VLF-emissions associated with ring current electrons: Off-equatorial observations

The combination of a small inclination of the orbit (～4°) with the tilt angle (～11°) of the Earth's magnetic dipole axis enabled the S³-A satellite (Explorer 45) to make simultaneous observations of magnetospheric VLF-emissions and the associated enhancement of ring current electrons not only at the magnetic equator but also up to 15° geomagnetic latitudes. Microdensitometer scanning of the wideband data of these emissions reveals that the band of missing emission in the off-equatorial whistler mode emissions (chorus) appears at $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ho</mtext>}}\text{2}$ and that the intensities of the off-equatorial emission above $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ho</mtext>}}\text{2}$ are very weak in contrast to those of the near equatorial emissions, where $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ho</mtext>}}\text{2}$ is the equatorial electron gyrofrequency corresponding to the local gyrofrequency f_H at the satellite. Ray-tracing of whistler mode waves produced by the enhanced ring-current electrons at the geomagnetic equator just outside of the plasmapause has shown that some of these waves are reflected from high latitudes back to the Equator inside the source region. This process had been previously speculated to explain the formation of the bimodal intensity distribution with a gap at half the gyrofrequency (the two-band chorus) in the equatorial emission data. The intensities of those reflected waves, however, are shown to be insufficient to explain the observed emissions below $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ho</mtext>}}\text{2}$ at the Equator. These results indicate that the superposition of two types of emissions produced by the same processes but from different locations is not the main mechanism for the formation of the two-band chorus and that the dominant sources of these choruses are located around ± 5° geomagnetic latitude.     

Topside optical view of the dayside cleft aurora

Photometers on the ISIS-II spacecraft provide a view of the atomic oxygen 5577 and 6300 Å emissions and the $\text{N}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{3914}\text{A}\text{?}$ emission detected as dayside aurora in the magnetospheric cleft region. The 6300 Å emission forms a continuous and permanent band across the noon sector, at about 78° invariant latitude, with a defined region of maximum intensity that is never less than 2kR (uncorrected for albedo), and is centred near magnetic noon. There are significant differences in the intensity patterns on either side of noon and their responses to geomagnetic activity. Discrete 3914 Å auroral forms appear within this region, at preferred locations that cannot be precisely specified, but which tend to the poleward edge of the 6300 Å emission in the evening, and the equatorward edge in the morning where the difference between the two emissions is greatest. It is concluded that the discrete auroras observed by all-sky cameras in the day sector do follow the 6300 Å emission through the cleft region, though a definite cleft boundary is not defined. Substantial 6300 Å emission having a peak intensity near noon is also seen in the low latitude “outer auroral belt”, while the diffuse 3914 Å emission tends to show a relative minimum near noon. On the morning side the 3914 Å intensity is displaced to lower latitude and earlier local times, compared to the 6300 Å emission.     

On fourier-analysis of geomagnetic pulsations pc-1, “two-fold” and “three-fold” pulsations pc-1 and fundamental frequencies of the magnetospheric cavity—I

The paper gives the results of detailed studies of the frequency spectra $\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{(?)}$ of the chain of the wave packets F_s(t) of geomagnetic pulsations PC-1 recorded at the Novolazarevskaya station. The bulk of the energy of F_s(t) is concentrated in the vicinity of the central frequencies $\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}$ of spectra—the carrier frequencies of the signals. The velocity $\text{V}{}_0\text{≌ 6.10}{}^3\text{km s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ of the flux of protons generating these signals correspond to them. The spectra of the signals have oscillations—“satellites” irregularly distributed in frequency. These satellites, as the authors believe, testify to the presence of the individual groups of protons of low concentration whose velocities vary within 10³–10⁴ km s^?1.Their energy is only of the order of 10^?2–10^?3 of the energy of the main proton flux. Clearly pronounced maxima on double and triple frequencies $\text{? = 2?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}\text{and}\text{3?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}$ are detected. They show that the generation of pulsations PC-1 is accompanied by the generation on the overtones of wave packets called in this paper “two-fold” and “three-fold” pulsations PC-1. Intensive symmetrical satellites of a modulation character have been discovered on frequencies $\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{\pm }}{}_{\mathrm{sK}}$. Frequency differences $\text{Δ?}{}_{\mathrm{sK}}{}^{\mathrm{\pm }}\text{=}\text{¦?}{}_{\mathrm{s0}}\text{? ?}{}_{\mathrm{sK}}{}^{\mathrm{\pm }}\text{¦}\text{= (0.011,0.022}\text{and}\text{0.035)}\text{Hz}$ correspond to them. The authors believe that the values of Δ?^±_sK are resonance frequencies of the magnetospheric cavity in which geomagnetic pulsations PC-1 are generated. It is established that the values of Δ?^±_sK coincide closely with the carrier frequencies of geomagnetic pulsations PC-3 and PC-4 generated in the magnetosphere. This leads to the conclusion that the resonance oscillations of the magnetospheric cavity are their source. Thus, the generation of geomagnetic pulsations of different types and resonance oscillations in the magnetosphere are integrated into a unified process. The importance of the results obtained and the necessity to check further their trustworthiness and universality, using experimental data gathered in different conditions, is stressed.     

