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At least 829 records · Page 46
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NASA NTRS1976

Magnetospheric dynamics and wave-particle interactions

It has been demonstrated that two general classes of wave-particle interactions are of great importance for magnetospheric dynamics. Electromagnetic and electrostatic plasma instabilities give rise to relatively narrow-banded spontaneous emissions (e.g., ELF hiss, chorus, three-halves noise, ion cyclotron and ion-plasma-frequency turbulence) that can scatter trapped particles into the loss cone, leading to modified pitch-angle distributions, stable trapping limits, diffuse aurora, proton precipitation events, etc. The current-driven plasma instabilities give rise to impulsive ion acoustic or Buneman mode turbulence that provides very effective energy transfer (via the anomalous conductivity mechanism) at the bow shock and in regions where strong field-aligned currents are observed. We review these interactions and identify significant open questions that must be investigated during the IMS.

Scarf, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Substorm phenomena and the uniqueness of the geostationary orbit for observation of dynamic processes in the magnetosphere

During the Spring equinox, both ATS-6 and ATS-5 were in geosynchronous orbit with a separation of about 11 deg longitude. A ground-based campaign was undertaken by Eather, Mende, and Judge to observe aurora at the foot of the ATS field line with a variety of instruments. Initial results support the injection boundary hypothesis of Mauk and McIlwain. Also during this period, the Cs-ion thrusters on both spacecraft were exercized in a deliberate attempt to control the spacecraft potential. Some success was achieved, and the presence of a sheath with a potential minimum about ATS-5 has been demonstrated (the sheath about ATS-6 is observed directly).

Deforest, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The Skylab barium plasma injection experiments. I - Convection observations

Two barium-plasma injection experiments were carried out during magnetically active periods in conjunction with the Skylab 3 mission. The high-explosive shaped charges were launched near dawn on November 27 and December 4, 1973, UT. In both cases, the AE index was near 400 gammas, and extensive pulsating auroras covered the sky. The first experiment, Skylab Alpha, occurred in the waning phase of a 1000-gamma substorm, and the second, Skylab Beta, occurred in the expansive phase of an 800-gamma substorm. In both, the convection was generally magnetically eastward, with 100-km-level electric fields near 40 mV/m. However, in the Alpha experiment the observed orientation of the barium flux tube fit theoretical field lines having no parallel current, but the Beta flux-tube orientation indicated a substantial upward parallel sheet current.

Wescott, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

What we have learned from the magnetosphere

Three significant discoveries resulting from recent studies of earth's magnetosphere are discussed: (1) the central role of magnetic-field-line reconnection in determining the topology, geometry, and dynamics of the magnetosphere; (2) the realization that auroral arcs result from coupling of solar-wind stresses to the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere; and (3) the role of plasma turbulence in affecting both the microscopic state and macroscopic observables of the magnetospheric plasma. Magnetic-field-line reconnection is described in terms of Dungey's (1961) model of the magnetosphere, a simple picture of magnetic-substorm evolution is outlined, and questions concerning the reconnection rate are considered. The production of aurorae by field-aligned electron beams is examined, and an analogy is made between earth's magnetosphere and that of a pulsar with aligned dipole and spin axes. Plasma-turbulence problems are reviewed which concern anomalously fast electron and proton losses from the Van Allen belts, whistler-electron interactions, and anomalous resistance in auroral arcs. The Pioneer 10 encounter with Jupiter's magnetosphere is briefly noted.

Kennel, C. F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Physics of magnetospheric substorms

Magnetosphere substorm physics are updated in the monograph. Major topics include: (1) open magnetosphere and the auroral oval; (2) auroras and auroral particles; (3) plasma distribution in the magnetosphere; (4) magnetosphere responses to interplanetary disturbances; (5) magnetospheric substorms and magnetotail phenomena; (6) magnetospheric currents, plasma injection, plasmasphere disturbances; and (7) magnetospheric substorms and solar-terrestrial relations. Other topics covered include: open field lines and the open magnetosphere, field-aligned currents, auroral particles and atmospheric emissions, plasma mantle, plasma sheet, radiation belts, magnetic flux transfer to the magnetotail, polar cap phenomena, substorm parameters, thinning of the plasma sheet, auroral electrojets, diurnal variations and dawn-dusk asymmetry of particle distributions, and instabilities.

