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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2014

The Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Model

Simulation studies of the Earth's radiation belts and ring current are very useful in understanding the acceleration, transport, and loss of energetic particles. Recently, the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) and the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model were merged to form a Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (CIMI) model. CIMI solves for many essential quantities in the inner magnetosphere, including ion and electron distributions in the ring current and radiation belts, plasmaspheric density, Region 2 currents, convection potential, and precipitation in the ionosphere. It incorporates whistler mode chorus and hiss wave diffusion of energetic electrons in energy, pitch angle, and cross terms. CIMI thus represents a comprehensive model that considers the effects of the ring current and plasmasphere on the radiation belts. We have performed a CIMI simulation for the storm on 5-9 April 2010 and then compared our results with data from the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers and Akebono satellites. We identify the dominant energization and loss processes for the ring current and radiation belts. We find that the interactions with the whistler mode chorus waves are the main cause of the flux increase of MeV electrons during the recovery phase of this particular storm. When a self-consistent electric field from the CRCM is used, the enhancement of MeV electrons is higher than when an empirical convection model is applied. We also demonstrate how CIMI can be a powerful tool for analyzing and interpreting data from the new Van Allen Probes mission.

Inner Magnetosphere↗
NASA NTRS1971

Measurements of highly collimated short-duration bursts of auroral electrons and comparison with existing auroral models.

Preliminary results are presented of a rocket experiment explicitly planned to distinguish decisively between spatial and temporal effects in auroral-electron fluxes. It is shown that, up to altitudes of about 800 km and separation distances of up to about 1 km, enhanced fluxes of approximately 5-keV electrons with small pitch angles were observed simultaneously, on occasion for a time as short as less than or equal to 0.1 sec. A summary of the experimental facts is given, and the implications are analyzed in detail. The effect is believed to be of a temporal origin, rather than of a spatial one.

O'Brien, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Neutral hydrogen flux measured at 100- to 200-km altitude in an electron aurora

Neutral hydrogen fluxes were measured at altitudes of 120-200 km by a rocket payload that also measured electron and proton fluxes and vector magnetic fields. An intense electron arc was crossed, while an upper limit to the flux of 0.5- to 20-keV protons was 1,000,000 per sq cm s sr keV. A neutral flux of 50,000,000 per sq cm s sr was observed, assuming hydrogen with greater than 1-keV energy, with greater north-south extent than the electron flux. Its pitch angle distribution was peaked toward 90 deg, tending toward isotropy in the center. This is fitted to a model describing spreading of an initial proton arc above 500 km.

Iglesias, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Characteristics of magnetospheric particle injection deduced from events observed on August 18, 1974

The behavior of particles injected during three well-defined substorm events that occurred on August 18, 1974, has been studied in detail. Plasma characteristics from approximately 200 eV to 80 keV detected at the ATS 6 position have been studied in detail, and we suggest that the results are consistent with the idea that there are two particle sources for electrons during substorms: one at small pitch angles, predominantly in the magnetic field direction, and the other at large pitch angles. The sources of these electrons are probably the ionosphere and the plasma sheet. For protons the results suggest a one-particle source. One possible source for the protons is the plasma sheet. The results have been interpreted in a framework of a model involving magnetospheric convection and parallel electric field.

Parks, G. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Chorus, energetic electrons and magnetospheric substorms

The paper investigates possible chorus generation mechanisms by means of simultaneous OGO-5 measurements of chorus, energetic (79 + or - 23 keV) electron fluxes and pitch angle distributions, and ambient magnetic fields. Further, the solar wind data during high-latitude dayside chorus events are examined. It is reported that the highly eccentric orbit had an apogee of 24 earth radii and an inclination of 30 deg to the geographic equator.

Tsurutani, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Terrestrial kilometric radiation - The cyclotron theory

It is shown that electrons in inverted V events can cause direct, amplified cyclotron emission (x-mode radiation) above the cutoff frequency, and the growth rate of the waves is calculated by using inverted V electron event observations as the inputs of a numerical code. Calculation results exhibiting wave growth are adduced as evidence for the cyclotron interpretation of terrestrial kilometric radiation (TKR). It is speculated that the specific electron distribution features which generate TKR should disappear in much less than a second, and should therefore not be observable in particle data averaged over more than one second. The basic electron distribution feature that gives rise to TKR is a one-sided loss cone anisotropy in which upward moving electrons with small pitch angles are missing. The features causing large growth rates may be due to the effects of the parallel electric field.