The relationship of the boundary layer of the magnetosphere to IPRP events

A model is proposed in which a mixture of hot solar wind and cold atmospheric plasma flowing in the dayside equatorial boundary layer towards the dawn-dusk plane generates hydromagnetic waves near the frequency $\text{ω = ω}{}_{\mathrm{Bi}}\text{¦1 ? T}{}_{\mathrm{\parallel }}\text{¦T}{}_{\mathrm{\perp }}\text{¦}$ where ω_Bi is the ion gyrofrequency and T_∥, T_⊥ are the temperatures of the solar wind plasma, parallel and perpendicular respectively to the magnetic field B. The model accounts for the properties of IPRP events, i.e. intervals of geomagnetic pulsations of periods rising on average from about 2 s to about 7 s over an interval of about 5 min. The diagnostic potential of this phenomenon for study of the boundary layer is indicated.     

Low-frequency upstream wave as a probable source of low-latitude Pc 3–4 magnetic pulsations

Daytime Pc 3–4 pulsation activities observed at globally coordinated low-latitude stations [SGC (L = 1.8,λ = 118.0°W), EWA(1.15,158.1°W), ONW(1.3,141.5°E)] are evidently controlled by the cone angle θ_XB of the IMF observed at ISEE 3. Moreover, the Pc 3–4 frequencies ($\text{?}$) at the low latitudes and high latitude (COL; L = 5.6 and λ = 147.9°W) on the ground and that of compressional waves at geosynchronous orbit (GOES 2; L = 6.67 and λ = 106.7°W) are also correlated with the IMFmagnitude(B_IMF).The correlation of $\text{?}$ of the compressional Pc 3–4 waves at GOES 2 against B_IMF is higher than those of the Pc 3–4 pulsations at the globally coordinated ground stations, i.e., γ = 0.70 at GOES 2, and (0.36,0.60,0.66,0.54) at (COL, SGC, EWA, ONW), respectively. The standard deviation ($\text{σ}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{= ± Δ?}\text{mHz}$) of the observed frequencies from the form $\text{?}$ (mHz) = 6.0 × B_IMF (nT) is larger at the ground stations than at GOES 2, i.e., $\text{Δ? = ± 6.6}\text{mHz at}$GOES 2, and ±(13.9, 9.1, 10.7, 12.1) mHz at (COL, SGC, EWA, ONW), respectively. The correlations between the IMF magnitude B_IMF and Pc 3–4 frequencies at the low latitudes are higher than that at the high latitude on the ground, which can be interpreted by a “filtering action” of the magnetosphere for daytime Pc 3–4 magnetic pulsations. The scatter plots of pulsation frequency $\text{?}$ against the IMF magnitude B_IMF for the compressional Pc 3–4 waves at GOES 2 are restricted within the forms $\text{? = 4.5 × B}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>IMF</mtext>}}\text{and}\text{? = 7.5 × B}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>IMF</mtext>}}$. The frequency distribution is in excellent agreement with the speculation ($\text{<ω}{}_{\mathrm{sc}}\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{= 0.3 ～ 0.5}$) of the spacecraft frame frequency of the magnetosonic right-hand waves excited by the anomalous ion cyclotron resonance with reflected ion beams with V₆ = 650 ～ 1150 km s^?1 in the solar wind frame observed by the ISEE satellite in the Earth's foreshock. These observational results suggest that the magnetosonic right-handed waves excited by the reflected ion beams in the Earth's foreshock are convected through the magnetosheath to the magnetopause, transmitted into the magnetosphere without significant changes in spectra, and then couple with various HM waves in the Pc 3–4 frequency range at various locations in the magnetosphere.     