Akasofu, S.-I.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Rocket measurements of electrons in a system of multiple auroral arcs

A Nike-Tomahawk rocket was launched into a system of auroral arcs northward of Poker Flat Research Range, Fairbanks, Alaska. The pitch-angle distribution of electrons was measured at 2.5, 5, and 10 keV and also at 10 keV on a separating forward section of the payload. The auroral activity appeared to be the extension of substorm activity centered to the east. The rocket crossed a westward-propagating fold in the brightest band. The electron spectrum was relatively hard through most of the flight, showing a peak in the range from 2.5 to 10 keV in the weaker aurora and below 5 keV in the brightest arc. The detailed structure of the pitch-angle distribution suggested that, at times, a very selective process was accelerating some electrons in the magnetic field direction, so that a narrow field-aligned component appeared superimposed on a more isotropic distribution. It is concluded that this process could not be a near-ionosphere field-aligned potential drop, although the more isotropic component may have been produced by a parallel electric field extending several thousand kilometers along the field line above the ionosphere.

Boyd, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Fabrication and performance of intrinsic germanium photodiodes

The paper presents fabrication details for an intrinsic germanium photodiode developed for study of atmospheric constituents, the airglow and auroras in the 1-2 micron spectral range. Attention is given to cutting of the single crystal, spreading of the lithium dispersion, sputtering of a gold coating, and surface passivation. A wavelength response curve is presented.

Beiting, E. J., III↗
NASA NTRS1977

Coordinated rocket and satellite measurements of an auroral event. I - Satellite observations and analysis

Results of a coordinated auroral experiment involving the Atmosphere Explorer C satellite and a sounding rocket are reported. Auroral primary electron fluxes and neutral gas densities measured by instruments on the satellite are used in a model calculation of the thermospheric manifestation of the aurora. There is encouraging agreement between the calculated and measured electron density, electron temperature, secondary electron flux, and O I emissions at 5577 and 6300 A. A discrepancy between the calculated and the rocket-measured 3914-A emission profile is discussed in terms of experiment geometry and auroral physics. The coordinated measurements are used to infer vertical fluxes of ionization and of electron thermal energy at high altitudes

Rees, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A comparison between N2/+/ 4278-A emission and electron flux in the auroral zone

Visual airglow and low-energy electron experiment data from the Atmosphere Explorer D satellite are used to measure variations in N2(+) density and mixing in the nighttime auroral zone. The intensity of the 4278-A N2(+) emission, proportional to energy flux deposited in N2 by energetic electrons, is determined by a method which corrects for ground reflection affecting the satellite data. Calculations related to electron energy flux are found to show a slight variance from the theoretical predictions of Rees and Luckey (1974). Evidence for high-energy proton precipitation on the southern edge of the aurora and for the presence of parallel electric fields in the altitude range 150 to 800 km is also discussed.

Kasting, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A rocket-borne airglow photometer

The design of a rocket-borne photometer to measure the airglow emission of ionized molecular nitrogen in the 391.4 nm band is presented. This airglow is a well known and often observed phenomenon of auroras, where the principal source of ionization is energetic electrons. It is believed that at some midlatitude locations energetic electrons are also a source of nighttime ionization in the E region of the ionosphere. If this is so, then significant levels of 391.4 nm airglow should be present. The intensity of this airglow will be measured in a rocket payload which also contains instrumentation to measured in a rocket payload which also contains instrumentation to measure energetic electron differential flux and the ambient electron density. An intercomparison of the 3 experiments in a nightime launch will allow a test of the importance of energetic electrons as a nighttime source of ionization in the upper E region.

Paarmann, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Auroral recombination of N and O - A possible source for emission in the gamma and delta bands of NO

Radiative recombination of N and O provides a significant source for auroral emission in the gamma and delta bands of NO with selective population of vibrational levels in the A 2 Sigma(+) and C 2 Pi states. This mechanism may account for emissions detected near 2150 A. Models are derived for the auroral ionosphere and include estimates for the concentrations of N and NO. The concentration of NO is estimated to have a value of about 100 million per cu cm near 140 km in an IBC III aurora. The corresponding density for N is about 50 million per cu cm, and the concentration ratio NO(+)/O2(+) has a value of about 5.5.

Wofsy, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Auroral O I /989 A/ and O I /1027 A/ emissions

Rocket observations of the extreme ultraviolet spectrum of the aurora from 550 to 1250 A are presented, and the results for the O I (989 A) and O I (1027 A) multiplets are examined in detail. The intensity of these emissions and the observed anisotropic radiation field are inconsistent with the relative intensity of the branching radiations. Several possible solutions to the problem are discussed, and evidence is presented that suggests the need to lower the branching ratios by several orders of magnitude.

