Early results from the ISEE electron density experiment

The ISEE-1 and 2 spacecraft contain two complementary experiments to measure the ambient electron density by radio techniques: a propagation experiment which measures the integrated electron density between ISEE-1 and 2, and a resonance sounder which measures the electron density in the vicinity of ISEE-1, and also provides AC electric field data. These experiments have been described elsewhere (Harvey et al., 1978). Results from these two experiments are presented here for the first time. The propagation experiment permits high time resolution studies of density fluctuations in the solar wind and magnetospheric frontier regions. The sounder experiment has detected for the first time plasma resonances in the solar wind and in the Earth's magnetosheath, as well as in the regions of the magnetosphere where resonances have already been observed by the spacecraft GEOS-1. We present here a preliminary review of the different types of electric field noise observed in the solar wind and magnetosheath, and discuss their relationship to the measured plasma density.CRPE/CNET, 92131 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.     

Some early results of the keV plasma experiment on GEOS-1

Some preliminary new results are presented of the keV plasma experiment on GEOS-1. Electrons and ions have been observed to stream along the magnetic field lines in the dayside magnetosphere from the ionospheric side of the satellite towards the equatorial plane during magnetic storms, with streaming velocities corresponding to a kinetic energy of the order of a keV. The opposite streaming velocity has also been seen, but primarily in the ions only and with a smaller flux ratio for the two opposite directions along the field lines. The transition between the two opposite streaming directions, as seen by the satellite, has been found to occur even in a fraction of a second.In magnetic storm conditions azimuthal asymmetries in ion fluxes corresponding to electric field intensities of several tens of millivolts per meter have been observed.     

Augmented Empirical Models of Plasmaspheric Density and Electric Field Using IMAGE and CLUSTER Data

Empirical models for the plasma densities in the inner magnetosphere, including plasmasphere and polar magnetosphere, have been in the past derived from in situ measurements. Such empirical models, however, are still in their initial phase compared to magnetospheric magnetic field models. Recent studies using data from CRRES, Polar, and Image have significantly improved empirical models for inner-magnetospheric plasma and mass densities. Comprehensive electric field models in the magnetosphere have been developed using radar and in situ observations at low altitude orbits. To use these models at high altitudes one needs to rely strongly on the assumption of equipotential magnetic field lines. Direct measurements of the electric field by the Cluster mission have been used to derive an equatorial electric field model in which reliance on the equipotential assumption is less. In this paper we review the recent progress in developing empirical models of plasma densities and electric fields in the inner magnetosphere with emphasis on the achievements from the Image and Cluster missions. Recent results from other satellites are also discussed when they are relevant.     

Heavy ions in the magnetosphere

For purposes of this review heavy ions include all species of ions having a mass per unit charge of 2 AMU or greater. The discussion is limited primarily to ions in the energy range between 100 eV and 100 keV. Prior to the discovery in 1972 of large fluxes of energetic O⁺ ions precipitating into the auroral zone during geomagnetic storms, the only reported magnetosphere ion species observed in this energy range were helium and hydrogen. More recently O⁺ and He⁺ have been identified as significant components of the storm time ring current, suggesting that an ionosphere source may be involved in the generation of the fluxes responsible for this current. Mass spectrometer measurements on board the S3-3 satellite have shown that ionospheric ions in the auroral zone are frequently accelerated upward along geomagnetic field lines to several keV energy in the altitude region from 5000 km to greater than 8000 km. These observations also show evidence for acceleration perpendicular to the magnetic field and thus cannot be explained by a parallel electric field alone. This auroral acceleration region is most likely the source for the magnetospheric heavy ions of ionospheric origin, but further acceleration would probably be required to bring them to characteristic ring current energies. Recent observations from the GEOS-1 spacecraft combined with earlier results suggest comparable contributions to the hot magnetopheric plasma from the solar wind and the ionosphere.Proceedings of the Symposium on Solar Terrestrial Physics held in Innsbruck, May–June 1978.     

