Recent Activities in Solar Sail Technology
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Fe, O, and C Charge States Associated with Quiescent Versus Active Current Sheets in the Solar Wind
Ulysses MAG data were used to locate the heliospheric current sheet in data from 1991 through 2006. The purpose was to characterize typical charge states for Fe, O, and C in the vicinity of the current sheet and provide insight into the physical sources for these charge states in the corona. A study of He/H around the current sheets has led to a clear distinction between quiescent current sheets at times of low solar activity and active current sheets associated with magnetic clouds (and, presumably, ICMES). It has been shown that high ionization state Fe is produced in the corona in current sheets associated with CMEs through spectroscopic observations of the corona and through in situ detection at Ulysses. Here we show that the ionization state of Fe is typically only enhanced around active current sheets while the ionization states of O and C are commonly enhanced around both quiescent and active current sheets. This is consistent with UV coronal spectroscopy, which has shown that reconnection in current sheets behind CMEs leads to high temperatures not typically seen above quiet streamers.
Suess, S. T.↗
Radial and Solar Cycle Variations of the Magnetic Fields in the Heliosheath: Voyager 1 Observations from 2005 to 2008
We discuss the magnetic field strength B(t) and polarity observed by Voyager 1 (V1) in the heliosheath at the heliographic latitude approximately equal 34 deg as it moved away from the sun from 2005 through 2008.82. The pattern of the polarity of the magnetic field changed from alternating positive and negative polarities to predominantly negative polarities (magnetic fields pointing along the Archimedean spiral field angle toward the sun) at approximately equal 2006.23). This transition indicates that the latitudinal extent of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) was decreasing in the supersonic solar wind, as expected for the declining phase of the solar cycle, and as predicted by extrapolation of the magnetic neutral line near the photosphere to the position of V1. However, the polarity was not uniformly negative in during 2008, in contrast to the predicted polarity. This difference suggests that the maximum latitudinal extent of the HCS was tending to increase in the northern hemisphere in the heliosheath, while it was decreasing in the supersonic solar wind. The large-scale magnetic field strength B(t) HCS was observed by V1 from 2005 through 2008.820. During this interval of decreasing solar activity toward solar minimum, B(t) at 1 AU was decreasing and the solar wind speed V at the latitude of V1 was increasing. Adjusting the temporal profile of B(t) observed by V1 for the solar cycle variations of B and V in the supersonic solar wind, we find that the radial gradient of B(R) in heliosheath from the radial distance R = 94.2 AU to 107.9 AU between 2005.0 and 2008.82 was 0.0017 nT/AU <= grad B <= 0.0055 nT/AU or grad B = (0.0036 +/- 0.0019) nT/AU
Burlaga, Leonard↗
Advances in Space Radiation Physics and Transport
The space radiation environment is a complex mixture of particle types and energies originating from sources inside and outside of the galaxy. These environments may be modified by the heliospheric and geomagnetic conditions as well as planetary bodies and vehicle or habitat mass shielding. In low Earth orbit (LEO), the geomagnetic field deflects a portion of the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and all but the most intense solar particle events (SPE). There are also dynamic belts of trapped electrons and protons with low to medium energy and intense particle count rates. In deep space, the GCR exposure is more severe than in LEO and varies inversely with solar activity. Unpredictable solar storms also present an acute risk to astronauts if adequate shielding is not provided. Near planetary surfaces such as the Earth, moon or Mars, secondary particles are produced when the ambient deep space radiation environment interacts with these surfaces and/or atmospheres. These secondary particles further complicate the local radiation environment and modify the associated health risks. Characterizing the radiation fields in this vast array of scenarios and environments is a challenging task and is currently accomplished with a combination of computational models and dosimetry. The computational tools include models for the ambient space radiation environment, mass shielding geometry, and atomic and nuclear interaction parameters. These models are then coupled to a radiation transport code to describe the radiation field at the location of interest within a vehicle or habitat. Many new advances in these models have been made in the last decade, and the present review article focuses on the progress and contributions made by workers and collaborators at NASA in the same time frame. Although great progress has been made, and models continue to improve, significant gaps remain and are discussed in the context of planned future missions. Of particular interest is the juxtaposition of various review committee findings regarding the accuracy and gaps of combined space radiation environment, physics, and transport models with the progress achieved over the past decade. While current models are now fully capable of characterizing radiation environments in the broad range of forecasted mission scenarios, it should be remembered that uncertainties still remain and need to be addressed.
