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At least 235 records · Page 13

Space Technology 5 Observations of Auroral Field-Aligned Currents

During its three month long technology validation mission, Space Technology 5 (ST-5) returned high quality multi-point measurements of the near-Earth magnetic field. Its three micro-satellites were launched into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn - dusk, sun synchronous orbit (inclination = 105.60) orbit with a period of 138 min by a Pegasus launch vehicle on March 22, 2006. The spacecraft were maintained in a "pearls on a sting" constellation with controlled spacings ranging from just over 5000 km down to under 50 km. The individual micro-satellites were 48 cm tall octagons with diameters of 50 cm. They were spin-stabilized at approximately 20 rpm at deployment and slowly spun-down to about 15 rpm by the end of the mission. Each spacecraft carried a miniature tri-axial fluxgate magnetometer (MAG) provided by the University of California at Los Angeles mounted at the end of a ultra-low mass 72 cm boom. These data allow, for the first time, the separation of temporal and spatial variations in field-aligned current (FAC) perturbations measured in low-Earth orbit on time scales of 10 sec to 10 min. The constellation measurements are used to directly determine field-aligned current sheet motion, thickness. and current density. Two multi-point methods for the inference of FAC current density that have not previously been possible in low-Earth orbit are demonstrated: 1) the -standard method." based upon s/c velocity, but corrected for FAC current sheet motion. and 2) the "gradiometer method" which uses simultaneous magnetic field measurements at two points with known separation. Future studies will apply these methods to the entire ST-5 data sct and expand to include horizontal ionospheric currents. ULF waves and geomagnetic field gradient analyses.

Slavin, James↗

Vector magnetic field changes associated with X-class flares

We present high-resolution transverse and longitudinal magnetic field measurements bracketing five X-class solar flares. We show that the magnetic shear, defined as the angular difference between the measured field and calculated potential field, actually increases after all of these flares. In each case, the shear is shown to increase along a substantial portion of the magnetic neutral line. For two of the cases, we have excellent time resolution, on the order of several minutes, and we demonstrate that the shear increase is impulsive. We briefly discuss the theoretical implications of our results.

Wang, Haimin↗

The strength of the sun's polar fields

The magnetic field strength within the polar caps of the sun is an important parameter for both the solar activity cycle and for our understanding of the interplanetary magnetic field. Measurements of the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field generally yield 0.1 to 0.2 mT near times of sunspot minimum. This paper reports measurements of the polar fields made at the Stanford Solar Observatory using the Fe I line at 525.02 nm. It is found that the average flux density poleward of 55 deg latitude is about 0.6 mT peaking to more than 1 mT at the pole and decreasing to 0.2 mT at the polar cap boundary. The total open flux through either polar cap thus becomes about 3 x 10 to the 14th Wb. It is also shown that observed magnetic field strengths vary as the line-of-sight component of nearly radial fields.

Svalgaard, L.↗

Defect-driven ferrimagnetism and hidden magnetization in MnBi 2 Te 4

MnBi 2 Te 4 (MBT) materials are promising antiferromagnetic topological insulators in which field-driven ferromagnetism is predicted to cause a transition between axion insulator and Weyl semimetallic states. However, the presence of antiferromagnetic coupling between Mn/Bi antisite defects and the main Mn layer can reduce the low-field magnetization, and it has been shown that such defects are more prevalent in the structurally identical magnetic insulator MnSb 2 Te 4 (MST). We use high-field magnetization measurements to show that the magnetization of MBT and MST occur in stages and full saturation requires fields of ~60 T. As a consequence, the low-field magnetization plateau state in MBT, where many determinations of the quantum anomalous Hall state are studied, actually consists of ferrimagnetic septuple blocks containing both uniform and staggered magnetization components.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

An energetic particle perspective of the magnetopause

The present analysis deals with energetic (above 24 keV) particle data from the Isee satellites during a series of magnetopause crossings. The primary energetic particle data employed in the analysis are the three-dimensional distributions from the Isee A satellite. Correlative magnetic field measurements are used to relate the particle behavior to magnetic field characteristics at and earthward of the magnetopause. It is shown that, to first order, the magnetopause may be regarded as a perfectly absorbing boundary for the trapped energetic particles, that it is nearly always in motion, and that boundary waves are often present. The observed dayside magnetopause motion is consistent with a large-scale radial motion having an approximately 10-min period plus superimposed boundary waves with a 90- to 150-sec period.