Dynamics of magnetospheric ion Composition as observed by the GEOS mass spectrometer

After one year of operation the GEOS-1 Ion Composition Experiment has surveyed plasma composition at all local times in the L range 3 8 and the energy per charge range from thermal to 16 keV/e. From measurements made in the keV range during eleven magnetic storms we find that the percentage of heavy (M/Q > 1) ions present in the outer magnetosphere increases by a factor of 3 to 10 during disturbances. We conclude that two independent sources (solar wind, characterized by ⁴He²⁺, and ionosphere, characterized by O⁺) give on the average comparable contributions to injected populations, although in a single event one or the other source may dominate. However, in magnetically quiet periods protons are the dominant species with a few percent of heavy ions. With the help of special satellite manoeuvres magnetic field aligned fluxes of 0.05-3 keV/e H⁺, He⁺, O⁺ with traces of O²⁺ have been observed which may be related to ion beams found previously at lower altitudes in the auroral zone. At still lower energies ( 1 eV/e) the thermal plasma population is found to be made up of six ion species, three of which, D⁺, He²⁺ and O²⁺, were unknown in the magnetosphere prior to the GEOS-1 measurements. We present here a study of the evolution of doubly charged ions and their parent populations over four consecutive days. Various production mechanisms for doubly charged ions are discussed. We argue that ionization of singly charged ions by UV and energetic electrons and protons is the dominant process for plasmasphere production. Furthermore, the observed high concentrations of O²⁺ at high altitudes are a result of production in the upper ionosphere and plasmasphere combined with upward transport by thermal diffusion. Throughout the 1 year lifetime of GEOS-1 the ICE functioned perfectly and, because of its novel design, a short review of technical performance is included here.     

Orbit Determination Accuracies Using Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking

The results are reported of the ATS-6/GEOS-3 and the ATS-6 NIMBUS-6 satellite-to-satellite orbit determination experiments. NASA intends to use the tracking data relay satellite system for operational orbit determination of NASA satellites. Hence, in the near future, satellite-to-satellite tracking data will be routinely processed to obtain orbits. The satellite-to-satellite tracking system used in the ATS-6/NIMBUS-6 and ATS-6/GEOS-3 experiments performed with a resolution of 1 to 2 m in range and less than 1 mm/s in range rate for a 10-s averaging. A Bayesian least squares estimation technique utilizing independent ranging to the synchronous relay satellite was determined to be the most effective procedure for estimating orbits from satellite-to-satellite tracking data. The use of this technique yields estimates of user satellite orbits which are comparable in accuracy to what is usually obtained from ground based systems.     

The Galileo Dust Detector

The Galileo Dust Detector is intended to provide direct observations of dust grains with masses between 10^-19 and 10^-9 kg in interplanetary space and in the Jovian system, to investigate their physical and dynamical properties as functions of the distances to the Sun, to Jupiter and to its satellites, to study its interaction with the Galilean satellites and the Jovian magnetosphere. Surface phenomena of the satellites (like albedo variations), which might be effects of meteoroid impacts will be compared with the dust environment. Electric charges of particulate matter in the magnetosphere and its consequences will be studied; e.g., the effects of the magnetic field on the trajectories of dust particles and fragmentation of particles due to electrostatic disruption. The investigation is performed with an instrument that measures the mass, speed, flight direction and electric charge of individual dust particles. It is a multicoincidence detector with a mass sensitivity 10⁶ times higher than that of previous in-situ experiments which measured dust in the outer solar system. The instrument weighs 4.2 kg, consumes 2.4 W, and has a normal data transmission rate of 24 bits s^-1 in nominal spacecraft tracking mode. On December 29, 1989 the instrument was switched-on. After the instrument had been configured to flight conditions cruise science data collection started immediately. In the period to May 18, 1990 at least 168 dust impacts have been recorded. For 81 of these dust grains masses and impact speeds have been determined. First flux values are given.     