Magnetospheric chorus: Occurrence patterns and normalized frequency

New characteristics of VLF chorus in the outer magnetosphere are reported. The study is based on more than 400 hours of broadband (0.3–12.5 kHz) data collected by the Stanford University/Stanford Research Institute VLF experiment on OGO 3 during 1966–1967. Bandlimited emissions constitute the dominant form of whistler-mode radiation in the region $\text{4? L? 10}$. Magnetospheric chorus occurs mainly from 0300 to 1500 LT, at higher L at noon than at dawn, and moves to lower L during geomagnetic disturbance, in accord with ground observations of VLF chorus. Occurrence is moderate near the equator, lower near 15°, and maximum at high latitudes (far down the field lines). The centre frequency ? of the chorus band varies as L^?3> and at low latitudes is closely related to the electron gyrofrequency on the dipole field line through the satellite. Based on the measured local gyrofrequency $\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{H}}$, the normalized frequency distribution of chorus observed within 10° of the dipole equator shows two peaks, at $\text{?}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{H}}\text{? 0.53}$ and $\text{?}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{H}}\text{? 0.34}$. This bimodal distribution is a persistent statistical feature of near equatorial chorus, independent of L, LT and K_p. However there is considerable variability in individual events, with chorus often observed above, below, and between these statistical peaks; in particular, it is not unusual for single emissions to cross $\text{?}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{H}}\text{= 0.50}$. When two bands are simultaneously present individual emission elements only rarely show one-to-one correlation between bands. For low K_p the median bandwidth of the upper band, gap and lower band are all ～16% of their centre frequencies, independent of L; for higher K_p the bandwidth of the lower band increases. Bandwidth also increases with latitude beyond ~10°. Starting frequencies of narrowband emissions range throughout the band. The majority of the emissions rise in frequency at a rate between 0.2 and 2.0 kHz/sec; this rate increases with K_p and decreases with L. Falling tones are rarely observed at dipole latitudes <2.5°. The observations are interpreted in terms of whistler-mode propagation theory and a gyroresonant feedback interaction model. An exact expression is derived for the critical frequency, $\text{?}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{H}}\text{? 0.5}$, at which the curvature of the refractive index surface vanishes at zero wave normal angle. Near this frequency rays with initial wave normal angles between 0° and ?20° are focused along the initial field line for thousands of km, enhancing the phase-bunching of incoming gyroresonant electrons. The upper peak in the bimodal normalized frequency distribution is attributed to this enhancement near the critical frequency, at latitudes of ~5°. Slightly below the critical frequency interference between modes with different ray velocities may contribute to the dip in the bimodal distribution. The lower peak may reflect a corresponding peak in the resonant electron distribution, or guiding in field-aligned density irregularities. The observations are consistent with gyroresonant generation of emissions near the equator, followed by spreading of the radiation over a range of L shells farther down the field lines.     

The locating of hydromagnetic whistler sources and determination of their generating proton spectra

