Current status and future plans for the general antiparticle spectrometer (GAPS)

We discuss current progress and future plans for the general antiparticle spectrometer experiment (GAPS). GAPS detects antideuterons through the X-rays and pions emitted during the deexcitation of exotic atoms formed when the antideuterons are slowed down and stopped in targets. GAPS provides an exceptionally sensitive means to detect cosmic-ray antideuterons. Cosmic-ray antideuterons can provide indirect evidence for the existence of dark matter in such form as neutralinos or Kaluza–Klein particles. We describe results of accelerator testing of GAPS prototypes, tentative design concepts for a flight GAPS detector, and near-term plans for flying a GAPS prototype on a balloon.     

Distribution and variability of accelerated electrons at Mars

We investigate accelerated electrons observed by Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), using data from the Electron Reflectometer (ER) instrument. We find three different types of accelerated electron events. Current sheet events occur over regions with weak or no crustal fields, have the highest electron energy fluxes, and are likely located on draped magnetotail fields. Extended events occur over regions with moderate crustal magnetic fields, and are most often observed on closed magnetic field lines. Localized events have the lowest energy fluxes, occur in strong magnetic cusp regions, and are the most likely kind of event to be found on open magnetic field lines. Some localized events have clear signatures of field-aligned currents; these events have much higher electron fluxes, and are preferentially observed on radially oriented open magnetic field lines. Electron acceleration events, especially localized events, are similar in many ways to events observed in the terrestrial auroral zone. However, physical processes related to those found in the terrestrial cusp and/or plasmasheet could also be responsible for accelerating electrons at Mars.     

Antiparticle content in the magnetosphere

In the present work we assess the stable and transient antiparticle content of planetary magnetospheres, and subsequently we consider their capture and application to high delta-v space propulsion. We estimate the total antiparticle mass contained within the Earth’s magnetosphere to assess the expediency of such usage. Using Earth’s magnetic field region as an example, we have considered the various source mechanisms that are applicable to a planetary magnetosphere, the confinement duration versus transport processes, and the antiparticle loss mechanisms. We have estimated the content of the trapped population of antiparticles magnetically confined following production in the exosphere due to nuclear interactions between high energy cosmic rays (CR) and constituents of the residual planetary upper atmosphere.The galactic antiprotons that directly penetrate into the Earth’s magnetosphere are themselves secondary by its nature, i.e. produced in nuclear reactions of the cosmic rays passing through the interstellar matter. These antiproton fluxes are modified, dependent on energy, when penetrating into the heliosphere and subsequently into planetary magnetospheres. During its lifetime in the Galaxy, CR pass through the small grammage of the interstellar matter where they produce secondary antiprotons. In contrast to this, antiprotons generated by the same CR in magnetosphere are locally produced at a path length of several tens g/cm² of matter in the ambient planetary upper atmosphere. Due to the latter process, the resulting magnetically confined fluxes significantly exceed the fluxes of the galactic antiprotons in the Earth’s vicinity by up to two orders of magnitude at some energies.The radiation belt antiparticles can possibly be extracted with an electromagnetic-based “scoop” device. The antiparticles could be concentrated by and then stored within the superimposed magnetic field structure of such a device. In future developments, it is anticipated that the energy of the captured antiparticles (both rest energy and kinetic energy) can be adapted for use as a fuel for propelling spacecraft to high velocities for remote solar system missions.     

Results from the ESA SREM monitors and comparison with existing radiation belt models

The Standard Radiation Environment Monitor (SREM) is a simple particle detector developed for wide application on ESA satellites. It measures high-energy protons and electrons of the space environment with a 20° angular resolution and limited spectral information. Of the ten SREMs that have been manufactured, four have so far flown. The first model on STRV-1c functioned well until an early spacecraft failure. The other three are on-board, the ESA spacecraft INTEGRAL, ROSETTA and PROBA-1. Another model is flying on GIOVE-B, launched in April 2008 with three L-2 science missions to follow: both Herschel and Planck in 2008, and GAIA in 2011). The diverse orbits of these spacecraft and the common calibration of the monitors provides a unique dataset covering a wide range of B-L* space, providing a direct comparison of the radiation levels in the belts at different locations, and the effects of geomagnetic shielding. Data from the PROBA/SREM and INTEGRAL/IREM are compared with existing radiation belt models.     

Evolution of the orbital elements for objects with high area-to-mass ratios in geostationary transfer orbits

A new population of uncatalogued objects in geosynchronous Earth orbits (GEO), with a mean motion of about 1 rev/day and eccentricities up to 0.6, has been identified recently. The first observations of this new type of objects were acquired in the framework of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) search for space debris in GEO and the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) using the ESA 1-m telescope on Tenerife. Earlier studies have postulated that the perturbations due to the solar radiation pressure can lead to such large eccentricities for GEO objects with a high area-to-mass ratio (A/M). The simulations showed that the eccentricities of GEO objects with large A/M exhibit periodic variations with periods of about one year and amplitudes depending on the value of A/M. The findings of these studies could be confirmed by observations from the ESA 1-m telescope on Tenerife.     