Coupling between the outer magnetosphere and the high-latitude ionosphere

The coupling between the ionosphere and the outer magnetosphere depends on the topology of the geomagnetic field. Some aspects of the closed and open magnetospheric models are briefly discussed.The assumption that the geomagnetic field lines are equipotentials is critisized both on observational and on theoretical grounds. Measurements of H Doppler profiles, of precipitating particles above the ionosphere, and of charged particle densities in the magnetosphere indicate the existence of electric fields, E_\\, parallel with the magnetic field.Two different models of E_\\ are considered. Both models violate the condition of frozen-in magnetic fields. In one of them there are occasional transient electric field impulses along the field lines which cause precipitation splashes. The other model invokes electrostatic fields which vanish occasionally due to instabilities. This gives rise to precipitation splashes of about equal numbers of ions and electrons.The latter model seems to be favoured by known satellite data concerning the pitch angle distributions of electrons above the ionosphere.It is suggested that electric fields in space should be measured by satellites and rockets. Expected values of the fields in different regions of space are given.     

Electrodynamic coupling of the magnetosphere and ionosphere

The auroral zone ionosphere is coupled to the outer magnetosphere by means of field-aligned currents. Parallel electric fields associated with these currents are now widely accepted to be responsible for the acceleration of auroral particles. This paper will review the theoretical concepts and models describing this coupling. The dynamics of auroral zone particles will be described, beginning with the adiabatic motions of particles in the converging geomagnetic field in the presence of parallel potential drops and then considering the modifications to these adiabatic trajectories due to wave-particle interactions. The formation of parallel electric fields can be viewed both from microscopic and macroscopic viewpoints. The presence of a current carrying plasma can give rise to plasma instabilities which in a weakly turbulent situation can affect the particle motions, giving rise to an effective resistivity in the plasma. Recent satellite observations, however, indicate that the parallel electric field is organized into discrete potential jumps, known as double layers. From a macroscopic viewpoint, the response of the particles to a parallel potential drop leads to an approximately linear relationship between the current density and the potential drop.The currents flowing in the auroral circuit must close in the ionosphere. To a first approximation, the ionospheric conductivity can be considered to be constant, and in this case combining the ionospheric Ohm's Law with the linear current-voltage relation for parallel currents leads to an outer scale length, above which electric fields can map down to the ionosphere and below which parallel electric fields become important. The effects of particle precipitation make the picture more complex, leading to enhanced ionization in upward current regions and to the possibility of feedback interactions with the magnetosphere.Determining adiabatic particle orbits in steady-state electric and magnetic fields can be used to determine the self-consistent particle and field distributions on auroral field lines. However, it is difficult to pursue this approach when the fields are varying with time. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models deal with these time-dependent situations by treating the particles as a fluid. This class of model, however, cannot treat kinetic effects in detail. Such effects can in some cases be modeled by effective transport coefficients inserted into the MHD equations. Intrinsically time-dependent processes such as the development of magnetic micropulsations and the response of the magnetosphere to ionospheric fluctuations can be readily treated in this framework.The response of the lower altitude auroral zone depends in part on how the system is driven. Currents are generated in the outer parts of the magnetosphere as a result of the plasma convection. The dynamics of this region is in turn affected by the coupling to the ionosphere. Since dissipation rates are very low in the outer magnetosphere, the convection may become turbulent, implying that nonlinear effects such as spectral transfer of energy to different scales become important. MHD turbulence theory, modified by the ionospheric coupling, can describe the dynamics of the boundary-layer region. Turbulent MHD fluids can give rise to the generation of field-aligned currents through the so-called -effect, which is utilized in the theory of the generation of the Earth's magnetic field. It is suggested that similar processes acting in the boundary-layer plasma may be ultimately responsible for the generation of auroral currents.     