Results are given of the calculations of the group delay time propagating τ(ω, φ₀) of hydromagnetic whistlers, using outer ionospheric models closely resembling actual conditions. The τ(ω, φ₀) dependencies were compared with the experimental data of τ_exp(ω, φ₀) obtained from sonagrams. The sonagrams were recorded in the frequency range $\text{? ? (0.5?2.5) Hz}$ at observation points located at geomagnetic latitudes φ₀ = (53?66)° and in the vicinity of the geomagnetic poles. This investigation has led us to new and important conclusions.The wave packets (W.P.) forming hydromagnetic whistlers (H.W.) are mainly generated in the plasma regions at L = 3.5?4.0. This is not consistent with ideas already expressed in the literature that their generation region is $\text{L ? 3?10}$. The overwhelming majority of the τ_exp values differ considerably from the times at which wave packets would, in theory, propagate along the magnetic field lines corresponding to those of the geomagnetic latitudes φ₀ of the observation points. The second important fact is that the W.P. frequency ω is less than $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{H}}$ everywhere along its propagation trajectory, including the apogee of the magnetic force line ($\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{H}}$ is the proton gyrofrequency). Proton flux spectra $\text{E ? (30?120)}$ keV, responsible for H.W. generation, were determined. Comparison of the Explorer-45 and OGO-3 measurements published in the literature, with our data, showed that the proton flux density energy responsible for the H.W. excitation $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{(}\text{MV}{}_6{}^2\text{2}\text{) ? (5 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{?10}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{)}\text{H}{}_{\mathrm{a}}{}^2\text{8π}$ where H_a is the magnetic field force in the generation region of these W.P. The electron concentration is $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{? (10}{}^2\text{?10}{}^3\text{) cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$. The values given in the literature are $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{? (10}{}^{\mathrm{?10}}\text{?10}{}^3\text{) cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$. The e data considered also leads to the conclusion that the generating mechanism of the W.P. studied probably always co-exists with the mechanism of their amplification.     

Electric fields and potential patterns in the high-latitude ionosphere for different situations in interplanetary space

The potential ? of the electric field at high latitudes has been obtained by solving numerically the second order differential equation in spherical coordinates:

$\text{?}\text{1}\text{2}\text{(rσ}{}^{\mathrm{H}}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{\theta }}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\theta }}\text{+}\text{1}\text{r}\text{(σ}{}^{\mathrm{H}}\text{?λ)}{}_{\mathrm{\lambda }}\text{+}\text{1}\text{r}\text{(σ}{}^{\mathrm{P}}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{\lambda }}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\theta }}\text{?(σ}{}^{\mathrm{P}}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{\theta }}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\lambda }}\text{=}\text{1}\text{r}\text{(rψ}{}_{\mathrm{\theta }}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\theta }}\text{+}\text{1}\text{r}{}^2\text{ψ}{}_{\mathrm{\lambda \lambda }}$

, where θ is colatitude, λ is longitude, σ^H and σ^P are the height-integrated Hall and Perdersen ionospheric conductivities, r = sinθ, and ψ is the current function. The boundary condition is ? = 0 on the geomagnetic parallel θ = 34°. Values of ψ are determined from geomagnetic field variations at the Earth's surface from geomagnetic field variations at the Earth's surface for various conditions in interplanetary space. σ^P and σ^H are taken to vary with season, local time, tilt of the geomagnetic dipole axis (UT), and intensity of corpuscular precipitation (the model proposed by Wallis and Budzinski, 1981). The model distributions of ?^M and E^M = -▽?^m so obtained are compared with observational results. The feasibility has been demonstrated of interpreting the statistical results and individual measurement data in terms of a unified dynamic model of ionospheric electric fields. The model makes allowance for the changes of electromagnetic “weather” in interplanetary space.     

Convex profiles from asteroid lightcurves

Integral geometry is used to solve a two-dimensional simplification of the three-dimensional lightcurve inversion problem, and a method is introduced for obtaining a convex profile, $\text{P}$, from asteroid lightcurve data. Whenever four ideal conditions are satisfied, $\text{P}$ is an estimator for the asteroid's “mean cross section,” $\text{C}$, a convex set defined as the average of all cross sections $\text{C}$ cut by planes a distance z above the asteroid's equatorial plane. $\text{C}$ is therefore a two-dimensional average of the asteroid's three-dimensional shape. The ideal conditions are that (A) each curve $\text{C}\text{(z)}$ is convex. (B) the asteroid's scattering law is uniform and geometric, (C) the astrocentric declinations of the Sun and Earth are zero, and (D) the solar phase angle θ ≠ 0. If Condition C is known to hold, the extend to which the lightcurve can be accounted for by a geometrically scattering convex object can be quantified in terms of an appropriate “goodness-of-fit” static. If the solar phase angle is zero, as for radar “lightcurve,” then (i) method yields a profile $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>s</mtext>}}$ the symmetrization $\text{C}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>s</mtext>}}$ of $\text{C}$; (ii) Condition A need not hold and if it does not, then the inversion yields the symmetrization of the asteroid's mean convex hull; and (iii) Fourier analysis of the lightcurve can reveal violation of Condition B. Doppler-frequency resolution of radar echoes at several rotational phases adds information by constraining the convex hull $\text{H}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}$ of the asteroid's (not necessarily convex) polar silhouette. Estimation of a convex profile from a photoelectric or radar lightcurve is a problem in weighted-least-squares optimization subject to inequality constraints. The solution uses a recursive quadratic programming algorithm to derive a Fourier parameterization for $\text{P}$ from the coefficients in the lightcurve's Fourier expansion. The method has been tested by inverting analytically generated lightcurves for geometrically scattering ellipsoids with semiaxes a ? b ? c, and the inversion yields $\text{P}\text{=}\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>s</mtext>}}\text{?}\text{C}\text{=}\text{C}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>s</mtext>}}\text{=}\text{H}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}$ when the viewing geometry (Condition C) is close to ideal. For situations when the asteroid's pole direction is unknown, a test is offered of the hyphothesis that a given lightcurve can be due to a geometrically scattering ellipsoid with $\text{a}\text{c}\text{? ?}$, where ? is an priori upper bound on the maximum axis ratio. Convex profiles are presented for 15 Eunomia, 118 Peitho, 246 Asporina, 281 Lucretia. 790 Pretoria, 1685 Toro, and 1978 CA.     

