Engineering topics

Cattell, Cynthia A.

Publications and source records attributed to Cattell, Cynthia A..

6 records

DOE OSTI2021

Evidence of Alfvenic Poynting Flux as the Primary Driver of Auroral Motion During a Geomagnetic Substorm

Geomagnetic substorms are major energy transfer events where energy stored in the Earth's magnetotail is released into the ionosphere. Substorm phenomena, including auroral activities, earthward Poynting flux, magnetic field dipolarization, etc, have been extensively studied. However, the complex interplay among them is not fully understood. In a fortuitous event on June 7, 2013, the twin Van Allen Probes (separated by 0.4 h in local time) observed bursts of earthward Alfvenic Poynting flux in the vicinity of the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). The Poynting flux bursts correlate with enhancements of auroral brightness around the footpoints of both spacecraft. This indicates a temporal and spatial correlation between the auroral brightening and Poynting flux bursts, and that the auroral motion is directly linked to the perpendicular expansion of the Alfven wave. These observations suggest that the Alfvenic Poynting flux is a primary driver for the auroral electron acceleration. Furthermore, around the time of auroral brightening, a dipolarization was seen to propagate more than 4 h in local time during a 20 min period. The azimuthal phase speed of this dipolarization (2 deg/min) is too small to explain the azimuthal motion of the aurora (13.6 deg/min), but the dipolarization could be related to the generation of the Alfvenic Poynting flux through phase mixing at strong density gradients like those in the PSBL.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

First Direct Observations of Propagation of Discrete Chorus Elements From the Equatorial Source to Higher Latitudes, Using the Van Allen Probes and Arase Satellites

Whistler mode chorus waves have recently been established as the most likely candidate for scattering relativistic electrons to produce the electron microbursts observed by low altitude satellites and balloons. These waves would have to propagate from the equatorial source region to significantly higher magnetic latitude in order to scatter electrons of these relativistic energies. This theoretically proposed propagation has never been directly observed. We present the first direct observations of the same discrete rising tone chorus elements propagating from a near equatorial (Van Allen Probes) to an off-equatorial (Arase) satellite. The chorus is observed first on the more equatorial satellite and is found to be more oblique and significantly attenuated at the off-equatorial satellite. Further, this is consistent with the prevailing theory of chorus propagation and with the idea that chorus must propagate from the equatorial source region to higher latitudes. Ray tracing of chorus at the observed frequencies confirms that these elements could be generated parallel to the field at the equator, and propagate through the medium unducted to Van Allen Probes A and then to Arase with the observed time delay, and have the observed obliquity and intensity at each satellite.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS2011

Wind Observations of Wave Heating and/or Particle Energization at Supercritical Interplanetary Shocks

We present the first observations at supercritical interplanetary shocks of large amplitude (> 100 mV/m pk-pk) solitary waves, approx.30 mV/m pk-pk waves exhibiting characteristics consistent with electron Bernstein waves, and > 20 nT pk-pk electromagnetic lower hybrid-like waves, with simultaneous evidence for wave heating and particle energization. The solitary waves and the Bernstein-like waves were likely due to instabilities driven by the free energy provided by reflected ions [Wilson III et al., 2010]. They were associated with strong particle heating in both the electrons and ions. We also show a case example of parallel electron energization and perpendicular ion heating due to a electromagnetic lower hybrid-like wave. Both studies provide the first experimental evidence of wave heating and/or particle energization at interplanetary shocks. Our experimental results, together with the results of recent Vlasov [Petkaki and Freeman, 2008] and PIC [Matsukyo and Scholer, 2006] simulations using realistic mass ratios provide new evidence to suggest that the importance of wave-particle dissipation at shocks may be greater than previously thought.

Wilson, Lynn Bruce, III↗

NASA NTRS2004

Determining the Importance of Energy Transfer between Magnetospheric Regions via MHD Waves using Constellations of Spacecraft

This grant was focused on research in two specific areas: (1) development of new techniques and software for assimilation, analysis and visualization of data from multiple satellites making in-situ measurements; and (2) determination of the role of MHD waves in energy transport during storms and substorms. Results were obtained in both areas and presented at national meetings and in publications. The talks and papers that were supported in part or fully by this grant are listed in this paper.

Cattell, Cynthia A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Report of the magnetospheric physics panel

Magnetospheric research is a relatively new area in the study of the Earth's environment. The present report attempts to overview past and future research on this topic. The goals of magnetospheric research are numerous, and include: understanding large scale magnetospheres of the Earth and other planets; understanding the plasma physical processes operating within the various magnetospheres; to understand how mass, energy and momentum are transmitted from the solar wind; to understand quantitatively the coupling between magnetospheres and their ionospheres; and to understand the magnetospheric mechanisms which accelerate particles to high energies, as well as the ultimate fate of these particles. The report continues on to summarize a number of proposed space missions aimed at data acquisition. Finally, there is a brief discussion of the theory and modeling of magnetospheres.

Burch, James L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Mercury Orbiter: Report of the Science Working Team

The results are presented of the Mercury Orbiter Science Working Team which held three workshops in 1988 to 1989 under the auspices of the Space Physics and Planetary Exploration Divisions of NASA Headquarters. Spacecraft engineering and mission design studies at the Jet Propulsion Lab were conducted in parallel with this effort and are detailed elsewhere. The findings of the engineering study, summarized herein, indicate that spin stabilized spacecraft carrying comprehensive particles and fields experiments and key planetology instruments in high elliptical orbits can survive and function in Mercury orbit without costly sun shields and active cooling systems.

Belcher, John W.↗