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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12

Smooth radio emission and a new emission at Neptune

The Planetary Radio Astronomy (PRA) experiment Warwick et al., (1977) on the spacecraft Voyager 2 observed three types of smooth emission: (1) numerous recurrent episodes are modeled by filled emission cones from midlatitude conjugate sources; (2) an 'equatorial' feature seen soon after closest approach includes electron cyclotron harmonic emission above the upper hybrid resonance, as well as smooth recurrent emission, its strange appearance is a result of rapid change in Voyager's magnetic latitude and; (3) unique 'high-latitude' emission is seen near closest approach during Voyager's single excursion to high north (+) magnetic latitude when fc, the electron cyclotron frequency at the spacecraft, lies in the observable range. The stronger component covers a broad band of frequencies above 2fc; its sensitivity to magnetic field identifies it as extraordinary (X) mode. The weaker component extends smoothly through f = fc and is identified as ordinary (O) mode. At each frequency f the observed sense of polarization reverses when f = 2fc.

Sawyer, C.↗

Coordinated measurements of slot region electron precipitation by plasmaspheric wave bands

Simultaneous measurements have been made of slot region precipitating electron spectra, wave frequency distributions and plasma density profiles using the P78-1 low altitude satellite and ISEE 1 spacecraft. Broad bands are often observed in the electron energy spectra with a well-defined low energy cutoff which decreases in energy with increasing L value. This is consistent with calculations for first-order cyclotron resonance with waves at the high frequency cutoff of the band. On the basis of electron spectra and plasma densities observed from upper hybrid resonance frequencies, hiss cutoff frequencies are calculated for an assumed first-order cyclotron resonance interaction and compared with wave spectral density profiles. Plasma wave and electron measurements are generally consistent, supporting the precipitation mechanism hypothesis.

Imhof, W. L.↗

Stochastic three-wave interaction in flaring solar loops

A model is proposed for the dynamic structure of high-frequency microwave bursts. The dynamic component is attributed to beams of precipitating electrons which generate electrostatic waves in the upper hybrid branch. Coherent upconversion of the electrostatic waves to electromagnetic waves produces an intrinsically stochastic emission component which is superposed on the gyrosynchrotron continuum generated by stably trapped electron fluxes. The role of the density and temperature of the ambient plasma in the wave growth and the transition of the three wave upconversion to stochastic, despite the stationarity of the energy source, are discussed in detail. The model appears to reproduce the observational features for reasonable parameters of the solar flare plasma.

Vlahos, L.↗

Transverse ion heating in multicomponent plasmas

A new mechanism is proposed for plasma modes which can occur only in a multicomponent plasma and not in pure electron-ion plasma. The addition of ions creates a new instability near the ion-ion hybrid mode whose frequency is adequate for the wave to interact with oxygen ions. To study heating of ions (such as ionospheric oxygen ions) in presence of auroral electrons, several numerical simulations were carried out using a one-dimensional electrostatic code in a magnetic field. It was found that in the presence of electrons drifting along auroral field lines into the ionosphere, the ion-ion hybrid mode can be driven unstable when the electron drift speed is too small to excite the lower hybrid instability. Since the ion-ion mode has a smaller frequency than that of the lower hybrid waves, it can couple to the heavy ions, resulting in a substantial heating of heavy ions; on the other hand, because of their frequencies, the lower hybrid waves can accelerate only light ion species.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗

Magnetospheric multiharmonic instabilities

The paper discusses linear convective growth rates of instabilities of electrostatic multiple electron cyclotron harmonic waves in a plasma consisting of a hot electron component with a loss-cone type of free energy source and a cold electron component of presumably ionospheric origin. When the ratio of cold to hot electron temperature is small, the cold upper hybrid frequency controls the harmonic bands that can be nonconvectively stable. When this ratio increases above a few times 0.01, nonconvective instability disappears simultaneously for each harmonic band, when the density ratio is less than unity. A consistent interpretation of the spatial localization and harmonic frequency bandwidths of the observed waves can be made assuming linear convective saturation, provided that the cold electrons have temperatures considerably in excess of those in the ionosphere.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗

Electron acceleration by Alfven waves in the magnetosphere

The self-consistent electron kinetics of Alfven waves on the electron inertial scale is studied using a 2D hybrid-kinetic description. The ions follow a fluid description for Alfven waves at frequencies below the ion cyclotron frequency. The parallel electron dynamics is treated kinetically using particle-in-cell techniques. In this model, the electron plasma mode is eliminated, and only the physics of the Alfven waves is retained. At sufficiently large amplitudes, it is found that oblique Alfven waves break due to finite electron inertia in a cold plasma. The consequence of wave breaking is the formation of an electron beam which can be unstable to the beam-plasma instability. The electrons supporting the parallel current thermalize into a non-Maxwellian distribution with an energetic tail up to several keV, assuming a reasonable magnetospheric Alfven speed. In hot plasma simulations, electron trapping is the principal mechanism of electron acceleration. It is proposed that wave breaking or electron trapping of oblique Alfven waves at 1 R(E) can result in electron acceleration and may explain some observed auroral phenomena.

Hui, C.-H.↗

Saturn's Magnetosphere Interaction with Titan for T9 Encounter: 3D Hybrid Modeling and Comparison with CAPS Observations

Global dynamics of ionized and neutral gases in the environment of Titan plays an important role in the interaction of Saturn s magnetosphere with Titan. Several hybrid simulations of this problem have already been done (Brecht et al., 2000; Kallio et al., 2004; Modolo et al., 2007a; Simon et al., 2007a, 2007b; Modolo and Chanteur, 2008). Observational data from CAPS for the T9 encounter (Sittler et al., 2009) indicates an absence of O(+) heavy ions in the upstream that change the models of interaction which were discussed in current publications (Kallio et al., 2004; Modolo et al., 2007a; Simon et al., 2007a, 2007b; Ma et al., 2007; Szego et al., 2007). Further analysis of the CAPS data shows very low density or even an absence of H(+) ions in upstream. In this paper we discuss two models of the interaction of Saturn s magnetosphere with Titan: (A) high density of H(+) ions in the upstream flow (0.1/cu cm), and (B) low density of H(+) ions in the upstream flow (0.02/cu cm). The hybrid model employs a fluid description for electrons and neutrals, whereas a particle approach is used for ions. We also take into account charge-exchange and photoionization processes and solve self-consistently for electric and magnetic fields. The model atmosphere includes exospheric H(+), H(2+), N(2+)and CH(4+) pickup ion production as well as an immobile background ionosphere and a shell distribution for active ionospheric ions (M(sub i)=28 amu). The hybrid model allows us to account for the realistic anisotropic ion velocity distribution that cannot be done in fluid simulations with isotropic temperatures. Our simulation shows an asymmetry of the ion density distribution and the magnetic field, including the formation of Alfven wing-like structures. The results of the ion dynamics in Titan s environment are compared with Cassini T9 encounter data (CAPS).

Lipatov, A. S.↗

Electron acceleration and radiation signatures in loop coronal transients

It is proposed that in loop coronal transients an erupting loop moves away from the solar surface, with a velocity exceeding the local Alfven speed, pushing against the overlying magnetic fields and driving a shock in the front of the moving part of the loop. Lower hybrid waves are excited at the shock front and propagate radially toward the center of the loop with phase velocity along the magnetic field that exceeds the thermal velocity. The lower hybrid waves stochastically accelerate the tail of the electron distribution inside the loop. The manner in which the accelerated electrons are trapped in the moving loop are discussed, and their radiation signature is estimated. It is suggested that plasma radiation can explain the power observed in stationary and moving type IV bursts.

Vlahos, L.↗

Effect of parallel refraction on magnetospheric upper hybrid waves

Large amplitude (not less than 10 mV/m) electrostatic plasma waves near the upper hybrid (UH) frequency have been observed from 0 to 50 deg magnetic latitude (MLAT) during satellite plasma-pause crossings. A three-dimensional numerical ray-tracing calculation, based on an electron distribution measured during a GEOS 1 dayside intense upper-hybrid wave event, suggests how UH waves might achieve such large amplitudes away from the geomagnetic equator. Refractive effects largely control the wave amplification and, in particular, the unavoidable refraction due to parallel geomagnetic field gradients restricts growth to levels below those observed. However, a cold electron density gradient parallel to the field can lead to upper hybrid wave growth that can account for the observed emission levels.