Williams, D. J.↗

Measurements of Solar Vector Magnetic Fields

Various aspects of the measurement of solar magnetic fields are presented. The four major subdivisions of the study are: (1) theoretical understanding of solar vector magnetic fields; (3) techniques for interpretation of observational data; and (4) techniques for data display.

Hagyard, M. J.↗

Observations of How Magnetofluid Turbulence Dissipates at Small Scales

The solar wind is a turbulent magneto fluid that can be studied intensively at multiple scales. Investigations using single spacecraft have revealed much about the properties of the solar wind throughout the heliosphere (from 0.3 AU to 100 AU). More recently, data from multiple spacecraft have provided further details of both the statistical properties of the turbulence and its small-scale structure. In particular, high time resolution magnetic field measurements from the four Cluster spacecrafl have led to the conclusion that at spatial scales of order the proton inertial length and smaller, the turbulence becomes strongly anisotropic and the power in fluctuations that are perpendicular to the (local) magnetic field is measured to be much larger than that in fluctuations that are parallel to the magnetic field. As the spatial scales approach the electron inertial length, the power is almost completely dissipated. Various analysis techniques and theoretical ideas have been put forward to account for the properties of those measurements. The talk will describe the current state of observations, theory and simulations.

Goldstein, M. L.↗

MESSENGER Observations of Mercury's Dynamic Magnetosphere

MESSENGER's 14 January and 6 October 2008 encounters with Mercury have provided new measurements dynamic variations in the coupled atmosphere magnetosphere system. The two flybys took place under very different interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. The northward IMF during the first encounter produced a very quiet, stable magnetosphere. Neutral sodium atoms and photo-ions were observed to high altitudes ; > 2000 km, even in the subsolar region demonstrating the important role played by more energetic neutral atom production processes such as sputtering. Consistent with predictions of magnetospheric models for northward IMF, the neutral atmosphere was observed to have its strongest sources in the high latitude northern hemisphere for the first flyby. The southward IMF for the second encounter revealed a highly dynamic magnetosphere. Reconnection between the interplanetary and planetary magnetic fields is known to control the rate of energy transfer from the solar wind and to drive magnetospheric convection. The MESSENGER magnetic field measurements revealed that the rate at which interplanetary magnetic fields were reconnecting to planetary fields was a factor of 10 greater than is usually observed at Earth. This extremely high reconnection results in a large magnetic field component normal to the magnetopause and the formation of flux transfer events that are much larger relative to the size of the forward magnetosphere than is observed at Earth. The resulting magnetospheric configuration allows the solar wind access to much of the dayside surface of the Mercury. This widespread impingement of the solar wind on Mercury's surface is a likely source of the less structured sodium exosphere imaged during the second flyby and quite possibly the high degree of exospheric temporal variability observed by ground-based telescopes.

Slavin, James A.↗

Three-pole wigglers at NSLS-II

The National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) is a third-generation medium-energy storage ring with 3 GeV and sub-nm-rad horizontal emittance, equipped with a top-off capability of 500 mA. It is designed to deliver an extremely intense photon beam across a wide spectral range, from the far-infrared to the very hard X-ray region. This outstanding performance is achieved through a combination of bending magnets (BM), three-pole wigglers (3 PW), and advanced insertion device (ID) sources. Six three-pole wigglers have been constructed at the NSLS-II IDs Lab. These devices are used to produce broadband radiation with lower angular power density and to monitor the electron beam emittance and energy spread. Here, this paper describes the R&D activities focused on developing the required magnetic and mechanical designs, along with magnetic field optimization and the final magnetic measurement results. It also covers the spectral brightness, flux, power density, spatial and angular output properties of the 3 PWs, including their commissioning results and their effects on the performance of the NSLS-II storage ring.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

New observations of plasma vortices and insights into their interpretation

Two- and three-dimensional plasma measurements and three-dimensional magnetic field measurements made with the ISEE 1 and 2 satellites during sixteen plasma vortex occurrences in the magnetotail plasma sheet are used to develop a fuller description of the vortex phenomenon than has existed heretofore. The phase and energy propagation properties of the vortex waves was studied in particular. The rotation period of the vortices (T = 10 + or - 5 minutes) is apparently independent of location, while the wavelength (lambda not less than several Re) increases with increasing distance down the tail, pointing to a global mode of propagation in which effects of inhomogeneous equilibrium are important. The flow rotation can be explained by propagation of surface waves or resonant waves in a uniform medium. Other observed features, however, require a nonuniform model: nonuniform propagation properties and differences of the phase propagation speed calculated from different components of velocity or magnetic field.