Solar modulation model with reentrant particles

We developed a one dimensional model of particle transport in the heliosphere. As opposite to widely used models, we apply a method where a quasi-particle is traced back in time. The model gives us the possibility to work on the possible existence of reentrant particles in the heliosphere that can be hardly solved by the traditional forward tracking method. Particles escape from the heliosphere and may reenter back. We estimate how these particles affect the modulation process in the heliosphere. Presented here are the results for different values of particles mean free path in the interstellar space and for different interstellar magnetic field values.     

Variations of the solar acoustic high-degree mode frequencies over solar cycle 23

Using full-disk observations obtained with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, we present variations of the solar acoustic mode frequencies caused by the solar activity cycle. High-degree (100 < ? < 900) solar acoustic modes were analyzed using global helioseismology analysis techniques over most of solar cycle 23. We followed the methodology described in details in [Korzennik, S.G., Rabello-Soares, M.C., Schou, J. On the determination of Michelson Doppler Imager high-degree mode frequencies. ApJ 602, 481–515, 2004] to infer unbiased estimates of high-degree mode parameters ([see also Rabello-Soares, M.C., Korzennik, S.G., Schou, J. High-degree mode frequencies: changes with solar cycle. ESA SP-624, 2006]). We have removed most of the known instrumental and observational effects that affect specifically high-degree modes. We show that the high-degree changes are in good agreement with the medium-degree results, except for years when the instrument was highly defocused. We analyzed and discuss the effect of defocusing on high-degree estimation. Our results for high-degree modes confirm that the frequency shift scaled by the relative mode inertia is a function of frequency and it is independent of degree.     

The evolution of mirror type magnetic fluctuations in the magnetosheath based on multipoint observations

Two orbits were selected in January–February 2006 when the separation between the Cluster spacecraft was large and mirror type magnetic field fluctuations were observed by all spacecraft in different regions of the terrestrial magnetosheath. Minimum variance analysis was applied to find the mirror type fluctuations, and the amplitude of the fluctuations was determined individually. Mirror mode structures are moving along the streamlines frozen in the plasma. A model was developed for the calculation of plasma flowtime from the bow shock to the observation point. The growth rate of the field strength perturbations was estimated by comparing the amplitudes of fluctuations observed simultaneously at distant locations (∼10,000 km) based on the assumption that δB ∼ exp(γt). The obtained growth rate values were about an order of magnitude smaller than those provided by linear models and they decreased in the inner regions of the magnetosheath, indicating some saturation in the growth of the waves when proceeding towards the magnetopause. The results of these two case studies suggest that mirror type fluctuations originate from the compression region downstream of the quasi-perpendicular bow shock, and the growth of the fluctuations cannot be described by linear approximations.     

Investigation of natural and artificial stimulation of the ionospheric Alfvén resonator at high latitude

A brief review is provided of recent progress in understanding the ionospheric Alfvén resonator (IAR) at high latitude. Firstly, naturally occurring resonances of the IAR as detected by pulsation magnetometers in the auroral zone at Sodankylä and in the polar cap at Barentsburg are considered. The characteristics of the IAR in the two regions are broadly similar, although the effects of solar illumination are less clear at the higher latitudes. Secondly we review recent attempts to stimulate the IAR through high-power radio frequency experiments both in the auroral zone at Tromsø with the European Incoherent SCATter (EISCAT) heater, and within the polar cap at Longyearbyen with the Space Plasma Exploration by Active Radar (SPEAR) facility. In the auroral zone at, Tromsø the stimulated IAR has been observed by ground-based magnetometers, and through electron acceleration observed on the FAST spacecraft. At SPEAR in the polar cap, the stimulated IAR has been investigated, with ground magnetometers, with the first results indicative of a positive detection.     

Responses of ionospheric foF2 to geomagnetic activities in Hainan

Responses of low-latitude ionospheric critical frequency of F2 layer to geomagnetic activities in different seasons and under different levels of solar activity are investigated by analyzing the ionospheric foF2 data from DPS-4 Digisonde in Hainan Observatory during 2002–2005. The results are as follows: (1) the response of foF2 to geomagnetic activity in Hainan shows obvious diurnal variation except for the summer in low solar activity period. Generally, geomagnetic activity will cause foF2 to increase at daytime and decrease at nighttime. The intensity of response of foF2 is stronger at nighttime than that at daytime; (2) seasonal dependence of the response of foF2 to geomagnetic activity is very obvious. The negative ionospheric storm effect is the strongest in summer and the positive ionospheric storm effect is the strongest in winter; (3) the solar cycle has important effect on the response of foF2 to geomagnetic activity in Hainan. In high solar activity period, the diurnal variation of the response of foF2 is very pronounced in each season, and the strong ionospheric response can last several days. In low solar activity period, ionospheric response has very pronounced diurnal variation in winter only; (4) the local time of geomagnetic activities occurring also has important effect on the responses of foF2 in Hainan. Generally, geomagnetic activities occurred at nighttime can cause stronger and longer responses of foF2 in Hainan.