Physics of Magnetospheric Variability

Many widely used methods for describing and understanding the magnetosphere are based on balance conditions for quasi-static equilibrium (this is particularly true of the classical theory of magnetosphere/ionosphere coupling, which in addition presupposes the equilibrium to be stable); they may therefore be of limited applicability for dealing with time-variable phenomena as well as for determining cause-effect relations. The large-scale variability of the magnetosphere can be produced both by changing external (solar-wind) conditions and by non-equilibrium internal dynamics. Its developments are governed by the basic equations of physics, especially Maxwell’s equations combined with the unique constraints of large-scale plasma; the requirement of charge quasi-neutrality constrains the electric field to be determined by plasma dynamics (generalized Ohm’s law) and the electric current to match the existing curl of the magnetic field. The structure and dynamics of the ionosphere/magnetosphere/solar-wind system can then be described in terms of three interrelated processes: (1) stress equilibrium and disequilibrium, (2) magnetic flux transport, (3) energy conversion and dissipation. This provides a framework for a unified formulation of settled as well as of controversial issues concerning, e.g., magnetospheric substorms and magnetic storms.     

Satellite measurements of high latitude convection electric fields

This paper reviews the first results of satellite experiments to measure magnetospheric convection electric fields using the double-probe technique.The earliest successful measurements were made with the low-altitude (680–2530 km) polar orbiting Injun-5 spacecraft (launched August, 1968). The Injun-5 data are discussed in detail. The Injun-5 results are compared with the initial findings of the electric field experiment on the polar orbiting OGO-6 satellite (400–1100 km, launched June, 1969).In addition to electric fields, the Injun-5 spacecraft also measures electric antenna impedance and thermal and energetic charged particle densities. Knowledge of these parameters makes possible a detailed investigation of the operation of the electric antenna system. We report on this investigation and discuss errors attributed to sunlight shadows on the probes, wake effects, and other factors. The Injun-5 experiment can generally determine electric fields to an accuracy of about ±30 mV m^-1, and under favorable conditions, accuracies of ±10 mV m^-1 can be obtained.Reversals in the electric field at auroral zone latitudes are the most significant convection electric field effect discovered in the Injun-5 data. Electric field magnitudes of typically 30 mV m^-1, and sometimes 100 mV m^-1, are associated with reversals. Electric field reversals occur on 36% of auroral zone traversals, at about 70° to 80° invariant latitude, at all local times, and in both hemispheres. The latitude of a reversal often changes markedly on time scales less than 2 h. Electric potentials of greater than 40 keV are associated with these high latitude electric fields. Reversals occur at the boundary of measurable intensities of >45 keV electrons and are coincident with inverted V type low energy electron precipitation events. In almost all cases the E×B/B ² plasma convection velocities associated with reversals are directed east or west, with anti-sunward components at higher latitudes and sunward components at lower latitudes. Maximum convection velocities are typically 1.5 km s^-1 and ordinarily occur at the auroral zone near the reversal.Two extreme (and many intermediate) configurations of anti-sunward plasma convection have been observed to occur on the high latitude side of electric field reversals: (1) Ordinarily, >0.75 kms^-1 convection is limited to narrow (5° INV wide) zones adjacent to the reversal. (2) For 14% of reversals >0.75 km s^-1 anti-sunward convection has been observed across the entire polar cap along the trajectory of the Injun-5 spacecraft. A summary pattern of >0.75 km s^-1 polar thermal plasma convection is presented.Electric field measurements from the OGO-6 satellite have substantiated many of the initial Injun-5 observations with improved accuracy and sensitivity. The OGO-6 detector revealed the persistent occurrence of anti-sunward convection across the polar cap region at velocities (<0.75 km s^-1) not generally detectable with the Injun-5 experiment. The OGO-6 observations also provided information indicating that the location of the electric field reversal shifts equatorward during periods of increased magnetic activity.The implications of the electric field measurements for magnetosphericand auroral structure are summarized, and a list of specific recommendations for improving future experiments is presented.     