Melrose, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electrons and cosmic ray produced protons in Saturn's inner magnetosphere

The Cerenkov detector on Pioneer 11 previously observed Crand protons above 600 MeV in Saturn's inner magnetosphere, mixed with a poorly understood background of energetic electrons. The electron count is separated from the proton counts and the first-order angular distributions are established for each species. To do this the theoretical relationships among the harmonic coefficients of the count rate is used as a function of spacecraft roll angle. The majority of the counts were electrons with energy above several MeV; i.e., with drift periods shorter than the satellite orbital resonance. The electrons have isotropic pitch angle distributions, and the protons pancake over most of the region between Mimas and the rings, although there is a small region of dumbbell proton distributions in the vicinity of Janus and epimetheus.

Northrop, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Fast variations in high-energy X-rays from solar flares and their constraints on nonthermal models

The results of a quantitatve analysis of quantitative the temporal properties of over 7000 hard X-ray solar flares are presented. The data were obtained with the Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer of the SMM satellite. The data reveal examples of hundreds of fast spikes with durations of less than 1 s. The spectra of a well-observed fast spike were compared with the predicted spectra of a detailed nonthermal electron beam model, in order to determine upper limits for electron beam parameters and path lengths. The theoretical spectra were found to be consistent with the observed spectra when the separation of between the accretion site and the thick target was greater than 10 to the 8th cm. It is shown that if the separation is much greater than 3 x 10 to the 9th cm, the electrons with high pitch angles (greater than 60 deg) are either not emitted or are mirrored before they reach the footpoints.

Kiplinger, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electrons and Cosmic Ray Produced Protons in Saturn's Inner Magnetosphere

The Cerenkov detector on Pioneer 11 previously observed Crand protons above 600 MeV in Saturn's inner magnetosphere, mixed with a poorly understood background of energetic electrons. The electron count is separated from the proton counts and the first-order angular distributions are established for each species. To do this the theoretical relationships among the harmonic coefficients of the count rate is used as a function of spacecraft roll angle. The majority of the counts were electrons with energy above several MeV; i.e., with drift periods shorter than the satellite orbital resonance. The electrons have isotropic pitch angle distributions, and the protons pancake over most of the region between Nimas and the rings, although there is a small region of dumbbell proton distributions in the vicinity of Janus and Epimetheus.

Northrop, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electrons and cosmic ray produced protons in Saturn's inner magnetosphere

The Cerenkov detector on Pioneer 11 previously observed Crand protons above 600 MeV in Saturn's inner magnetosphere, mixed with a poorly understood background of energetic electrons. The electron count is separated from the proton counts and the first-order angular distributions are established for each species. To do this the theoretical relationships among the harmonic coefficients of the count rate is used as a function of spacecraft roll angle. The majority of the counts were electrons with energy above several MeV; i.e., with drift periods shorter than the satellite orbital resonance. The electrons have isotropic pitch angle distributions, and the protons pancake over most of the region between Nimas and the rings, although there is a small region of dumbbell proton distributions in the vicinity of Janus and Epimetheus.

Northrop, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Quantized synchrotron radiation in strong magnetic fields

Spectra from electrons making synchrotron transitions in high magnetic fields are calculated using the exact quantum transition rates for Landau states up to n = 500, and the results are compared with spectra calculated from the classical formula and the asymptotic quantum formula. The behavior of the transition rates are examined at low and high harmonics as a function of the spin state of the electron. The calculations confirm those of Herold, Ruder, and Wunner (1982) for low Landau states, extending them to higher states and individual spin state transitions. The results also confirm the dominance of ground-state transitions at high field strengths noted by White (1976). Single particle emissivities for electrons with both spin-up and spin-down in the initial state are calculated using these transition rates. Spectra for thermal electron distributions at transrelativistic temperatures and for steady state injection of monoenergetic electrons with isotropic pitch angles are also presented.

