Engineering topics

Burchill, J. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Burchill, J. K..

3 records

NASA NTRS2014

Dependence of Lunar Surface Charging on Solar Wind Plasma Conditions and Solar Irradiation

The surface of the Moon is electrically charged by exposure to solar radiation on its dayside, as well as by the continuous flux of charged particles from the various plasma environments that surround it. An electric potential develops between the lunar surface and ambient plasma, which manifests itself in a near-surface plasma sheath with a scale height of order the Debye length. This study investigates surface charging on the lunar dayside and near-terminator regions in the solar wind, for which the dominant current sources are usually from the pohotoemission of electrons, J(sub p), and the collection of plasma electrons J(sub e) and ions J(sub i). These currents are dependent on the following six parameters: plasma concentration n(sub 0), electron temperature T(sub e), ion temperature T(sub i), bulk flow velocity V, photoemission current at normal incidence J(sub P0), and photo electron temperature T(sub p). Using a numerical model, derived from a set of eleven basic assumptions, the influence of these six parameters on surface charging - characterized by the equilibrium surface potential, Debye length, and surface electric field - is investigated as a function of solar zenith angle. Overall, T(sub e) is the most important parameter, especially near the terminator, while J(sub P0) and T(sub p) dominate over most of the dayside.

Photoemission↗

NASA NTRS2012

Strong Magnetic Field Fluctuations within Filamentary Auroral Density Cavities Interpreted as VLF Saucer Sources

The Geoelectrodynamics and Electro-Optical Detection of Electron and SuprathermalIon Currents (GEODESIC) sounding rocket encountered more than 100 filamentary densitycavities associated with enhanced plasma waves at ELF (3 kHz) and VLF (310 kHz)frequencies and at altitudes of 800990 km during an auroral substorm. These cavities weresimilar in size (20 m diameter in most cases) to so-called lower-hybrid cavities (LHCs)observed by previous sounding rockets and satellites; however, in contrast, many of theGEODESIC cavities exhibited up to tenfold enhancements in magnetic wave powerthroughout the VLF band. GEODESIC also observed enhancements of ELF and VLFelectric fields both parallel and perpendicular to the geomagnetic field B0 within cavities,though the VLF E field increases were often not as large proportionally as seen in themagnetic fields. This behavior is opposite to that predicted by previously published theoriesof LHCs based on passive scattering of externally incident auroral hiss. We argue thatthe GEODESIC cavities are active wave generation sites capable of radiating VLF wavesinto the surrounding plasma and producing VLF saucers, with energy supplied by cold,upward flowing electron beams composing the auroral return current. This interpretation issupported by the observation that the most intense waves, both inside and outside cavities,occurred in regions where energetic electron precipitation was largely inhibited orabsent altogether. We suggest that the wave-enhanced cavities encountered by GEODESICwere qualitatively different from those observed by earlier spacecraft because of thefortuitous timing of the GEODESIC launch, which placed the payload at apogee within asubstorm-related return current during its most intense phase, lasting only a few minutes.

Knudsen, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS2012

High-latitude E Region Ionosphere-thermosphere Coupling: A Comparative Study Using in Situ and Incoherent Scatter Radar Observations

We present in situ and ground-based measurements of the ratio k of ion cyclotronangular frequency to ion-neutral momentum transfer collision frequency to investigateionosphere-thermosphere (IT) coupling in the auroral E region. In situ observations were obtained by NASA sounding rocket 36.234, which was launched into the nightsideE region ionosphere at 1229 UT on 19 January 2007 from Poker Flat, AK. The payload carried instrumentation to determine ion drift angle and electric field vectors. Neutral winds were measured by triangulating a chemical tracer released from rocket 41.064 launched two minutes later. k is calculated from the rotation of the ion drift angle relative to the E-cross-B drift direction in a frame co-rotating with the payload. Between the altitudes of 118 km and 130 km k increases exponentially with a scale height of 9.3 +/- 0.7 km, deviating from an exponential above 130 km. k = 1 at an altitude z(sub0) of 119.9 +/- 0.5 km. The ratio was also estimated from Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) measurements using the rotation of ion velocity with altitude. Exponential fits to the PFISR measurements made during the flight of 41.064 yield z(sub0) 115.9 +/- 1.2 km and a scale height of 9.1 +/- 1.0 km. Differences between in situ and ground-based measurements show that the E region atmospheric densities were structured vertically and/or horizontally on scales of 1 km to 10 km. There were no signs of ionospheric structure in ion density or ion temperature below scales of 1 km. The observations demonstrate the accuracy with which the in situ and PFISR data may be used as probes of IT coupling.

Burchill, J. K.↗