Christensen, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Coherent wave induced particle precipitation into the upper atmosphere

A description is presented of the results of a computer simulation involving a study of the particle precipitation induced by coherent VLF waves in the magnetosphere. The results of a computation for a 10 picoweber/sq m wave amplitude are shown in a graph. The precipitated flux for three different energies is given in a table. For 1.5 keV the energy deposition rate is about 0.8 erg/sq cm-sec, almost as intense as a moderate aurora. It is concluded that significant energy is deposited by a wave of 10 picoweber/sq m intensity. Such a wave amplitude is representative of highly coherent VLF wave types that are found in the magnetosphere. On the basis of the considered results it appears that controlled VLF wave injection in the magnetosphere could be an important and useful tool to study the coupling processes between the atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Inan, U. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Evidence for two-dimensional inertial turbulence in a cosmic-scale low-beta plasma

Magnetospheric electric-field power spectral densities measured from high-altitude balloons and the Hawkeye 1 satellite are combined in wavenumber space and exhibit a power-law spectrum with index -1.6 + or -0.3 below a wavenumber of 0.05 reciprocal km and index -2.8 + or -0.3 above 2 reciprocal km. This spectrum agrees with that predicted for the inertial subrange of an isotropic homogeneous two-dimensional fluid and for a two-dimensional plasma when energy enters the system at the spectral knee and there exists a viscous dissipation mechanism at large wavenumbers. The wavelength of the spectral knee corresponds to that of folds and curls in the aurora and may be due to an instability of the auroral particle beams.

Kelley, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Auroral electron distribution function

During a rocket flight over an active aurora, electron velocity distribution is studied in the 15-25 keV range. The results are then compared to optical observations made by all-sky cameras and a television system. A broad plateau produced by downcoming electrons was observed. Smaller plateaus were seen when the rocket was south of arcs evident in all-sky camera photographs. By extending to higher energies when the rocket passed out of auroral forms, the plateaus appeared to broaden. When the rocket left an arc or entered weak diffuse auroral structures, the plateaus shrank as the more energetic portions faded. When field-aligned rays were observed within the arcs, the plateau's high-velocity cutoff was found to fluctuate. The results indicate that the auroral plasma was very unstable above the rocket. It is suggested that plateaus are produced as an unstable plasma evolves toward a quasi-equilibrium state.

Kaufmann, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The Tordo 1 polar cusp barium plasma injection experiment

In January 1975, two barium plasma injection experiments were carried out with rockets launched into the upper atmosphere where field lines from the dayside cusp region intersect the ionosphere. The Tordo 1 experiment took place near the beginning of a worldwide magnetic storm. It became a polar cap experiment almost immediately as convection perpendicular to the magnetic field moved the fluorescent plasma jet away from the cusp across the polar cap in an antisunward direction. Convection across the polar cap with an average velocity of more than 1 km/s was observed for nearly 40 min until the barium flux tubes encountered large electron fields associated with a poleward bulge of the auroral oval near Greenland. Prior to the encounter with the aurora near Greenland there is evidence of upward acceleration of the barium ions while they were in the polar cap. The three-dimensional observations of the plasma orientation and motion give an insight into convection from the cusp region across the polar cap, the orientation of the polar cap magnetic field lines out to several earth radii, the causes of polar cap magnetic perturbations, and parallel acceleration processes.

Wescott, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Influence of ground scattering on satellite auroral observations

Satellite observations of the optical emission features in the aurora and nighttime airglow are usually contaminated by scattering from clouds and snow. It is shown here that this contamination can easily be removed when the emission layer is viewed against a surface of known albedo. The effect of the earth's curvature, parallax, and varying image angle are found to be significant but can be removed from the observation.

Hays, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Auroral excitation of optical emissions of atomic and molecular oxygen

The O I 'green line' (1S-1D) at 5577 A and the O2 (0,0) atmosphere band at 7620 A were measured in a steady IBC II(plus) aurora simultaneously with N2 emissions and the auroral electron flux. An empirical model based on these rocket measurements shows that the principal excitation source of O2(b 1 Sigma g plus) is energy transfer from O(1D), with direct electron impact of O2 contributing less than 5 percent. While the altitude profile of the green line emission resembles that which would be produced by electron impact excitation of O2, a dissociative excitation cross section of 10 to the minus 16th power is required for this interpretation. None of the other known O(1S) excitation mechanisms are thought capable of producing the observed emission rate.

Feldman, P. D.↗