Space radiation↗
Exploring the Solar System Activities Outline: Hands-On Planetary Science for Formal Education K-14 and Informal Settings
Activities by NASA scientists and teachers focus on integrating Planetary Science activities with existing Earth science, math, and language arts curriculum. The wealth of activities that highlight missions and research pertaining to the exploring the solar system allows educators to choose activities that fit a particular concept or theme within their curriculum. Most of the activities use simple, inexpensive techniques that help students understand the how and why of what scientists are learning about comets, asteroids, meteorites, moons and planets. With these NASA developed activities students experience recent mission information about our solar system such as Mars geology and the search for life using Mars meteorites and robotic data. The Johnson Space Center ARES Education team has compiled a variety of NASA solar system activities to produce an annotated thematic outline useful to classroom educators and informal educators as they teach space science. An important aspect of the outline annotation is that it highlights appropriate science content information and key science and math concepts so educators can easily identify activities that will enhance curriculum development. The outline contains URLs for the activities and NASA educator guides as well as links to NASA mission science and technology. In the informal setting educators can use solar system exploration activities to reinforce learning in association with thematic displays, planetarium programs, youth group gatherings, or community events. Within formal education at the primary level some of the activities are appropriately designed to excite interest and arouse curiosity. Middle school educators will find activities that enhance thematic science and encourage students to think about the scientific process of investigation. Some of the activities offered are appropriate for the upper levels of high school and early college in that they require students to use and analyze data.
Allen, J. S.↗
An assessment of possible ozone-solar cycle relationship inferred from NIMBUS 4 BUV data
The effects of solar activity on stratospheric ozone were studied between 1970 and 1976 by the NIMBUS 4 backscattered ultraviolet experiment. Results show that, after correcting for instrument sensitivity, globally averaged ozone decreased by 3-4 percent above 2 mbar to less than 1 percent at 10 mbar, as solar activity decreased from solar maximum to solar minimum. This systematic ozone decrease (at all pressure levels) and the seemingly periodic oscillation (generally a 2 year period) seem to be associated with conventional indices of solar activity, which suggests a solar UV-ozone relationship. However, since the ozone depletion, especially at 40 km, is characteristic of atmospheric fluorocarbon injection effects, the solar cycle ozone relationship should be qualified: it may exist if the solar UV flux varies by 15-20 percent in the shorter-wavelength region (less than 200 nm).
Chandra, S.↗
The Marshall Engineering Thermosphere model atmosphere Statistical Analysis Mode (MET-SAM)
The minimum, mean, and maximum exospheric temperature on the globe were calculated for every three hour period from 1947 through 1989 using the algorithms in the Marshall Engineering Thermosphere (MET) model and the appropriate solar activity input parameters. Cumulative percent frequency (CPF) distributions were then calculated for each of these temperatures at five levels of solar activity as defined by the 13-month smoothed values of the 10.7-cm solar radio noise flux. Next, the 50, 95, 97.7, and 100 percentile temperature values in each of these five levels of solar activity were curve fit as a function of the 13-month smoothed 10.7-cm flux. The resulting algorithms are used to compute the exospheric temperature in the MET model instead of the technique developed by Jacchia in his 1970 model. These temperatures are then used to enter tables to determine the total mass density and/or the atomic oxygen number density for application to engineering problems. Users can specify the risk level they are willing to accept in the results of analyses that require neutral atmosphere parameters inputs. The model eliminates the guess work in how to combine the solar activity input parameters to insure that the results provide answers at the proper risk levels.
Smith, Robert E.↗
Seasonal variation of the 11 year solar cycle effect on the middle atmosphere: Role of the quasi biennial oscillation
Before the introduction of the Quasi Biennial Oscillation (Q.B.O.) in the study of the solar atmosphere relationship by Labitzke (1987) and Labitzke and Van Loon (1988), the only region of the atmosphere where an effect of a change in solar activity was generally admitted was the mesosphere. The response of the mesosphere, in phase with the solar activity, was found to be about one order of magnitude above model expectancy (around 10 to 20 Kelvin). It was observed independently of the season and maximized around 70 km (Chanin et al. 1987). However, from the same study, it was shown that the response of the stratosphere of opposite sign, clearly seen during winter and autumn, was at the threshold of detection in spring and summer. In the stratosphere, it was shown later that the separation of the data taking into account the sign of the Q.B.O. amplifies the negative correlation of the stratospheric temperature with solar activity in winter; it then becomes more significantly negative for the East phase of the Q.B.O. than when the data are all mixed (Labitzke and Chanin 1988). The studies of the seasonal response of the atmosphere to solar effect is crucial to understand the possible mechanism responsible of such a solar activity Q.B.O. relationship, knowing that the global dynamic circulation is quite different according to the seasons. The question is examined as to whether such separation of the data according to the phase of the Q.B.O. has any impact on the solar response of the middle atmosphere for seasons other than winter.
