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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 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Ionospheric chemical releases

Ionospheric plasma density irregularities can be produced by chemical releases into the upper atmosphere. F-region plasma modification occurs by: (1) chemically enhancing the electron number density; (2) chemically reducing the electron population; or (3) physically convecting the plasma from one region to another. The three processes (production, loss, and transport) determine the effectiveness of ionospheric chemical releases in subtle and surprising ways. Initially, a chemical release produces a localized change in plasma density. Subsequent processes, however, can lead to enhanced transport in chemically modified regions. Ionospheric modifications by chemical releases excites artificial enhancements in airglow intensities by exothermic chemical reactions between the newly created plasma species. Numerical models were developed to describe the creation and evolution of large scale density irregularities and airglow clouds generated by artificial means. Experimental data compares favorably with theses models. It was found that chemical releases produce transient, large amplitude perturbations in electron density which can evolve into fine scale irregularities via nonlinear transport properties.

Bernhardt, Paul A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An observational study of the nightside ionospheres of Mars and Venus with radio occultation methods

Using nightside electron density profiles obtained with radio occultation data from the Viking orbiters, the nightside ionospheres of Mars and Venus are investigated. It is shown that the Mars nightside ionosphere is generally weaker than the Venus nightside ionosphere, and, when it is present, the peak altitude is higher. Otherwise, there is considerable similarity. In particular, the dependence of peak density on solar zenith angle in the range of the Viking nightside observations (90-130 deg) is found to be similar for both planets.

Zhang, M. H. G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The ionospheric signatures of flux transfer events and solar wind dynamic pressure changes

Recent observations of vortical flow patterns in the dayside auroral ionosphere are discussed in terms of two alternative mechanisms: (1) the time-dependent magnetic reconnection in 'flux transfer events' (FTEs); and (2) the action of solar wind dynamic pressure changes at the magnetopause. It is argued that the ionospheric flow signature of an FTE should be a twin vortex, with the mean flow velocity in the central region of the pattern being equal to the velocity of the pattern as a whole. On the other hand, the pulse of enhanced or reduced dynamic pressure is also expected to produce a twin vortex, but with the central plasma flow being generally different in speed from (and almost orthogonal to) the motion of the whole pattern. It is found that, while none of the events discussed here are consistent with the theories of the effects of the dynamic pressure changes, all are well explained in terms of the ionospheric signatures of FTEs.

Lockwood, M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Feedback instability of the ionospheric resonant cavity

A model is developed that provides a theoretical basis for previous numerical results showing a feedback instability with frequencies characteristic of Alfven travel times within the region of the large increase of Alfven speed above the ionosphere. These results have been extended to arbitrary ionospheric conductivity by developing a numerical solution of the cavity dispersion relation that involves Bessel functions of complex order and argument. It is concluded that the large contrast between the magnetospheric and ionospheric Alfven speed leads to the formation of resonant cavity modes with frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 1 Hz. The presence of the cavity leads to a modification of the reflection characteristics of Alfven waves with frequencies that compare to the cavity's normal modes.

Lysak, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ionospheric convection response to changing IMF direction

By combining ground-based and satellite-based measurements of ionospheric electric fields, conductivities and magnetic perturbations, it was possible to examine the characteristics of instantaneous, ionospheric convection patterns associated with changing directions of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). In response to a rapid southward-to-northward turning of the IMF on July 23, 1983, the ionospheric convection reconfigured over a period of 40 minutes. The configuration changed from a conventional two-cell pattern to a contracted four-cell pattern, with reversed convection cells in the high-latitude dayside, associated with a strong potential drop of about 75 kV. Later, in response to a gradual rotation of the IMF from the +Z through the -Y toward the -Z direction, the nightside cells disappeared and the dawn cell in the reversed pair wrapped around and displaced the dusk cell until a conventional two-cell pattern was reestablished, largely in accord with the qualitative model of Crooker (1988). The results suggest that multiple cells can arise as a result of strong southward to northward transitions in the IMF. They appear to persist for sometime thereafter.

Knipp, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A comprehensive magnetohydrodynamic model of the Venus ionosphere

The MHD Venus ionospheric model of Shinegawa and Cravens (1988) is improved here by including the energy equations for ions and electrons in a self-consistent manner. This new model reproduces observed electron density and magnetic field profiles very well, while the basic MHD process of the Venus ionosphere remain virtually unchanged. The results indicate that including energetics does not significantly alter the density and magnetic field profiles. Under unmagnetized conditions, heat fluxes for both ions and electrons must be imposed to reproduce the observed plasma temperature profiles. A heat source for the ions is probably present at higher altitudes in the magnetized ionosphere. Heating processes do not play a significant role in the dynamics at low altitudes.

Shinagawa, H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The ionosphere of Titan and its interaction with Saturnian magnetospheric electrons

The interaction of superthermal electrons, including both magnetospheric electrons and photoelectrons, with the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Titan, is studied using a two stream electron transport code. Ionization rates, electron heating rates, and airglow emission rates are calculated. Results of a one dimensional model of the ionosphere of Titan, which includes both photoionization and ionization by magnetospheric electrons, are presented. Preliminary calculations of ionospheric ion outflow down the wake (or tail) of Titan, for time periods when the wake region is illuminated by the Sun, are made.