Large-scale electric field in the magnetosphere

A review is given on the distribution and origin of the large-scale electric field in the magnetosphere and its influence on the dynamical behavior of the magnetospheric plasma. Following a general discussion on the gross structure of the magnetosphere and its tail, two principal electric field systems are deduced from ground-based geomagnetic variations. One is responsible for the polar substorm, the DP 1 field, which is closely associated with the activation of the auroral electrojet. The other is responsible for the twin current vortices, the DP 2 field, and this represents the general convective system set up in the magnetospheric plasma.The origin of these magnetospheric electric fields is possibly resided in the domain of the solar wind interacting with the outer geomagnetic field. However, the mechanism, in which the energy is transferred, is still quite controversial. Several theories so far proposed are re-examined, and some modification of them are suggested to have a consistent understanding of these two types of electric fields. The effects of electric fields on magnetospheric plasma dynamics are described, such as the formation of the plasmapause, the acceleration and diffusion of energetic particles in the radiation belt.     

Plasma characteristics determined by the Freja electric field instrument

A new approach to the study of ionospheric plasma characteristics is presented using data from the Freja double probe electric field instrument. Plasma characteristics are derived from continuous measurements of the satellite potential and from intermittent Langmuir sweeps. These provide information on both relative variations in the plasma density and absolute density and temperature, useful for comparisons with other plasma measurements on Freja, and essential for the interpretation of the electric field measurements. The on-board memory makes it possible to obtain full-orbit coverage of this type of information, which is a new feature of the Freja measurements. The memory is also used for high time resolution Langmuir sweeps which allow for the first time detailed studies of the time behavior of the probe response and computation of the probe-plasma capacitance. Comparisons are also made with similar measurements on earlier missions.     

The Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer

The Cassini-Huygens Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) is intended to provide direct observations of dust grains with masses between 10⁻¹⁹ and 10⁻⁹ kg in interplanetary space and in the jovian and saturnian systems, to investigate their physical, chemical and dynamical properties as functions of the distances to the Sun, to Jupiter and to Saturn and its satellites and rings, to study their interaction with the saturnian rings, satellites and magnetosphere. Chemical composition of interplanetary meteoroids will be compared with asteroidal and cometary dust, as well as with Saturn dust, ejecta from rings and satellites. Ring and satellites phenomena which might be effects of meteoroid impacts will be compared with the interplanetary dust environment. Electrical charges of particulate matter in the magnetosphere and its consequences will be studied, e.g. the effects of the ambient plasma and the magnetic field on the trajectories of dust particles as well as fragmentation of particles due to electrostatic disruption.The investigation will be performed with an instrument that measures the mass, composition, electric charge, speed, and flight direction of individual dust particles. It is a highly reliable and versatile instrument with a mass sensitivity 10⁶ times higher than that of the Pioneer 10 and 11 dust detectors which measured dust in the saturnian system. The Cosmic Dust Analyzer has significant inheritance from former space instrumentation developed for the VEGA, Giotto, Galileo, and Ulysses missions. It will reliably measure impacts from as low as 1 impact per month up to 10⁴ impacts per second. The instrument weighs 17 kg and consumes 12 W, the integrated time-of-flight mass spectrometer has a mass resolution of up to 50. The nominal data transmission rate is 524 bits/s and varies between 50 and 4192 bps.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Mission-oriented theory for ISTP

The goal of mission-oriented theory is to develop techniques and models which can be used by experimentalists and theorists to interpret spacecraft measurements, deducing from them the maximum amount of information about both local and large-scale dynamics. To be effective, theorists and experimentalists must express their results in a common format. A reasonable starting point is for mission theorists to adopt the format currently used by experimentalists. To this end we have developed new diagnostics for plasma kinetic simulations, which display the results in formats very similar to those commonly used to present satellite wave and particle measurements. We have used a simulation of broadband electrostatic noise to demonstrate how, by comparing simulation results with observations, we can infer quantities which cannot be measured, such as the wave mode. We are also developing the capability of creating data streams from virtual spacecraft located in the simulation region. For example, we used a kinetic magnetopause simulation to explore the ways in which simulations can assist in the interpretation of single and multiple satellite measurements in regions of strong spatial inhomogeneity. To address directly the mission objective of measuring global transport, global MHD models are employed. In order to facilitate the initial comparison with ISTP satellites, time histories of simulated generic states of the magnetosphere will be stored on optical disks; these will then be used to create dynamical displays of both local parameters and the global configuration. Finally we demonstrate the use of data based phenomenological magnetic field models in single particle trajectory calculations to describe large-scale kinetic properties of the magnetospheric plasma. We briefly discuss the success of large-scale kinetic calculations in delineating the structure of the plasma sheet, and present some possible ISTP research initiatives which can be used to determine the structure of the very distant tail and the entry of plasma into the tail.     

