Engineering topics

Lysak, R. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Lysak, R. L..

12 records

NASA NTRS2000

Polar Spacecraft Based Comparisons of Intense Electric Fields and Poynting Flux Near and Within the Plasma Sheet-Tail Lobe Boundary to UVI Images: An Energy Source for the Aurora

In this paper, we present measurements from two passes of the Polar spacecraft of intense electric and magnetic field structures associated with Alfven waves at and within the outer boundary of the plasma sheet at geocentric distances of 4-6 R(sub E), near local midnight. The electric field variations have maximum values exceeding 100 mV/m and are typically polarized approximately normal to the plasma sheet boundary. The electric field structures investigated vary over timescales (in the spacecraft frame.) ranging front 1 to 30 s. They are associated with strong magnetic field fluctuations with amplitudes of 10-40 nT which lie predominantly ill the plane of the plasma sheet and are perpendicular to the local magnetic field. The Poynting flux associated with the perturbation fields measured at these altitudes is about 1-2 ergs per square centimeters per second and is directed along the average magnetic field direction toward the ionosphere. If the measured Poynting flux is mapped to ionospheric altitudes along converging magnetic field lines. the resulting energy flux ranges up to 100 ergs per centimeter squared per second. These strongly enhanced Poynting fluxes appear to occur in layers which are observed when the spacecraft is magnetically conjugate (to within a 1 degree mapping accuracy) to intense auroral structures as detected by the Polar UV Imager (UVI). The electron energy flux (averaged over a spatial resolution of 0.5 degrees) deposited in the ionosphere due to auroral electron beams as estimated from the intensity in the UVI Lyman-Birge-Hopfield-long filters is 15-30 ergs per centimeter squared per second. Thus there is evidence that these electric field structures provide sufficient Poynting flux to power the acceleration of auroral electrons (as well as the energization of upflowing ions and Joule heating of the ionosphere). During some events the phasing and ratio of the transverse electric and magnetic field variations are consistent with earthward propagation of Alfven surface waves with phase velocities of 4000-10000 kilometers per second. During other events the phase shifts between electric and magnetic fields suggest interference between upward and downward propagating Alfven waves. The E/B ratios are about an order of magnitude larger than typical values of C/SIGMA(sub p), where SIGMA(sub p), is the height integrated Pedersen conductivity. The contribution to the total energy flux at these altitudes from Poynting flux associated with Alfven waves is comparable to or larger than the contribution from the particle energy flux and 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than that estimated from the large-scale steady state convection electric field and field-aligned current system.

Wygant, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1995

An MHD simulation study of the poloidal mode field line resonance in the Earth's dipole magnetosphere

The poloidal mode field line resonance in the Earth's dipole magnetic field is investigated using cold plasma ideal MHD simulations in dipole geometry. In order to excite the poloidal mode resonance, we use either an initial or a continuous velocity perturbation to drive the system. The perturbation is localized at magnetic shell L = 7 with plasma flow in the radial direction (electric field component in the azimuthal direction). It is found that with the initial perturbation alone, no polodial mode resonance can be obtained and the initially localized perturbation spreads out across all magnetic L shells. With the continuous perturbation, oscillating near the poloidal resonance frequency, a global-scale poloidal cavity mode can be obtained. For the first time, a localized guided poloidal mode resonance is obtained when a radial component of electric field is added to the initial perturbation such that the curl of the electric field is everywhere perpendicular to the background dipole magnetic field. During the localized poloidal resonance, plasma vortices parallel/antiparallel to the background dipole magnetic field B(sub 0). This circular flow, elongated radially, results in twisting of magnetic field flux tubes, which, in turn, leads to the slowdown of the circular plasma flow and reversal of the plasma vortices. The energy associated with the localized poloidal resonance is conserved as it shifts back and forth between the oscillating plasma vortices and the alternately twisted magnetic flux tubes. In the simulations the eigenfunctions associated with the localized poloidal resonance are grid-scale singular functions. This result indicates that ideal MHD is inadequate to describe the underlying problem and nonideal MHD effects are needed for mode broadening.

