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A model of Jupiter's magnetosphere in which there is a circum-Jovian outflow of plasma from an inner corotating magnetodisc is compared with the observations of the Pioneer flybys.
The path-integrated gain of parallel propagating whistlers driven unstable by an anisotropic distribution of relativistic electrons in the stable trapping region of Jupiter's inner magnetosphere was computed. The requirement that a gain of 3 e-foldings of power balance the power lost by imperfect reflection along the flux tube sets a stably-trapped flux of electrons which is close to the non-relativistic result. Comparison with measurements shows that observed fluxes are near the stably-trapped limit, which suggests that whistler wave intensities may be high enough to cause significant diffusion of electrons accounting for the observed reduction of phase space densities. A crude estimate of the wave intensity necessary to diffuse electrons on a radial diffusion time scale yields a lower limit for the magnetic field fluctuation intensity.
Simultaneous magnetic and plasma measurements, carried out by wide angle plasma detectors in the Mars environment, are compared in order to identify regions with significantly different physical properties. Magnetograms and ion spectra indicate changes in the magnetopause and magnetosphere of Mars that are associated with the dynamic pressure effect of the solar wind.
The Explorer 45 (S3-A) satellite performed extensive field and particle measurements in the heart of the magnetosphere during the double magnetic storm period of August 4-6, 1972. Both the ground level magnetic records and the magnetic field deformations measured along the orbit by the satellite indicated the existence of only a moderate ring current. This was confirmed by the measurements of the total proton energy density by the on-board particle detectors, which showed a maximum energy density less than the densities observed during the December 1971 and June 1972 magnetic storms. The plasmapause in the noon quadrant was eroded continuously from the onset of the first storm at the beginning of August 4 to an altitude below L = 2.07 at about 1800 hours on August 5. Throughout the entire orbit during which the second sudden commencement occurred, a large amount of low-frequency electric and magnetic field noise was encountered. The most remarkable observation during this orbit was the contraction of the magnetopause to distances inside the satellite location at L = 5.2.
This paper presents an analysis of observations of large intensities of low-energy protons deep within the Jovian magnetosphere which were made by Pioneer 10 with an electrostatic plasma analyzer having an energy range from 108 eV to 4.80 keV. A proton density profile plotted against the earth-received time of the satellite signals reveals four significant plasma features: (1) a 'plasmasphere' with relatively high proton densities, located inside the flux tubes of Io at 6 Jupiter radii and extending toward the planet to at least 2.8 radii; (2) a 'plasmapause', on which Io's flux tubes are positioned; (3) a sparse sporadic zone beyond Io, extending out to 8 Jupiter radii; and (4) a ring current beginning at 8 radii, which extends outward in the form of a thin plasma disk and in which Europa is embedded. The thermal energies of the protons in each zone are determined, and it is suggested that Jupiter's ionosphere is the source of these protons. It is noted that the relationship of Io to the 'plasmapause' is probably of fundamental importance to that satellite's modulation of Jovian decametric radio emissions.
Results are reported for a detailed analysis of Pioneer 10 data on energetic particle species in the magnetodisk region of Jupiter's magnetosphere. It is shown that the observed counting rates in the magnetodisk (beyond 20 Jupiter radii) were caused primarily by electrons with energies exceeding 0.06 MeV. Absolute omnidirectional electron intensities in the magnetodisk are presented for five integral energy ranges, and a model electron differential energy spectrum is found to fit the intensities throughout most of the encounter trajectory. It is suggested that the observed spectral shape results from losses of high-energy electrons by pitch-angle scattering. Observed equatorial energy spectra are used to compute distribution functions for several values of the first adiabatic invariant, mu. The radial profiles of the functions are found to have maxima at about 50 Jupiter radii inbound as well as at about 90 radii outbound and to diminish strongly for lesser radii. The large decreases in density are shown to require strong losses, and resonant electron whistler-mode pitch-angle scattering is suggested as a loss mechanism.
On Dec. 6, 1974, a Black Brant VD rocket was launched from Cape Parry, N.W.T., into the dayside magnetospheric cleft. The prime launch criterion was the detection of 6300-A emission by two ground-based scanning photometers, but support was provided by two ionosondes. The payload passed through a narrow region of soft electron precipitation, a broader region of enhanced electron densities, and a similarly broad region of O I 5577-A and 6300-A emission. At apogee (236 km), the payload had not penetrated into the 5200-A emission, which had a very sharp equatorward boundary and extended far into the polar cap, presumably as a result of antisunward convection.
Proton and electron bursts (above 0.29 MeV and above 0.22 MeV, respectively) in the vicinity of the magnetosphere are studied on the basis of a high-sensitivity experiment. Although the bursts are a permanent feature in the upstream solar wind, the range of observed intensities varies by at least 5 orders of magnitude, depending on magnetic activity. The bursts are typically associated with weak fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field, which suggests the presence of hydromagnetic waves. Burst are found in and about the magnetosheath, plasma sheet, and magnetotail boundary layer, and also outside the bow shock; however, they rarely appear at distances greater than 10 earth radii north or south of the neutral sheet. Dawn-dusk asymmetries are present in intensity but not necessarily in frequency of occurrence. Proton bursts are highly anisotropic upstream from the bow shock and in the magnetosheath, while electron bursts are anisotropic only in the upstream solar wind.