Laboratory experiments of magnetospheric interest

Space-related laboratory experiments can play an important role as a complement to observations and active experiments in the magnetosphere. Excluding laboratory experiments for mere developing or testing of techniques for space experiments, we may distinguish between two major types: (1) partial scale model experiments and (2) experiments for clarifying basic plasma physical processes known or expected to be important in the magnetosphere (but without the ambition to simulate actual space configurations). The limitations and potentialities of both types are discussed and examples of experiments are given. It is concluded that there should be an increasing need for the experiments of the second type. In particular, they are needed for the clarification of the response of a thin plasma to electric fields and its ability to carry electric currents. This encompasses such key questions as the nature and role of anomalous resistivity (and electron runaway in its presence), the possible formation of double layers (and the acceleration processes associated with them) and rapid dissipation of magnetic-field energy.     

A new high performance multipurpose satellite tracking system

The European Space Agency's (ESA) multipurpose satellite tracking system is introduced. The system is able to perform accurate satellite ranging and Doppler measurements for a variety of mission types, i.e., from near-Earth satellites to deep space probes. The ranging signal is analyzed and described in an analytical manner from which the limits of the system performance are derived. A model of the overall system is presented and a few simulation results obtained thereby are compared with measurements performed with the ESA's Giotto and Hipparcos scientific missions     

Modelling Electrostatic Sheath Effects on Swarm Electric Field Instrument Measurements

The Electric Field Instrument (EFI) was designed to measure ionospheric ion flow velocities, temperatures and distribution functions at the ram face of the European Space Agency’s Swarm spacecraft. These flow velocities, combined with the known orbital velocity of the satellite and local magnetic field, will be used to infer local electric fields from the relation E=?v×B. EFI is among a class of many particle sensors and flow meters mounted on satellites to monitor in situ plasma conditions. The interpretation of the measurements made with EFI and similar sensors relies on a spacecraft sheath model. A common approach, valid in the relatively cold and dense ionospheric plasma, is to assume a potential drop in a thin sheath through which particle deflection and energisation can be calculated analytically. In such models, sheath effects only depend on the spacecraft floating potential, and on the angle of incidence of particles with respect to the normal to the surface. Corrections to measurements are therefore local as they do not depend on the geometry of nearby objects. In an actual plasma, satellites are surrounded by electrostatic sheaths with a finite thickness. As a result, local corrections to particle distribution functions can only be seen as an approximation. A correct interpretation of measured particle fluxes or particle distribution functions must, at least in principle, account for the extent and shape of the sheath in the vicinity of the measuring instrument. This in turn requires a careful analysis of the interaction of the satellite with the surrounding plasma, while accounting for detailed aspects of the geometry, as well as for several physical effects. In this paper, the validity of the thin sheath model is tested by comparing its predictions with detailed PIC (Particle In Cell) calculations of satellite-plasma interaction. Deviations attributed to sheath finite thickness effects are calculated for EFI measurements, with representative plasma parameters encountered along the planned Swarm orbit. Finite thickness effects of the plasma sheaths are found to induce EFI velocity measurement errors not exceeding 37 m/s, with larger errors occurring in plasmas that are simultaneously tenuous (10⁹ m^?3 or lower) and warm (0.5 eV or higher).