Engineering topics

Roelof, Edmond C.

Publications and source records attributed to Roelof, Edmond C..

7 records

NASA NTRS1999

Energetic Neutral Atom Imaging at Low Altitudes from the Swedish Microsatellite Astrid: Extraction of the Equatorial Ion Distribution

Energetic neutral atom (ENA) images obtained by the ENA imager on- board the Astrid satellite in the polar cap at 1000 km during a moderate magnetic storm (Dst greater than or equal to 80 nT) on 8 February 1995 are simulated using a parameterized model of the equatorial ion distribution and a six-component Chamberlain exo-sphere with parameters from the MSISE-90 model. By changing the ion parameters until a matching ENA image is obtained one can extract the equatorial ion distribution. Four consecutive images from different view points several of minutes apart are simulated assuming H(+) and O(+), respectively, as parent ions. The optimal set of parameters is extracted by minimizing the chi(exp 2) difference between simulated and observed ENA image using Powell's minimization algorithm. The optimal equatorial model ion distribution consists of O(+) peaked in around dusk. The lower intensity of fluxes obtained from vantage points closer to the pole is an effect of the loss cone of the parent ion distribution being empty.

Brandt, Pontus C:son↗

NASA NTRS1993

Magnetopause shape as a bivariate function of interplanetary magnetic field B(sub z) and solar wind dynamic pressure

We present a new method for determining the shape of the magnetopause as a bivariate function of the hourly averaged solar wind dynamic pressure (p) and the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B(sub z). We represent the magnetopause (for X(sub GSE) greater than -40 R(sub E)) as an ellipsoid of revolution in solar-wind-aberrated coordinates and express the (p, B(sub z)) dependence of each of the three ellipsoid parameters as a second-order (6-term) bivariate expansion in Inp and B(sub z). We define 12 overlapping bins in a normalized dimensionless (p, B(sub z)) `control space' and fit an ellipsoid to those magnetopause crossings having (p, B(sub z)) values within each bin. We also calculate the bivariate (Inp, B(sub z)) moments to second order over each bin in control space. We can then calculate the six control-space expansion coefficients for each of the three ellipsoid parameters in configuration space. From these coefficients we can derive useful diagnosis of the magnetopause shape as joint functions of p and B(sub z): the aspect ratio of the ellipsoid's minor-to-major axes; the flank distance, radius of curvature, and flaring angle (at X(sub GSE) = 0); and the subsolar distance and radius of curvature. We confirm and quantify previous results that during periods of southward B(sub z) the subsolar magnetopause moves inward, while at X(sub GSE) = 0 the flank magnetopause moves outward and the flaring angle increases.

Roelof, Edmond C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Instrument requirements for imaging the magnetosphere in extreme-ultraviolet and energetic neutral atoms derived from computer-simulated images

Scientific requirements for He(+)(304 A) and energetic neutral atom (ENA) magnetospheric imaging, as well as the derived instrumental requirements are presented. Both ENA imaging of the hot plasma and EUV imaging of the cold plasma are highlighted. The question of the accuracy with which physically significant parameters can be extracted from actual images using computerized algorithms is addressed. An example of an ENA image analyzed by means of the Powell minimization algorithm is given. Automated unfolding of global magnetospheric images is also discussed. A Mercator projection of a model INA image is shown.

Roelof, Edmond C.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Energetic neutral atoms: Imaging the magnetospheric ring current

Magnetospheric imaging is a new discipline whose goal is to make pictures of the energetic particle populations trapped in the magnetic field of Earth (or any other planet). This project demonstrated the technical feasibility and scientific validity of magnetospheric imaging using energetic neutral atoms (ENA) with the publication and quantitative analysis of the first ENA images ever obtained from space. ENA's are produced when singly-charged energetic (approximately 100 keV) trapped ions make an atomic collision with the neutral hydrogen atoms which boil of the top of the Earth's atmosphere. These hydrogen atoms suffuse the entire trapping volume of the magnetosphere. The energetic ion steals the electron from the atmospheric hydrogen, so the energetic ion is transformed into an energetic neutral atom with a velocity of several thousands of kilometers/second. Moreover, the new-born ENA preserves the velocity that the trapped ion had at the time of the collision. Consequently, any population of energetic ions emits ENA's.

Roelof, Edmond C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Remote sensing of the ring current using energetic neutral atoms

Energetic neutral atom images of the storm-time ring current obtained from the ISEE-1 spacecraft provide information for a 'zero-order' global model of the energetic ion distribution. With the assumption of isotropic pressure and magnetostatic, nonconvective pressure balance, the global system of electrical currents driven by the ion pressure can be calculated using Euler potentials for the divergenceless current density. Radial pressure gradients drive azimuthal currents, and azimuthal pressure gradients drive radial currents. The radial currents cause current lines in the inner magnetosphere to close in the ionosphere, forming a partial ring current. The intensities and locations of these field-aligned currents driven into and out of the ionosphere resemble those of the observed Region 2 current system, but not all observed properties of the Region 2 system are reproduced by the zero-order model.

Roelof, Edmond C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The terrestrial ring current - From in situ measurements to global images using energetic neutral atoms

Electrical currents flowing in the equatorial magnetosphere, first inferred from ground-based magnetic disturbances, are carried by trapped energetic ions. Spacecraft measurements have determined the spectrum and composition of those currents, and the newly developed technique of energetic-neutral-atom imaging allows the global dynamics of that entire ion population to be viewed from a single spacecraft.

Roelof, Edmond C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Energetic neutral atom image of a storm-time ring current

Energetic neutral atom (ENA) images of a storm-time ring current produced from direct measurements and model simulations are presented and analyzed. An ENA image of the storm-time ring current was obtained with the Medium Energy Particles Instrument (MEPI) mounted on ISEE 1 on September 29, 1978, and a zero-order model of the ring current ion was employed to simulate the ENA image. The simulated instrument response is compared with actual ENA measurements. It is observed that the spatial distribution of singly charged ions detected from the ENA images displays equatorial midnight/noon asymmetry in differential ion intensity with a midnight/noon ratio of greater than or equal to 20:1; peak ion fluxs, H(+) and O(+), in the midnight sector are greater than 10 to the 6th/(sq cm s sr keV); and ENA fluxes from the brighter areas of the image exceed greater than 1000/(sq cm s sr keV). It is noted that the ENA image from MEPI data correlates with the morphology of the simulated response of MEPI calculated from the model.

Roelof, Edmond C.↗