Cravens, Thomas E.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Effects of large zonal plasma drifts on the subauroral ionosphere

A model of the earth's ionosphere and plasmasphere is used to investigate the effects of an imposed westward plasma drift of maximum velocity 2 km/s. A closed subauroral tube of plasma is considered and the velocity spike persists for 10 min. Ion-neutral frictional heating causes rapid elevation of the F-region O(+) temperature. The F-layer O(+) concentration is decreased due to increased O(+) loss rate and rapid ion flows both upward and downward from the F-region. The upward flux of O(+) through the topside ionosphere can each 5 x 10 exp 9/sq cm/s; when the velocity spike ceases there is a return flow of O(+) that tends to replenish the F-layer. Most of the features revealed by the model for the F-region and topside ionosphere are in accord with observations of subauroral ion drifts. Downward flows that are predicted to be persistently present around the 300 km altitude level appear to agree with observations only occasionally; suggestions are made to resolve this discrepancy.

Sellek, R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Solar cycle effects on the structure of the electron density profiles in the dayside ionosphere of Venus

Results are presented of observations from the changes in the electron density structure of the dayside ionosphere of Venus that were brought about by changing solar activity. The ionopause height is generally low for values of the solar zenith angle below about 50 deg regardless of the phase in the solar cycle. At solar maximum, and at times of intermediate solar activity, the ionopause height for solar zenith angles greater than about 50 deg is highly variable, ranging from a minimum of about 200 km to a maximum of more than 1000 km. At times of solar minimum the great majority of all ionopause heights for all solar zenith angles are uniformly low, lying between 200 and 300 km. It is argued that the compressed nature of the Venus atmosphere at solar minimum is produced by permeation of the ionosphere by the solar wind magnetic field, which occurs when the solar wind dynamic pressure exceeds the ionospheric plasma pressure.

Kliore, Arvydas J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Polarization of the impulsive signals observed in the nightside ionosphere of Venus

The impulsive plasma wave bursts detected by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter electric field detector in the nightside ionosphere of Venus have been attributed to atmospheric lightning. However, it has also been argued that the wave bursts are generated locally by plasma instabilities. The waves associated with local instabilities are most probably electrostatic in nature, while lightning-generated waves should be whistler mode waves, at least at the lowest frequencies. It is shown that for typical ionospheric parameters the whistler mode wave electric field should be polarized predominantly perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field. It is shown that the 100-Hz waves are polarized perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field provided the data are restricted to those intervals in which the magnetic field is sufficiently far from horizontal to allow vertical propagation within the whistler mode resonance cone. The 100-Hz waves detected outside of the resonance cone are polarized parallel to the magnetic field, as are the waves at higher frequency. The waves consequently fall into two classes: whistler mode waves which are most likely due to atmospheric lightning, and a mode that is polarized parallel to the ambient field. This latter mode may be analogous to the anomalous parallel polarized wave fields detected in the terrestrial ionosphere above thunderstorms.

Strangeway, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Theory of small-scale density and electric field fluctuations in the nightside Venus ionosphere

Recently, it has been reported that small-scale (lambda about 0.1-2 km) density irregularities occur during 100-Hz electric field bursts in the nightside ionosphere of Venus. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the lower-hybrid-drift instability as a mechanism to generate the observed irregularities. A fully electromagnetic theory is developed that is relevant to the finite beta plasma in Venus's ionosphere and includes collisional effects (e.g., electron-ion, electron-neutral, and ion-neutral collisions). The key features of the analysis that favor this instability are the following: (1) it is a flute mode and propagates orthogonal to the ambient magnetic field; (2) it is a relatively short wavelength mode and the Doppler-shifted frequency can be greater than about 100 Hz; (3) it can produce both electric field and density fluctuations, as well as magnetic field fluctuations in a finite beta plasma; and (4) it is most unstable in low-beta plasmas so that it is likely to occur in the low-density, high-magnetic-field ionospheric holes. These features are consistent with observational results.

Huba, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A case study of lightning, whistlers, and associated ionospheric effects during a substorm particle injection event

The relationships among cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning, sferics, whistlers, VLF amplitude perturbations, and other ionospheric phenomena occurring during substorm events were investigated using data from simultaneous ground-based observations of narrow-band and broad-band VLF radio waves and of CG lightning made during the 1987 Wave-Induced Particle Precipitation campaign conducted from Wallops Island (Virginia). Results suggest that the data collected on ionospheric phenomena during this event may represent new evidence of direct coupling of lightning energy to the lower ionosphere, either in conjunction with or in the absence of gyroresonant interactions between whistler mode waves and electrons in the magnetosphere.