Engel, J.↗

Spectral Interpretation of Radio Sounder-Stimulated Magnetospheric Plasma Resonances in Terms of Kappa Distributions

Magnetosphere sounders stimulate plasma resonances between the harmonics of the electron cyclotron frequency and above the upper-hybrid frequency. More than three decades ago they were recognized as equivalent to ionospheric topside-sounder-stimulated resonances, designated as Qn resonances a decade earlier, with one important difference: the magnetospheric Qn frequencies often indicated that the background electron-velocity distribution was non-Maxwellian. Interpretations based on bi-Maxwellian and kappa distributions have been proposed. Here we expand on the latter, which requires fewer free parameters, by comparing kappa-derived Qn frequencies with observations from the Radio Plasma Imager on the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite.

Benson, Robert F.↗

Solar powered hybrid sensor module program

Geo-orbital systems of the near future will require more sophisticated electronic and electromechanical monitoring and control systems than current satellite systems with an emphasis in the design on the electronic density and autonomy of the subsystem components. Results of a project to develop, design, and implement a proof-of-concept sensor system for space applications, with hybrids forming the active subsystem components are described. The design of the solar power hybrid sensor modules is discussed. Module construction and function are described. These modules combined low power CMOS electronics, GaAs solar cells, a crystal oscillatory standard UART data formatting, and a bidirectional optical data link into a single 1.25 x 1.25 x 0.25 inch hybrid package which has no need for electrical input or output. Several modules were built and tested. Applications of such a system for future space missions are also discussed.

Johnson, J. M.↗

Kinetic simulations of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability at the magnetopause

Two-dimensional hybrid simulations with particle ions and fluid electrons are used to calculate the kinetic evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for a magnetopauselike configuration. The unidirectional magnetic field is essentially transverse to the plasma flow velocity, which is the most unstable case according to linear theory and models the flow dynamics in the subsolar region of the magnetopause for northward interplanetary magnetic field. We recover effects analogous to those found in MHD simulations, including a mode cascade to longer wavelengths. The boundary layer consists of coherent structure and is not well described by a diffusive process. Isolated structures on the order of the ion gyroradius are formed which can cross the boundary in either direction. We describe how the time evolution of these structures represents transport across boundary layers, and we consider the possible connection of these entities to flux transfer events and other structure seen in the low-latitude boundary layer at the Earth's magnetopause as well as to flux ropes commonly observed near the ionopause of Venus. We also discuss the relation of the hybrid calculations to previous MHD simulations and to observations.

Thomas, V. A.↗

Lower Hybrid Oscillations in Multicomponent Space Plasmas Subjected to Ion Cyclotron Waves

It is found that in multicomponent plasmas subjected to Alfven or fast magnetosonic waves, such as are observed in regions of the outer plasmasphere and ring current-plasmapause overlap, lower hybrid oscillations are generated. The addition of a minor heavy ion component to a proton-electron plasma significantly lowers the low-frequency electric wave amplitude needed for lower hybrid wave excitation. It is found that the lower hybrid wave energy density level is determined by the nonlinear process of induced scattering by ions and electrons; hydrogen ions in the region of resonant velocities are accelerated; and nonresonant particles are weakly heated due to the induced scattering. For a given example, the light resonant ions have an energy gain factor of 20, leading to the development of a high-energy tail in the H(+) distribution function due to low-frequency waves.

Khazanov, G. V.↗

Substorm-associated lower hybrid waves in the plasma sheet observed by ISEE 1

Observations of the electric field at frequencies from 2-128 Hz, using the burst mode of the spherical double probe on ISEE 1, have been examined for a time period previously identified as containing the traversal of a near-earth neutral line past the satellite. Intense waves (3 to over 30 mV/m) at approximately half the lower hybrid frequency were observed throughout the plasma sheet from the neutral sheet to the boundary, but only during the period of the large dc electric field and E x B velocity associated with the substorm neutral line. The wave number deduced from linear fits of the data was comparable to the inverse electron gyroradius. These results are consistent with the lower-hybrid drift instability. Although peaks between the ion and electron plasma frequency were sometimes observed simultaneously, the integrated power below 100 Hz was usually at least one to two orders of magnitude greater than that above 100 Hz. Although theoretical work has suggested that the instability would be suppressed at the neutral sheet, the largest waves observed occurred right at the neutral sheet when the southward component of the magnetic field was 6 gamma. The observed waves could provide an anomalous resistivity of about (3-1000) x 10 to the -7th S (compared to the classical value of 1 x 10 to the -18th S).