Possibility of the investigation of interplanetary shock interaction with the earth's bow shock,magnetopause and plasmapause by means of a non-coherent response method

The problem of interaction between the interplanetary shock of 8 March, 1970 and the Earth's bow shock, magnetopause and plasmapause is considered. Estimates are made using existing models of the moments of initial impulsive interaction of interplanetary shocks with the bow shock and of the secondary interaction of the resulting split discontinuities with the magnetopause, plasmapause and a modified bow shock. Using computed data on the plasma's concentration jumps at discontinuities and on the latters' velocities, estimates have been carried out of remote sounding and the response signals' phase difference change rates Δf (which were found to be of the order of ～ 10^?3?10^?2Hz) appearing on the radio path with a non-coherent response near the subsolar region. It has been ascertained that the non-coherent response method permits, by using generators with a stability of $\text{ε =}\text{δ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{f}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>O</mtext>}}\text{= 10}{}^{\mathrm{?11}}\text{?10}{}^{\mathrm{?10}}$, effective investigation (with a good time resolution) of the impulsive interaction of interplanetary shocks with the plasma discontinuities of the bow shockmagnetopause-plasmapause system.     

Cyclotron side-band emissions from ring-current electrons

VLF-emissions with subharmonic cyclotron frequency from magnetospheric electrons have been detected by the S³-A satellite (Explorer 45) whose orbit is close to the magnetic equatorial plane where the wave-particle interaction is most efficient. These emissions are observed during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm in the nightside of the magnetosphere outside of the plasmasphere around L = 3–5. The emissions consist essentially of two frequency regimes, one below the equatorial electron gyro-frequency, , and the other above . The emissions below are whistler mode and there is a sharp band of “missing emissions” along . The emissions above are electrostatic mode and the frequency ranges up to . It is concluded that these emissions are generated by the enhanced relativity low energy (1–5 keV) ring current electrons, penetrating into the nightside magnetosphere during the main phase of a magneto storm. Although the high energy (50–350 keV) electrons showed remarkable changes of pitch angle distribution, their associations with VLF-emissions are not so significant as those of low energy electrons.     

Deuteron whistler and trans-equatorial propagation of the ion cyclotron whistler

New ion cyclotron whistlers which have the asymptotic frequency of one half the local proton gyrofrequency, $\text{G}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{2}$, and the minimum (or equatorial) proton gyrofrequency, G_pm, along the geomagnetic field line passing through the satellite have been found in the low-latitude topside ionosphere from the spectrum analysis of ISIS VLF electric field data received at Kashima, Japan. Ion cyclotron whistlers with asymptotic frequency of G_pm or $\text{G}{}_{\mathrm{pm}}\text{2}$ are observed only in the region of $\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{m}}\text{>}\text{B}\text{2}$ or rarely $\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{m}}\text{>}\text{B}\text{4}$, where B is the local magnetic field and B_m is the mini magnetic field along the geomagnetic field line passing through the satellite.The particles with one half the proton gyrofrequency may be the deuteron or alpha particle. Theoretical spectrograms of the electron whistlers (R-mode) and the ion cyclotron whistlers (L-mode) propagating along the geomagnetic field lines are computed for the appropriate distributions of the electron density and the ionic composition, and compared with the observed spectrograms.The result shows that the ion cyclotron whistler with the asymptotic frequency of $\text{G}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{2}$ is the deuteron whistler, and that the ion cyclotron whistlers with the asymptotic frequency of G_pm or $\text{G}{}_{\mathrm{pm}}\text{2}$ are caused by the trans-equatorial propagation of the proton or deuteron whistler from the other hemisphere.     