Rodriguez, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Distribution in magnetotail of O(+) ions from cusp/cleft ionosphere - A possible substorm trigger

The transport of O(+) ions from the cusp/cleft ionosphere to the magnetotail during highly disturbed times was determined by computing the guiding-center trajectories of the ions to a distance of 6 R(E) from the ionosphere and the full-motion trajectories at later times. Case histories were tallied in six planes perpendicular to the X(GSM) axis, three planes perpendicular to the Y(GSM) axis, and in the center plane of the tail. At various times relative to the enhancement of the convection electric field, the following ion properties were constructed from the case histories: number density, mean energy, energy and pitch angle distributions of the flux, and ion pressure components parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field. It was found that, after about 1.7 hours, the ion flux in the near-earth magnetotail increased dramatically and the spectrum hardened, much as observed during periods just preceding substorms. This increase is attributed to (1) the increase in the O(+) outflux from the ionosphere, (2) the increased energization of the ions by the convection electric field, and (3) ion trapping, which generally occurs because the ion magnetic moments generally increase after the ions first cross the geomagnetotail center plane.

Cladis, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Ionospheric simulation compared with Dynamics Explorer observations for November 22, 1981

The present study uses an extensive DE-2 data base to both constrain inputs to a time-dependent ionospheric model (TDIM) for a simulation of the ionosphere and then check the simulated densities. The investigation was carried out for both a quiet period and a substorm period. The quiet-day study produced very good agreement between modeled and observed electron densities in the topside ionosphere with two significant exceptions: First, across the polar region the DE-2 LANG densities showed fine structure in addition to the overall regional density morphology. Second, a surprising discrepancy arose in the presunrise and midlatitude trough. The TDIM densities were an order of magnitude lower than those observed by DE-2. The substorm study showed remarkably good agreement with the observed densities.

Sojka, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Densities and vibrational distribution of H(3+) in the Jovian auroral ionosphere

The assumption that H(3+) is in LTE in the region of the Jovian ionosphere from which the emissions originate is tested by calculating the vibrational distribution of H(3+) over the altitude range of 350 to 1500 km above the methane cloud tops. A model of the Jovian auroral ionosphere is constructed in which the neutral temperatures are enhanced over those of the midlatitude ionosphere, as suggested by observations and models of the auroral region. The energy and energy flux were found to be less than those involved in the production of the UV aurora. A computation of the densities and vibrational distribution shows that the distribution of the six lowest states of H(3+) can be determined fairly well in spite of uncertainties in the atomic and molecular data. The computed altitude profiles and vibrational distributions of H(3+) and H2 are consistent with the observations of IR emission in the 2- and 4-micron regions.

Kim, Y. H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The temporal evolution of the ionospheric signatures of subauroral ion drifts

The effects of an imposed westward plasma drift on O(+) and molecular ion behavior in the nightside ionosphere are investigated using a model of the ionosphere and plasmasphere. A closed subauroral tube of the plasma is considered, and the velocity input persists for 30 min. The rapid increase in the F-region ion temperature resulting from ion-neutral frictional heating causes an immediate surge in the O(+) field-aligned velocity, upwards in the topside ionosphere and downwards below the F2-peak, but after about 10 min into the event the surge in the topside disappears. After the event there is a return flow of O(+) from the plasmasphere. The relative abundance of O(+) decreases during the event due to the increased rate of conversion of O(+) into NO(+) and O2(+); the decrease is more marked for greater values of the imposed westward ion drift. The implications of these results for satellite observations of subauroral ion drifts events and on EISCAT incoherent scatter radar observations of ion heating events is discussed.

Moffett, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Observations of the structure and vertical transport of the polar upper ionosphere with the EISCAT VHF radar. II - First investigations of the topside O(+) and H(+) vertical ion flows

EISCAT VHF radar was used to investigate the vertical flows of H(+) and O(+) ions in the topside high-latitude ionosphere. The radar transmitted a single long pulse to probe the ionosphere from 300 to 1200 km altitude. A calculation scheme is developed to deduce the H(+) drift velocity from the coupled momentum equations of H(+), O(+), and the electrons, using the radar data and a neutral atmosphere model. The H(+) vertical drift velocity was expressed as a linear combination of the different forces acting on the plasma. Two nights, one very quiet, one with moderate magnetic activity, were used to test the technique and to provide a first study of the morphology and orders of magnitudes of ion outflow fluxes over Tromso. O(+) vertical flows were found to be downward or close to zero most of the time in the topside ionosphere; they appeared to be strongly correlated with magnetic activity during the disturbed night. H(+) topside ion fluxes were always directed upward, with velocity reaching 500-1000 m/s. A permanent outflow of H(+) ions is inferred.

Wu, Jian↗
NASA NTRS1992

Radio occultation observations of the ionospheres of Mars and Venus

The availability of a large body of radio occultation data for the Mars and Venus ionospheres makes possible comparative studies of their structures and temporal behavior. On Venus, the nightside ionosphere is produced by the transport of ionization from the dayside, which operates at solar maximum when the ionopause is high, and impact ionization by energetic electrons, which operates at all times. On Mars, transport from the dayside would seem to be inhibited for the same reason as for Venus at solar minimum, although sufficient flux of energetic electrons is present to generate nightside ionization. The Venus ionosphere at solar minimum, and that of Mars at all times, are not in a state of diffusive equilibrium above the chemical equilibrium regions.

Kliore, Arvydas J.↗