Ding, D. Q.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Waves generated in the vicinity of an argon plasma gun in the ionosphere

Wave and particle observations were made in the close vicinity of an argon plasma gun carned to over 600 km altitude on a sounding rocket. The gun was carned on a subpayload, separated from the main payload early in the flight. Twelve-second argon ion ejections were energized alternately with a peak energy of 100 or 200 eV. They produced waves, with multiple harmonics, in the range of ion cyclotron waves, 10 to 1000 Hz at rocket altitudes. Many of these waves could not be identified as corresponding to the cyclotron frequencies of any of the ions, argon or ambient, known to be present. In addition, the wave frequencies were observed to rise and fall and to change abruptly during a 12-s gun operation. The wave amplitudes, near a few hundred Hertz, were of the order of O. 1 V/m. Some of the waves may be ion-ion hybrid waves. Changes in ion populations were observed at the main payload and at the subpayload during gun operations. A gun-related, field-aligned, electron population also appeared.

Cahill, L. J., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron mode (ELF) waves generated by auroral electron precipitation

Narrow-banded ELF waves with frequencies between the local hydrogen and the singly-charged helium gyrofrequencies have been seen in the S3-3 satellite electric field wave data at altitudes between 800 and 8000 km. The waves are generated in or just below the auroral acceleration region by the accelerated electron beam and propagate in the Alfven-ion cyclotron branch of the cold electromagnetic dispersion relation as modified by the presence of a two ion H(+)-He(+) plasma.

Temerin, M.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Simulations of beam excited minor species gyroharmonics in the Porcupine experiment

An active experiment for the study of wave particle interaction in the presence of a perpendicular beam type distribution is considered. The experiment involves the injection of a beam perpendicular to the magnetic field. Beam parameters can then be varied while local plasma parameters and associated wave phenomena are measured. Such an experiment was conducted as part of the Porcupine project. The present investigation has the objective to explain theoretically and by means of plasma particle simulations, some of the wave observations obtained. In the experiment, a main rocket payload and four subpayloads were employed. The subpayloads were ejected radially in different directions at an altitude of 240 km. One of the spinning subpayloads contained a plasma gun which emitted a beam of 200 eV xenon ions toward the main payload. The data recorded on the main payload revealed the existence of electrostatic waves with peaks at hydrogen gyroharmonics. A series of computer simulations approximating the xenon experiment was performed. The interpretation of the data is discussed.

Roth, I.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Generation of Alfven-ion cyclotron waves on auroral field lines in the presence of heavy ions

Observation of electromagnetic waves in the low-altitude auroral zone at frequencies between the proton and helium gyrofrequencies suggests that Alfven-ion cyclotron waves modified by the presence of helium ions are being excited. Estimates of the growth rates for this mode indicate that the auroral electron beam can provide the free energy for the instability. The effect of the heavy ions is to decrease the group velocity of the waves, leading to larger convective growth. Theoretical wave spectra are computed in the local approximation, which assumes that the gradient scale lengths in density and magnetic field are constant over the ray paths. Narrow banded spectral peaks similar to observations may be produced when the thickness of the electron beam is small (200 m at 3000 km altitude). Narrow beams also limit growth of whistler mode waves, which compete for the free energy of the electron beam.

Lysak, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Dynamics of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling including turbulent transport

The dynamics of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling has been investigated by means of a two-dimensional two-fluid MHD model including anomalous resistivity. When field-aligned current is generated on auroral field lines, the disturbance propagates toward the ionosphere in the form of a kinetic Alfven wave. When the current exceeds a critical value, microscopic turbulence is produced, which modifies the propagation of the Alfven wave. This process is modeled by a nonlinear collision frequency, which increases with the excess of the drift velocity over the critical value. The system evolves toward an electrostatic structure, with the perpendicular electric field having a shorter scale than the field-aligned current. The approach to a steady state is strongly dependent on the presence or absence of the turbulence and on the boundary conditions imposed in the generator. As current is increased or scale size is decreased, the turbulent region reflects and absorbs most of the Alfven wave energy, decoupling the generator from the ionosphere.