Harding, Alice K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Acceleration, transport of and radiation by electrons in impulsive phase of flares

Recent work carried out in connection with various manifestations of the impulsive phase of solar flares is reviewed. Characteristics of accelerated electrons are determined, taking into account various possible interactions that electrons undergo as they traverse the flare plasma, and the expected radiation is evaluated via several mechanisms. Constraints are set on the characteristics of the accelerated electrons and on some properties of the flare plasma. Results obtained from comparisons with SMM and other observations of flares during the past solar cycle are described. It is shown that limits can be set on the range and distribution of the accelerated electron spectrum and pitch angle distribution, and on the column depth and field convergence rate of the flaring loop.

Petrosian, Vahe↗
NASA NTRS1975

The quiet time structure of energetic /35-560 keV/ radiation belt electrons

Detailed Explorer 45 observations of quiet time pitch angle distributions and equatorial radial profiles of energetic radiation belt electrons are presented. The observed pitch angle distributions in the slot region and the outer regions of the plasmasphere are found to agree with the values expected from resonant interactions with the plasmaspheric whistler mode wave band, and Coulomb collisions are found to be the dominant electron loss mechanism in the inner zone. The overall structure of quiet time radial profiles is shown to agree with the equilibrium structure expected to result from a balance between pitch angle scattering losses and radial diffusion from an outer zone source, and this agreement suggests that the dominant quiet time source and loss mechanisms have been correctly identified. Electron fluxes in the inner plasmasphere are found to remain nearly constant during the quiet periods due to their decoupling from magnetic activity variations in the outer plasmasphere.

Lyons, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Electron angular distributions above the dayside auroral oval

An electrostatic analyzer was employed on the Ariel 4 satellite to determine pitch angle distributions of electron intensities over the dayside auroral oval. Two major precipitation zones were encountered: an equatorward zone of broad spectra with intensities of approximately 1000 electrons/(sq cm-sec-sr-eV) and a poleward zone, the polar cusp, with intensities typical of those of the magnetosheath. Angular distributions within the equatorward zone are generally isotropic outside of the atmospheric backscatter cone. The precipitation mechanism appears to be pitch angle scattering near the distant magnetic equator. In contrast, pitch angle distributions within the polar cusp are often found to be strongly field aligned with intensities within the atmospheric loss cone greater by factors of approximately 10 than the mirroring intensities. These distributions are qualititatively similar to those for the inverted V precipitation events at later local times, and probably share a common acceleration mechanism with the inverted V phenomenon.

Craven, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Observations of Energetic Particle Escape at the Magnetopause: Early Results from the MMS Energetic Ion Spectrometer (EIS)

Energetic (greater than tens of keV) magnetospheric particle escape into the magnetosheath occurs commonly, irrespective of conditions that engender reconnection and boundary-normal magnetic fields. A signature observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, simultaneous monohemispheric streaming of multiple species (electrons, H+, Hen+), is reported here as unexpectedly common in the dayside, dusk quadrant of the magnetosheath even though that region is thought to be drift-shadowed from energetic electrons. This signature is sometimes part of a pitch angle distribution evolving from symmetric in the magnetosphere, to asymmetric approaching the magnetopause, to monohemispheric streaming in the magnetosheath. While monohemispheric streaming in the magnetosheath may be possible without a boundary-normal magnetic field, the additional pitch angle depletion, particularly of electrons, on the magnetospheric side requires one. Observations of this signature in the dayside dusk sector imply that the static picture of magnetospheric drift-shadowing is inappropriate for energetic particle dynamics in the outer magnetosphere.

Cohen, I. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Rocket measurements of electrons in a system of multiple auroral arcs

A Nike-Tomahawk rocket was launched into a system of auroral arcs northward of Poker Flat Research Range, Fairbanks, Alaska. The pitch-angle distribution of electrons was measured at 2.5, 5, and 10 keV and also at 10 keV on a separating forward section of the payload. The auroral activity appeared to be the extension of substorm activity centered to the east. The rocket crossed a westward-propagating fold in the brightest band. The electron spectrum was relatively hard through most of the flight, showing a peak in the range from 2.5 to 10 keV in the weaker aurora and below 5 keV in the brightest arc. The detailed structure of the pitch-angle distribution suggested that, at times, a very selective process was accelerating some electrons in the magnetic field direction, so that a narrow field-aligned component appeared superimposed on a more isotropic distribution. It is concluded that this process could not be a near-ionosphere field-aligned potential drop, although the more isotropic component may have been produced by a parallel electric field extending several thousand kilometers along the field line above the ionosphere.

Boyd, J. S.↗