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Kimura, I.

Publications and source records attributed to Kimura, I..

The MU radar now partly in operation

The MU radar (middle- and upper-atmosphere radar) of RASC (Radio Atmospheric Science Center, Kyoto University) is now partly in operation, although the facility will be completed in 1985. The active array system of the radar makes it possible to steer the radar beam as fast as in each interpulse period. Various sophisticated experiments are expected to be performed by the system. A preliminary observation was successful to elucidate atmospheric motions during Typhoon No. 5 which approached the radar site in August, 1983.

Kato, S.↗

VLF wave-particle interaction experiments by EXOS-B/Siple station transmissions

The relationship between ground station signals and electron pitch angle distribution at L = 4 is reviewed, and signal intensity is discussed. There are two types of relationships between signals and electron distribution: (1) intensification of the signal by a distribution with a high pitch angle anisotropy of pancake type; and (2) triggering of emissions associated with transmissions by a high flux of electrons with low pitch angle anisotropy. The electric field intensity of ground signals is relatively low, which is consistent with those observed by IMP-6 and by a rocket.

Kimura, I.↗

A transceiver module of the Mu radar

The transceiver (TR) module of a middle and upper atmospheric radar is described. The TR module used in the radar is mainly composed of two units: a mixer (MIX unit) and a power amplifier (PA unit). The former generates the RF wave for transmission and converts the received echo to the IF signal. A 41.5-MHz local signal fed to mixers passes through a digitally controlled 8-bit phase shifter which can change its value up to 1,000 times in a second, so that the MU radar has the ability to steer its antenna direction quickly and flexibly. The MIX unit also contains a buffer amplifier and a gate for the transmitting signal and preamplifier for the received one whose noise figure is less than 5 dB. The PA unit amplifies the RF signal supplied from the MIX unit up to 63.7 dBm (2350 W), and feeds it to the crossed Yagi antenna.

Kato, S.↗

EXOS-B/Siple station VLF wave-particle interaction experiments. I - General description and wave-particle correlations

The EXOS-B/Siple Station joint experiment on the triggering of VLF emissions by man-made signals causing some form of wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere is presented, and results concerning wave-particle correlations are reported. In situ measurements of both energetic electron flux and VLF waves were made near the meridian connecting Siple Station, Antarctica with Roberval, Quebec, Canada in campaigns during July through September, 1979 and December 1979 through January 1980 at times of VLF transmission from Siple. Strong observed signals were found to be well correlated with a pancake pitch angle distribution of 0.3 to 6.9-keV electrons, and to exhibit a positive linear growth rate. Artificially stimulated emissions were observed to be accompanied by large electron fluxes in all energy channels in the equatorial interaction region, although the measured pitch angle distribution was not highly anisotropic. Results may be interpreted by the amplification of Siple signals by the cyclotron instability due to high pitch angle anisotropy (pancake distribution) and the triggering of emissions in the presence of high electron fluxes with some anisotropy and a sufficiently strong signal.

Kimura, I.↗

EXOS-B/Siple station VLF wave-particle interaction experiments. II - Transmitter signals and associated emissions

New observations in the magnetosphere of coherent VLF waves from the Siple Station, Antarctica, transmitter and associated VLF emissions triggered by the transmitter signals are reported. The data analyzed were acquired on the EXOS-B high-altitude satellite during the period July 15-September 7, 1979, during joint VLF wave-injection experiments involving scientists from Kyoto, Tokyo, and Stanford universities. The experiments were carried out to gain a deeper understanding of the interactions between coherent VLF waves and energetic particles in the magnetosphere, in particular, the whistler-mode instability through which both natural and stimulated VLF emissions are produced. Analysis of the emission-triggering events provides strong evidence that the triggering took place inside whistler-mode ducts and that the emissions reached the satellite only after being scattered at one end of the ducts by ionospheric irregularities. It is concluded that in the noon sector of the magnetosphere, the amplitude of nonducted signals from the Siple transmitter is generally less than the threshold level necessary for triggering in the nonducted mode.

Bell, T. F.↗

Jikiken /EXOS-B/ observation of Siple transmissions

Preliminary results of observations by the Japanese magnetospheric satellite Jikiken (EXOS-B) of Siple transmissions and VLF emissions triggered by the Siple signals are reviewed. The experiments discussed were carried out in July, August, and September of 1979 and in December 1979 and January 1980. Only four events concentrated within the period from August 14 to 18 were found in which triggered emissions were associated with Siple transmissions. The electron distributions observed on the equatorial crossing passes, when Siple triggered emissions were detected, suggest that the cyclotron resonance condition is satisfied for Siple signals and electrons of energy around 1 keV or less, provided the interaction region is inside the plasmapause. It is noted that if these emissions were generated outside the plasmapause, electron energies much higher than 10 keV would be necessary for the cyclotron interaction, which were above the range of the measurements. For the high latitude passes of August 14 and 17, the electron fluxes were found to be very small.

Kimura, I.↗

EXOS-B/Siple Station VLF wave-particle interaction experiment

Preliminary results of experiments made using the EXOS-B satellite to make simultaneous observations of VLF signals transmitted from Siple Station, Antarctica and interacting particles are reported. VLF measurements carried out by the EXOS-B wideband receiver upon satellite crossings of the Siple meridian at equatorial and high latitudes were able to detect the Siple signal on about 50% of the passes, and observed four instances of artificially stimulated emissions. Two of these cases exhibit triggering with a clear relation to the transmitted frequency format, while in the remaining two this relation is absent. Electron fluxes at energies from 3 eV to 9.5 keV are observed to be enhanced during the Siple stimulated emission events, with a distribution on the equatorial passes sufficient to satisfy the cyclotron interaction condition for parallel propagation of Siple signals of frequency about half the local cyclotron frequency.

Kimura, I.↗