (4) Relationships of polar wind bulk parameters to solar zenith angle and to magnetospheric day-night distance, and their implications for the origin and transport of the polar wind.

Horwitz, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Dynamics and Structure of Dusty Reacting Flows: Inert Particles in Strained, Laminar, Premixed Flames

A detailed numerical study was conducted on the dynamics and thermal response of inert, spherical particles in strained, laminar, premixed hydrogen/air flames. The modeling included the solution of the steady conservation equations for both the gas and particle phases along and around the stagnation streamline of an opposed-jet configuration, and the use of detailed descriptions of chemical kinetics and molecular transport, For the gas phase, the equations of mass, momentum, energy, and species are considered, while for the particle phase, the model is based on conservation equations of the particle momentum balance in the axial and radial direction, the particle number density, and the particle thermal energy equation. The particle momentum equation includes the forces as induced by drag, thermophoresis, and gravity. The particle thermal energy equation includes the convective/conductive heat exchange between the two phases, as well as radiation emission and absorption by the particle. A one-point continuation method is also included in the code that allows for the description of turning points, typical of ignition and extinction behavior. As expected, results showed that the particle velocity can be substantially different than the gas phase velocity, especially in the presence of large temperature gradients and large strain rates. Large particles were also found to cross the gas stagnation plane, stagnate, and eventually reverse as a result of the opposing gas phase velocity. It was also shown that the particle number density varies substantially throughout the flowfield, as a result of the straining of the flow and the thermal expansion. Finally, for increased values of the particle number density, substantial flame cooling to extinction states and modification of the gas phase fluid mechanics were observed. As also expected, the effect of gravity was shown to be important for low convective velocities and heavy particles. Under such conditions, simulations indicate that the magnitude and direction of the gravitational force can substantially affect the profiles of the particle velocity, number density, mass flux, and temperature.

Egolfopoulos, Fokion N.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Investigating the Role of the Earth's Ionosphere in Space Weather: Modeling and Observations of High-Latitude Ionospheric Outflows

We will present what we believe to be the first reported observations of up- and downflows of topside ionospheric thermal plasmas from multiple near-simultaneous tracks through the high-latitude topside ionosphere. From several Southern polar passes, it has been possible to construct plots of field-aligned flows of 0+ observed by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment(TIDE) on the POLAR spacecraft near 5000 km altitude together with vertical ion flow observations from one or more DMSP spacecraft near 800 km altitude. We also will present simultaneous observations of POLAR auroral LTVI images with field-aligned flows. We will further show new fluid-kinetic simulations of auroral ionospheric flows in the altitude range 120 km to several R-E as subjected to the synergistic auroral effects of soft electron precipitation, transverse wave-driven ion heating, and hot plasma-driven electric potentials.

Horwitz, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

TIDE Observations of Cusp and Cleft Multiple Ion Populations

The southern pole pass of Polar/TIDe at 5000 km allows a study of the distributions of the cusp and cleft. We discuss observations of TIDE (Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment) as it passes the southern pole on March 29, 1999. A mixture of several cold outflowing ions (0.3-10 eV) are measured simultaneously with magnetospheric precipitation (greater than 100 eV). We will show a study of these multiple plasma distributions, their source, and their interaction.

Coffey, Victoria N.↗
NASA NTRS2000

POLAR Observations of Field Aligned O+ Flows at 5000 km Altitude Over the Polar Regions with Comparison to Auroral Images

Measurements of thermal 0+ ion parameters from the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) on POLAR obtained near 5000 km altitude are compared with auroral images from the Ultra Violet Imager (UVI), for southern perigee passes. Ion parameters, including parallel velocity, density, and flux are combined with multiple dayside and nightside auroral images to investigate relationships between O+ field aligned flows and the structure and brightness seen in the auroral forms. Results indicate field aligned upflowing O+ ions over regions of bright auroral activity and downward flows over dark regions. These and other relationships will be presented for several POLAR passes when both ion measurements and auroral images are observed under favorable conditions for comparison.

Stevenson, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Near-Simultaneous POLAR and DMSP Measurements of Topside Ionospheric Up and Down Flows at High Latitudes

We will present what we believe to be the first reported observations of up- and downflows of topside ionospheric thermal plasmas from multiple near-simultaneous tracks through the high-latitude topside ionosphere. From several Southern polar passes, it has been possible to construct plots of field-aligned flows of 0+ observed by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment(TIDE) on the POLAR spacecraft near 5000 km altitude together with vertical ion flow observations from one or more DMSP spacecraft near 800 km altitude. These observations provide a glimpse of the wide-spread upward and downward ionospheric ion flows over the broad polar region along multiple distinct satellite tracks. For the instances where DMSP and POLAR cross nearly the same field lines at the 800 and 5000 kin altitudes, we will show ion parameter measurements at these to altitudes in comparison to Dynamic Fluid-Kinetic(DyFK) transport simulations of anticipated altitude profiles of these parameters.

Zeng, W.↗
NASA NTRS2000

When is O+ Observed in the High Altitude Polar Cap?