Keckhut, P.↗
A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF 50 YEARS OF DAILY SOLAR WIND VELOCITY DATA
Daily mean value of solar wind velocity measured by various spacecraft near the Earth’s orbit from 1963 November 27 to 2013 December 31 given by OMNIWeb is utilized to investigate its characteristics through statistical analyses. The percent probability distribution of solar wind velocity can be described well by the Γ distribution function with the most probable velocity to be 373 km s{sup -1}. It is found that solar wind could be statistically classified into three groups: (1) the low-velocity wind, v<450 km s{sup -1}, which positively responds to, and in the cycle phase lags, the solar activity cycle; (2) the high-velocity wind, 450≤v<725 km s{sup -1}, which negatively responds to, and in the cycle phase leads, the solar activity cycle, but in a short timescale (one-rotation-period) lags the solar activity cycle; and (3) the extreme-high-velocity wind, v≥725 km s{sup -1}, which positively responds to, and in cycle phase leads, the solar activity cycle. A period of about 27 days is determined for solar wind in the first two groups, so that solar wind in the groups is modulated by the solar rotation and related with solar long-life magnetic structures. Solar wind of extreme high velocity appears mainly at the descending phases of the solar cycles.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Solar Particle Events Observed by the Odyssey MARIE Instrument at Mars: Dose and Model Calculations
One of the primary concerns prior to human exploration of Mars is the need to accurately characterize the charged particle radiation environment both for the surface stay, and for the transit period to and from the planet. The Odyssey spacecraft, currently in Mars orbit includes a charged particle radiation detector, MARIE, which can measure particle fluxes with energies above approx. 30 MeV and charges between 1 and 10. Two classes of particles are of particular interest: the Galactic Cosmic Rays, (GCR), and those charged particles associated with Solar Particle Events, (SPE). The GCR are present continuously throughout the solar activity cycle, and their numbers vary inversely with the level of solar activity. They are characteristically more energetic than those particles originating from solar activity, and hence less influences by the solar magnetic field.
Cleghorn, T. F.↗
Solution combustion synthesis of {gamma}(L)-Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} and photocatalytic activity under solar radiation
Highlights: {yields} Solution combustion technique was used to synthesize {gamma}(L)-Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}. {yields} The material was in crystalline orthorhombic phase. {yields} High photocatalytic activity under solar radiation was observed. -- Abstract: The facile method of solution combustion was used to synthesize {gamma}(L)-Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}. The material was crystallized in a purely crystalline orthorhombic phase with sizes varying from 300 to 500 nm. Because the band gap was 2.51 eV, the degradation of wide variety of cationic and anionic dyes was investigated under solar radiation. Despite the low surface area (<1 m{sup 2}/g) of the synthesized material, {gamma}(L)-Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} showed high photocatalytic activity under solar radiation due to its electronic and morphological properties.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Solar Flare Catalog for SPICE Instrument on the Solar Orbiter
Studying the solar corona, the outermost layer of solar atmosphere, is a pivotal part of understanding the dynamic relations between solar activity and the solar wind, which can disrupt the near-Earth environment. Solar flares emit electromagnetic radiation in the solar corona, capable of releasing large amounts of energy in a matter of minutes. Flares can also be associated with Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and affect Earth’s ionosphere. One instrument that can be used to study flares is the Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrumentaboard the Solar Orbiter (SolO). SPICE is a high-resolution extreme ultraviolet stigmatic slit spectrometer that covers emission lines formed from the solar chromosphere to corona. Since SPICE is a stigmatic slit spectrometer, the instrument can only take in data from a small spatial area on the Sun at a time. Due to the fast and unpredictable nature of flare events, it can be difficult to determine if and when SPICE has observed a flare. For this reason, we have created a catalog of flares observed by SPICE. This catalog of observational data was assembledby cross referencing data between different solar missions, including data from SolO’s E xtreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) and Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX), Solar Dynamics Observatory’s Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA) instrument, and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). Supplemental analysis of the SPICE solar flare data includes Gaussian line fitting for flares of particular interest. The catalog can be utilized to locate and study coronal loop structures and flare ribbons. This SPICE solar flare catalog and additional supplemental analysis allows for the ease of identification of useful SPICE spectral data and multi-instrument analysis in order to study solar flare activity. It will be open for use by the Solar Orbiter and broader Heliophysics communities.