The modulations of the non-Io-related radio emissions in hectometric and decametric wave frequencies are examined, and compared with the observed variation of the MeV electron fluxes in the morning sector of the Jovian magnetosphere. It is suggested that these radio emissions are controlled by the behavior of these electrons in this sector.
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.
A theoretical model is presented for the plasma in the Jovian magnetosphere whose pressure is comparable to the corotational energy density. The model is consistent with a thin current sheet of half thickness equal to 1 or 2 Jupiter radii. The current sheet lies almost precisely in the magnetic equatorial plane and is not appreciably warped, as has been suggested previously. Warping would occur only if the plasma pressure were much less than the corotational energy density
The boundaries of the various regions of the magnetospheric plasma are considered, taking into account the bow shock, the magnetopause, the outer boundary of the plasma sheet, the inner boundary of the plasma sheet, and the trapping boundary for energetic particles. Attention is given to the steady state, or quasi-steady state, to substorm effects in which temporal changes are important, and to primary auroral processes. A description is presented of the high latitude lobes of the magnetotail. The characteristics of magnetic field topology associated with interconnected interplanetary and geomagnetic field lines are illustrated with the aid of a graph.
The paper examines some of the consequences of relativistic electrons in stably trapped equilibrium with parallel propagating whistlers in the inner magnetosphere of Jupiter. Approximate scaling laws for the stably trapped electron flux and equilibrium wave intensity are derived, and the equatorial growth rate for whistlers is determined. It is shown that fluxes are near the stably trapped limit, which suggests that whistler intensities may be high enough to cause significant diffusion of electrons, accounting for the observed reduction of phase space densities.
The current status of the Solar Physics Program and the Magnetospheric Physics Program is discussed. The scientific context for each of the programs is presented, then the current programs and future plans are outlined.
Considerations made in developing a model of pulsars are explored. Observational data seems to support the argument that pulsar magnetospheres may contain large masses of plasma. The cascade process resulting from pair creation enables one to interpret the X-ray emission from the Crab and Vela pulsars as synchrotron radiation. On the other hand, the optical radiation from the Crab pulsar is best understood as coherent curvature radiation. Radio emission is interpreted as curvature radiation produced by charge bunches moving along magnetic-field lines. Certain tests of this model are proposed.
During December 1974 and January 1975, the northern magnetospheric cleft was monitored by ionosondes at Cape Parry and Sachs Harbor, Northwest Territories, Canada, in support of rocket shots into the cleft. Ionograms were taken nominally at 15-min intervals but as rapidly as two per minute during times of particular interest. Analysis of 5 days of data shows the ionosphere at cleft latitudes to be very complex and dynamic. The ionograms often show considerable structure and can change appearance significantly in a minute or two. The cleft at times appears to move equatorward in response either to a southward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field or to the occurrence of geomagnetic disturbances. This response is in agreement with the conclusions of previous satellite studies. Behavior contrary to this generalization is not uncommon, however, and therefore it may not always hold on time scales considerably shorter than the satellite orbital period of at least 1 hour. The rate of the cleft's motion may vary from about 0.05 to 0.5 deg/min.
VLF emissions and enhancements of low-energy electrons have been simultaneously observed during periods of geomagnetic disturbances by the equatorial orbiting Explorer 45 satellite. These events are characterized by the following: (1) the VLF emissions occur outside the plasmasphere in the nightside of the magnetosphere, (2) the emissions consist of two frequency regimes, one below the local electron gyrofrequency, and the other above it, (3) the emissions below the gyrofrequency are relatively broadband whistler waves characteristic of chorus, (4) the emissions above the gyrofrequency are electrostatic and typically have components near 3/2 the gyrofrequency, (5) the onset of emissions coincides with abrupt increases outside the plasmasphere in 1-10 keV electrons to intensities of the order of 10 to the 8th el/sq cm/s/sr/keV, and (6) the cessation of the emissions coincides with a drop in the electron intensities to their preenhancement levels, which are of the order of 10 to the 6th el/sq cm/s/sr/keV or less.
Two mechanisms have been proposed for solar wind particle injection at the dayside magnetospheric cusps: magnetic merging and cross-field diffusion. These two mechanisms are experimentally distinguishable in that they produce different latitudinal distributions of particles penetrating to the low-altitude cusp. An examination of proton and electron measurements obtained by the AE-C satellite in the low-altitude dayside cusp reveals evidence of both types of injection processes. A majority of the injection events, especially the more intense fluxes, are best explained by a merging injection model in which cusp particles are confined to the poleward side of the last closed field line and have a characteristic energy that decreases with increasing latitudinal distance from the last closed field line. Less frequent and less intense injection events are better explained in terms of a diffusive injection of cusp particles onto closed dayside field lines with a characteristic energy that increases with increasing latitudinal distance from the last closed field line. Although diffusion appears to be quantitatively less important than merging in terms of the instantaneous particle injection rate, cross-field diffusion nevertheless appears to proceed at an unexpectedly fast rate, possibly exceeding the Bohm diffusion limit.