Solar wind and IMF properties are correlated with the properties of O+ and H+ in the polar cap at altitudes greater than 5.5 Re geocentric using the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) on the Polar satellite. O+ is of primary interest in this study because the fraction of O+ present in the magnetosphere is commonly used as a measure of the ionospheric contribution to the magnetosphere. O+ is observed to be most abundant at lower latitudes when the solar wind speed is low and across most of the polar cap at high solar winds speeds and Kp. As the solar wind dynamic pressures increases more O+ is present in the polar cap. The O+ density is also shown to be more highly correlated with the solar wind dynamic pressure when IMF Bz is positive. H+ was not as well correlated with solar wind and IMF parameters although some correlation with IMF By is observed. H+ is more plentiful when IMF By is negative than when it is positive. In this data set H+ is very dominate so that if this plasma makes it to the plasma sheet its contribution to the plasma sheet would have a very low O+ to H+ ratio.

Elliott, H. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Multiple Satellite Observations of High-Latitude Ionospheric Outflows

We will present reported observations of up- and down-flows of topside ionospheric thermal plasmas from multiple near-simultaneous tracks through the high-latitude topside ionosphere. From several Southern polar passes, it has been possible to construct plots of field-aligned flows of O+ observed by the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment(TIDE) on the POLAR spacecraft near 5000 km altitude together with vertical ion flow observations from one or more DMSP spacecraft near 800 km altitude. We will also involve simulations from our Dynamic Fluid-Kinetic(DyFK) modeling of polar plasma transport and display resulting altitude profiles of ion parallel velocities and densities, and overlay those profiles with the "conjunction" measurements by DMSP(800 km) and POLAR(approx. 5000 km altitude). We also will present simultaneous observations of POLAR auroral UVI images with field-aligned flows.

Horwitz, J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

POLAR Observations of Topside Field-Aligned O+ Flows and Auroral Forms

Measurements of thermal O (sup +) ion densities, field-aligned velocities, and fluxes from the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) on POLAR obtained near 5000 km altitude over the Southern hemisphere are compared with auroral images from the Ultra Violet Imager (UVI). We find upward O (sup +) flows in the cleft region, but subsonic O (sup +) downflows in the polar cap region. Also, the O (sup +) ion density follows a decreasing trend from the poleward side of the cusp region into the nightside aurora region. The magnitude of the downward O (sup +) parallel velocities increases from dayside to nightside across the polar cap boundary. The upflows tend to occur over or near auroral forms, while the downflows are seen in relatively dark regions, such as the polar cap. These results are consistent with a cleft ion fountain source for the polar cap O (sup +) ions. In the nightside polar cap, the results indicate a transition from downward to upflowing field-aligned O (sup +) ions near boundaries of bright auroral arcs.

Stevenson, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Solar Wind Influence on the Oxygen Content of Ion Outflow in the High Altitude Polar Cap During Solar Minimum Conditions

We correlate solar wind and IMF properties with the properties of O(+) and H(+) in the polar cap in early 1996 during solar minimum conditions at altitudes between 5.5 and 8.9 Re geocentric using the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment (TIDE) on the POLAR satellite. Throughout the high altitude polar cap, we observe H(+) to be more abundant than O(+). H(+) is a significant fraction of both the ionosphere and the solar wind, and O(+) is not a significant species in the solar wind. O(+) is the major species in the ionosphere so the faction of O(+) present in the magnetosphere is commonly used as a measure of the ionospheric contribution to the magnetosphere. For these reasons, 0+ is of primary interest in this study. We observe O(+) to be most abundant at lower latitudes when the solar wind speed is low (and low Kp), and at higher solar wind speeds (and high Kp) O(+) is observed across most of the polar cap. We also find that O(+) density and parallel flux are well organized by solar wind dynamic pressure; they both increase with solar wind dynamic pressure. H(+) is not as highly correlated with solar wind and IMF parameters, but H(+) density and parallel flux have some negative correlation with IMF By, and some positive correlation with VswBIMF. In this solar minimum data set, H(+) is dominant so that contributions of this plasma to the plasma sheet would have a very low O(+) to H(+) ratio.

Elliott, Heather A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Response of the Ionospheric Cusp to the Solar Through Two Perspectives: Low Energy Changed Particle In-Situ Measurements and Low- Energy Neutral Atom Imaging

The IMAGE mission provides a new perspective on the study of the response of the magnetosphere/ionosphere system to changing solar wind conditions, particularly the variability of ion outflow. Learning to interpret this new type of data becomes an essential step in the process of melding these results with the wealth of in-situ charged particle observations obtained over the past 25 years. In order to understand how the in-situ data correspond to and contrast with IMAGE results we will perform a conjunctive study of event data from two instruments to shed light on the coupling of the solar wind and ionosphere from these different perspectives. We will use the Low Energy Neutral Atom instrument (LENA) which images energetic neutral atom emissions from upward flowing ionospheric ions and the Thermal Ion Dynamics Instrument (TIDE) on the Polar satellite which measures in-situ ion outflow from 0.3-300 eV. Our primary goal will be to understand how comparing the imaging and in-situ perspectives can aid in the analysis of both data sets.

Coffey, V. N.↗