Anneliese L. Schmidt↗
Statistical properties of solar flares and coronal mass ejections through the solar cycle
Waiting Time Distributions (WTDs) of solar flares are investigated all through the solar cycle. The same approach applied to Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) in a previous work is considered here for flare occurrence. Our analysis reveals that flares and CMEs share some common statistical properties, which result dependent on the level of solar activity. Both flares and CMEs seem to independently occur during minimum solar activity phases, whilst their WTDs significantly deviate from a Poisson function at solar maximum, thus suggesting that these events are correlated. The characteristics of WTDs are constrained by the physical processes generating those eruptions associated with flares and CMEs. A scenario may be drawn in which different mechanisms are actively at work during different phases of the solar cycle. Stochastic processes, most likely related to random magnetic reconnections of the field lines, seem to play a key role during solar minimum periods. On the other hand, persistent processes, like sympathetic eruptions associated to the variability of the photospheric magnetism, are suggested to dominate during periods of high solar activity. Moreover, despite the similar statistical properties shown by flares and CMEs, as it was mentioned above, their WTDs appear different in some aspects. During solar minimum periods, the flare occurrence randomness seems to be more evident than for CMEs. Those persistent mechanisms generating interdependent events during maximum periods of solar activity can be suggested to play a more important role for CMEs than for flares, thus mitigating the competitive action of the random processes, which seem instead strong enough to weaken the correlations among flare event occurrence during solar minimum periods. However, it cannot be excluded that the physical processes at the basis of the origin of the temporal correlation between solar events are different for flares and CMEs, or that, more likely, more sophisticated effects are at work at the same time leading to an even more complex picture. This work represents a first step for further investigations.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Long-term Average Spectral and Spatial Distributions of Plasmaspheric Hiss Observed by the Akebono and IMAGE Satellites
The radiation belt slot region is known to result from losses of energetic electrons by enhanced pitch-angle scattering by whistler mode waves associated with plasmaspheric hiss emission. The distributions of whistler mode waves in the slot L range are therefore important for understanding the electron radiation belt. The sources and distributions of the waves are, however, still controversial. In the present study, using the Akebono/MCA data [1989-20051 and the IMAGE/RPI data [2000-20051, we have constructed the average plasmaspheric hiss spectral distributions over a broad frequency range. In addition, we have investigated the spatial distributions of plasmaspheric hiss with the wave map technique [Green et a1.(2005)]. Our study shows that the broadband plasmaspheric hiss are distributed in the frequency range of 100Hz to several kHz, and exhibit a broad intensive peak. The frequency of the intensity peak tends to increase with magnetic latitude. The frequencies of the most intense waves in the nominal slot L range (2<3) during quiet times (Dst>-50nT) are found to be between 300Hz and 600Hz on average. During high storm activity (Dst <-150nT), however, the peak frequencies become slightly lower. The intensity of plasmaspheric hiss clearly depends on substorm activity as measured by the AE index, consistent with Meredith et a1.(2004). The hiss wave intensity maps also show a strong local time asymmetry. The large amplitude waves are observed at 6:OO-19:OO MLT. From our extensive analysis, we have also found an L dependence of hiss activity, with the larger amplitude waves being observed at lower L during substorm active conditions. The same tendency can be found for solar activity. The average intensities of the waves during 1989-1991 and 2000-2001 are a few dB larger than those during 1992-1997 and 2005. The most intense waves are observed at lower L during high solar activity. The statistical study on spectrum features of the plasmaspheric hiss together with the spatial distribution show clear dependences of storm, substorm and solar activities.