Hones, E. W., Jr.↗

Magnetometer measures orthogonal components of magnetic fields

Driven magnetometer accurately measures the components of a low strength magnetic field in each of three mutually perpendicular directions. To accomplish this, it employs the principle of magnetic resonance in optically pumped rubidium vapor.

Source record↗

Detailed study on acceleration and propagation of energetic protons and electrons in the magnetotail during substorm activity

High time resolution measurements of energetic particles and magnetic field measurements by the IMP 8 satellite in the distant magnetotail are presented for November 26, 1973, when exceptionally intense particle bursts were detected by both the IMP 7 and 8 spacecraft. During the onset of the most intense burst as well as at other times, oppositely directed anisotropies of protons and electrons parallel to the tail field and lasting up to about 60 sec were observed, implying the presence of field-aligned electric fields. The particle and field observations are discussed in the context of proposed mechanisms for the acceleration of particles during various dynamical magnetospheric processes. Satellite instrument readings are presented through the extensive use of graphs.

Kirsch, E.↗

Multiple spacecraft observations of interplanetary shocks ISEE three-dimensional plasma measurements

ISEE 1 and ISEE 3 three-dimensional solar wind plasma measurements are used together with magnetic field measurements across five previously studied interplanetary shocks to test the accuracy of the mixed-mode shock-normal determination technique and to test whether the shock properties are best approximated with a ratio of specific heats of 5/3 or 2. In the shocks examined, the assumption that the velocity jump was along the normal provided an estimate of the shock normal within 15 deg of the best fit normal 50 percent of the time and within 50 deg, 90 percent of the time. The mixed-mode normals lay within 12 deg of the best fit normal 50 percent of the time and within 36 deg, 90 percent of the time. Part of this deviation may be due to differences in the orientation of the local normal from that of the average normal. Finally, the jump in plasma and field across the shock is better predicted from the Rankine-Hugoniot equations using a ratio of specific heats of 5/3 rather than 2.

Russell, C. T.↗

Analysis of 16 plasma vortex events in the geomagnetic tail

The analysis of 16 plasma vortex occurrences in the magnetotail plasma sheet of Hones et al. (1983) is extended. Two- and three-dimensional plasma measurements and three-dimensional magnetic field measurements were used to study phase relations, energy propagation, and polarization properties. The results point toward an interpretation as a slow strongly damped MHD eigenmode which is generated by tailward traveling perturbations at the low-latitude interface between plasma sheet and magnetosheath.

Birn, J.↗

Simultaneous equatorial measurements of waves and precipitating electrons in the outer radiation belt

Simultaneous wave and precipitating electron measurements near the equator in the outer radiation belt have been made from the CRRES satellite. The electron data of principal concern here were acquired in and about the loss cone with narrow angular resolution spectrometers covering the energy range 340 eV to 5 MeV. The wave data included electric field measurements spanning frequencies from 5 Hz to 400 kHz and magnetic field measurements from 5 Hz to 10 kHz. This paper presents examples in which the variations in electron fluxes in the loss cone and the wave intensities were correlated. These variations in electron flux were confined to pitch angles less than about 30 deg. The association between the flux enhancements and the waves is consistent with wave-induced pitch angle diffusion processes.

Imhof, W. L.↗

Influence of Applied Thermal Gradients and a Static Magnetic Field on Bridgman-Grown GeSi Alloys

The effect of applied axial and radial thermal gradients and an axial static magnetic field on the macrosegregation profiles of Bridgman-grown GeSi alloy crystals has been assessed. The axial thermal gradients were adjusted by changing the control setpoints of a seven-zone vertical Bridgman furnace. The radial thermal gradients were affected by growing samples in ampoules with different thermal conductivities, namely graphite, hot-pressed boron nitride (BN), and pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN). Those samples grown in a graphite ampoule exhibited radial profiles consistent with a highly concave interface and axial profiles indicative of complete mixing in the melt. The samples grown in BN and PBN ampoules had less radial variation. Axial macrosegregation profiles of these samples fell between the predictions for a completely mixed melt and one where solute transport is dominated by diffusion. All of the samples were grown on Ge seeds. This resulted in a period of free growth until the Si concentration in the solid was in equilibrium with the Si concentration in the liquid. The length of crystal grown during this period was inversely proportional to the applied axial thermal gradient. Several samples were grown in an axial 5 Tesla magnetic field. Measured macroscopic segregation profiles on these samples indicate that the magnetic field did not, in general, reduce the melt flow velocities to below the growth velocities.

Volz, M. P.↗