Lysak, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Dynamics of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling including turbulent transport

A two dimensional two-fluid MHD model including anomalous resistivity was used to investigate the dynamics of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. When a field-aligned current is generated on auroral field lines, the disturbance propagates towards the ionosphere in the form of a kinetic Alfven wave. When the current exceeds a critical value, microscopic turbulence is produced, which modifies the propagation of the Alfven wave. This process is modeled by a nonlinear collision frequency, which increases with the excess of the drift velocity over the critical value. Turbulence leads to absorption and reflection of the Alfven wave, partially decoupling the generator from the ionosphere. The approach to a steady-state is strongly dependent on the presence or absence of the turbulence. The current is self-limiting, since a current in excess of critical causes a diffusion of the magnetic field perturbation and a reduction of current.

Lysak, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1981

The effect of microscopic turbulence on magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling

The effect of turbulence on the coupling of the magnetosphere and ionosphere has been investigated by including an effective collision frequency in the electron equation of motion. When this term is combined with the continuity equation, the ion equation of motion and Maxwell's equations, a dispersion relation for the kinetic Alfven wave including effective collisions is found. The wave-particle interaction leads to a strong damping of the wave. Inclusion of the effects of plasma sheet kinetics yields a scale size transverse to the magnetic field which corresponds to the size of visual auroral arcs.

Lysak, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Electron and ion acceleration by strong electrostatic turbulence

It is noted that, for waves observed on auroral field lines, ion trapping may be important, affecting models of transverse ion acceleration. The strength of the electrostatic ion cyclotron turbulence observed in the auroral zone may be attributed to the large convective growth rate that is associated with this mode. These waves may be destabilized by the enhancement in the field-aligned current that results from the onset of a magnetospheric substorm. The rise in the field-aligned current is associated with the passage of shear mode Alfven waves between the magnetosphere and ionosphere. When these Alfven waves have a perpendicular wavelength comparable to the ion gyroradius, they carry a parallel electric field that can accelerate the plasma in the topside auroral ionosphere, destabilizing the electrostatic ion cyclotron mode.

Lysak, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Ion heating by strong electrostatic ion cyclotron turbulence

A theory of the ion heating due to electrostatic ion cyclotron (EIC) waves in the auroral zone is presented. Due to the slowly convecting nature of the EIC mode, quasi-linear plateau formation cannot stabilize the waves, and growth occurs until the nonlinear mechanisms of ion resonance broadening and electron trapping provide saturation. The large amplitude and coherent nature of the resulting wave imply that quasi-linear theory provides only a lower limit to the ion heating. An upper bound on the heating rate is derived using a time-average model of ion dynamics in the coherent waves. The effects of ion heating in the presence of the magnetic gradient force and parallel electric fields are considered, with the result that perpendicular energies over 100 eV are easily attainable from a 1 eV source plasma. Perpendicular heating in the absence of a parallel electric field yields conical ion distributions, which in the presence of an electric field become field-aligned beams.

Lysak, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Coherent anomalous resistivity in the region of electrostatic shocks

Anomalous resistivity in a phase-coherent electrostatic ion cyclotron wave in the region of the auroral electrostatic shocks observed by the S3-3 satellite is considered. It is shown that current-driven shocks and anomalous resistivity will be most important above 5,000 km, where the electron drift velocity is maximized and parallel electric fields are possible. A model for the parallel field based on the dissipation of an Alfven wave pulse by current-driven electrostatic ion cyclotron turbulence is presented. In the model, coherent electrostatic ion cyclotron waves lead to anomalous resistivity by electron trapping, producing parallel electric fields greater than 1 mV/m, and may set up the parallel populations necessary to support oblique electrostatic shocks.

Lysak, R. L.↗