Fung, Shing↗
The Venus atmospheric response to solar cycle variations
Atmospheric drag measurements from the orbital decay of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Magellan spacecraft have recently been obtained of the Venus dayside and nightside atmosphere between 130 and 210 km during a period of low solar activity. These new measurements, combined with the earlier Pioneer Venus drag measurements (1978-80) obtained near the maximum of the 11-year solar cycle, have allowed the detection of the detailed response of temperature, atomic oxygen and carbon dioxide to solar variations. We have found a weak but detectable temperature response on the dayside which is in accord with the response predicted by Keating and Bougher when they assumed very strong CO2 radiative cooling resulting from atomic oxygen exciting CO2 into 15 micron emission. This same radiative process may cause strong cooling in the Earth's upper atmosphere with the doubling of CO2 in the future. With decreasing solar activity, the O/CO2 ratio in the lower thermosphere is found to decrease, apparently due to decreased photodissociation of CO2 and lower temperatures. The percent decrease in atomic oxygen with decreasing solar activity on the dayside is found to be approximately the same as the percent decreases of atomic oxygen transported to the nightside. A very weak response of nightside temperatures to solar activity variations has also been detected.
Keating, Gerald M.↗
The Venus Atmospheric Response to Solar Cycle Variations
Atmospheric drag measurements from the orbital decay of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Magellan spacecraft have recently been obtained of the Venus dayside and nightside atmosphere between 130 and 210 km during a period of low solar activity. These new measurements, combined with the earlier Pioneer Venus drag measurements (1978-80) obtained near the maximum of the 11-year solar cycle, have allowed the detection of the detailed response of temperature, atomic oxygen and carbon dioxide to solar variations. We have found a weak but detectable temperature response on the dayside which is in accord with the response predicted by Keating and Bougher when they assumed very strong CO2 radiative cooling resulting from atomic oxygen exciting CO2 into 15 micron emission. This same radiative process may cause strong cooling in the Earth's upper atmosphere with the doubling of CO2 in the future. With decreasing solar activity, the O/CO2 ratio in the lower thermosphere is found to decrease, apparently due to decreased photodissociation of CO2 and lower temperatures. The percent decrease in atomic oxygen with decreasing solar activity on the dayside is found to be approximately the same as the percent decreases of atomic oxygen transported to the nightside. A very weak response of nightside temperatures to solar activity variations has also been detected.
Keating, Gerald M.↗
Merged interaction regions and large-scale fluctuations observed by the Voyager 2 in the distant heliosphere
The merged interaction regions (MIRs) and large-scale fluctuations of the heliospheric magnetic field play a major role in the dynamics of the solar wind, the position and motion of the termination shock and heliopause, the triggering of radio emissions, and the modulation of cosmic rays. The structure of MIRs and large-scale fluctuations varies with distance from the sun and with solar activity. Here we compare Voyager 2 observations near the maximum of solar activity (1989 through 1991) with those during the declining phase of solar activity (1992 thorough 1994). Global MIRs with strong magnetic fields, preceded by a strong shock, were observed near solar maximum. During the declining phase of the solar cycle, the MIRs had significantly weaker magnetic fields. In both cases the pickup protons, identified by an analysis of pressure balanced structures, play a major role in the dynamical evolution of the MIRs beyond 30 AU. The large-scale magnetic field fluctuations have significantly greater amplitudes near solar maximum than during the declining phase of the solar cycle.
Burlaga, L. F.↗
Evolution of the Solar Wind Speed with Heliocentric Distance and Solar Cycle. Surprises from Ulysses and Unexpectedness from Observations of the Solar Corona
An extensive analysis of Ulysses observations of the solar wind speed V from 1990 to 2008 is undertaken. It is shown that the evolution of V with heliocentric distance r depends substantially on both the heliolatitude and the solar activity cycle. Deviations from the predicted Parker’s profile of V(r) are so considerable that cannot be explained by a scarcity of measurements or other technical effects. In particular, the expected smooth growth of the solar wind speed with r is typical only for the solar activity maximum and for low heliolatitudes (lower than ±40°), while at high latitudes, there are two V(r) branches: growing and falling. In the solar activity maximum, V increases toward the solar pole in the North hemisphere only; however, in the South hemisphere, it decreases with heliolatitude. In the minimum of solar activity, the profile of V(r) at low heliolatitudes has a local minimum between 2 and 5 AU. This result is confirmed by the corresponding data from other spacecraft (Voyager 1 and Pioneer 10). Unexpected spatial variations in V at low heliolatitudes can be explained by the impact of coronal hole flows on the V(r) profile since the flows incline to the ecliptic plane. To reproduce the impact of spatial variations of V in the polar corona on the behavior of V at low heliolatitudes, a stationary one-fluid ideal MHD-model is developed with account of recent results on imagery of the solar wind speed in the corona up to 5.5 solar radii obtained on the basis of combined observations from SOHO/UVCS, LASCO, and Mauna Loa.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