Cattell, C. A.↗

Auroral precipitation flux of ions and electrons in Saturn's outer magnetosphere

This paper examines particles and fields data obtained by Voyager in Saturn's outer magnetosphere with a view toward assessing the role that medium-energy ions and electrons have in stimulating the UV aurora. The magnetic field displays a high level of fluctuation of two characteristic types: large-scale coherent depressions in the field strength associated with the plumes of Titan and a small-scale incoherent turbulence presumed to be a consequence of the high-beta plasma environment. Electrons are assumed to interact strongly with lower hybrid waves and are accelerated to energies of a few kiloelectron volts. The available energy input to the aurora by protons is 5 x 10 to the 9th W, while an upper bound to that of N(+) ions is about 2 x 10 to the 10th W. Electrons in the range 1-10 keV can contribute upward of 5 x 10 to the 10th W and perhaps more if a field-aligned potential drop above the aurora is present. It is concluded that electrons are most likely the primary precipitation energy source for the aurora as a result of energy transfer from Titanogenic N(+) pickup ions in a corotation-dominated magnetosphere.

Barbosa, D. D.↗

Linear instabilities in multicomponent plasmas and their consequences for the auroral zone

Ion conics are commonly observed along auroral-zone field lines and involve all major terrestrial ion species, including H, He, and O. It is believed that low-frequency plasma waves, driven unstable by field-aligned currents, transversely heat the ion distributions via wave-particles interactions, creating the ion conics. Considered here are low-frequency oblique electrostatic instabilities found in a mixed plasma that includes an electron beam streaming through a background of electrons, H and O. The addition of O not only modifies the lower hybird frequency, but allows the existence of an ion-ion (Buchsbaum) hybrid mode with a frequency between the H and O gyrofrequencies. Because of its low frequency, the ion-ion hybrid instability can be effective in transversely heating heavy ions. When the electron beam drift speed is greater than 3 times the background electron thermal velocity and the electron gyrofrequency to plasma frequency ratio is less than 10, the lower hybrid instability dominates. However, for ratios greater than 20, which is a condition commonly found in the auroral-zone nightside region, the ion-ion instability has the largest growth rates; in these regions, heavy ion transverse heating can occur. When the ratio is between 10 and 20, the H to O density ratio determines which instability dominates.

Schriver, David↗

Electron Densities Near Io from Galileo Plasma Wave Observations

This paper presents an overview of electron densities obtained near Io from the Galileo plasma wave instrument during the first four flybys of Io. These flybys were Io, which was a downstream wake pass that occurred on December 7, 1995; I24, which was an upstream pass that occurred on October 11, 1999; I25, which was a south polar pass that occurred on November 26, 1999; and I27, which was an upstream pass that occurred on February 22, 2000. Two methods were used to measure the electron density. The first was based on the frequency of upper hybrid resonance emissions, and the second was based on the low-frequency cutoff of electromagnetic radiation at the electron plasma frequency. For three of the flybys, Io, I25, and I27, large density enhancements were observed near the closest approach to Io. The peak electron densities ranged from 2.1 to 6.8 x 10(exp 4) per cubic centimeters. These densities are consistent with previous radio occultation measurements of Io's ionosphere. No density enhancement was observed during the I24 flyby, most likely because the spacecraft trajectory passed too far upstream to penetrate Io's ionosphere. During two of the flybys, I25 and I27, abrupt step-like changes were observed at the outer boundaries of the region of enhanced electron density. Comparisons with magnetic field models and energetic particle measurements show that the abrupt density steps occur as the spacecraft penetrated the boundary of the Io flux tube, with the region of high plasma density on the inside of the flux tube. Most likely the enhanced electron density within the Io flux tube is associated with magnetic field lines that are frozen to Io by the high conductivity of Io's atmosphere, thereby enhancing the escape of plasma along the magnetic field lines that pass through Io's ionosphere.

Gurnett, D. A.↗