Titan aerosols: Optical properties and vertical distribution

An analysis of Titan's solar phase variation as a function of wavelength together with the continuum geometric albedo makes it possible to set limits on the real part of the refractive index and on the average particle size of the aerosol component of Titan's atmosphere: $\text{1.5 ?n}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{< 2.0}\text{and}\text{0.20 μm <}\text{r}\text{?0.35 μm}$. If n_ris known $\text{r}$ can be determined to within a few percent, and varies inversely with n_r. Using this information in a two-layer model of a methane-aerosol atmosphere and comparing the result with Titan's visible and near-infrared methane spectrum leads to the conclusion that the top layer of Titan's atmosphere contains 0.01 km atm of methane and 2.5 extinction optical depths of aerosol, while the data are consistent with a bottom layer containing 2.2 km atm of methane and about 7.5 aerosol optical depths for $\text{n}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{= 1.7,}\text{r}\text{= 0.25 μ}\text{m}$.     

The excitation of the infrared atmospheric oxygen bands in the nightglow

Simultaneous observations of the nightgiow emission profiles of $\text{O}{}_2\text{(}{}^1\text{Δ)}$ and the OH Meinel bands have been used to show that the excitation mechanism for $\text{O}{}_2\text{(}{}^1\text{Δ)}$ in the night-time is through the reaction between OH¹ and atomic oxygen and the recombination of atomic oxygen. These reactions, and the proposed rate constants, have been used to derive the atomic oxygen profile appropriate to the observations. It is suggested that the atomic oxygen profile may exhibit significant structure near the mesopause at high latitude. It is also suggested that the extent of this structure may be influenced by transport effects related to stratospheric warming events.     

The 63 μm radiation field in the earth's thermosphere and its influence on the atomic hydrogen temperature

The thermal escape of hydrogen from the Earth's atmosphere is strongly affected by its temperature at the exobase. It has been suggested recently that the hydrogen temperature might be significantly lower than the thermospheric temperature as a result of a collisional exchange of energy with atomic oxygen. The tendency is to cool the hydrogen since the energy of the excited ${}^3\text{P}{}_1$ level of oxygen can be lost from the atmosphere via magnetic dipole emission of the 63 μm line (${}^3\text{P}{}_2\text{?}{}^3\text{P}{}_1$). We present here a detailed calculation of the net cooling effect as a function of altitude throughout the thermosphere. The calculations have been performed for both day and night conditions and for periods of maximum and minimum solar activity conditions. It is found that its effect on ΔT/T varies from a very small value to a maximum of ～3%. We also provide the theoretical framework for describing deviations of the 63 μm emission from local thermodynamic equilibrium and show that these effects can cause the emission to be reduced by as much as 40% near 500 km.     

Determination of magnetic field direction in a comet's head

The Stokes parameters of resonance radiation scattered by a Na atom with the angular momentum F aligned by directed unpolarized radiation in a magnetic field H ～ 10^?5?10^?1 Oe are presented. An influence of the orientation of the magnetic field on these parameters are studied; the intensity ratio $\text{I(D}{}_2\text{)}\text{I(D}{}_1\text{)}$ changes within ±5%, and the polarization degree P(D₂) within ±25%. Measurements of $\text{I(D}{}_2\text{)}\text{I(D}{}_1\text{)}$ and P(D₂), if the geometry of scattering is known, may give information on the direction of the magnetic field in the sodium atmospheres of comets, as well as Io's sodium cloud or man-made cosmic clouds.     

Outlying plasmasphere structure detected by whistlers

Whistlers recorded at Eights ($\text{L ? 4}$) and Byrd ($\text{f ? 7}$), Antarctica have been used to study large-scale structure in equatorial plasma density at geocentric distances $\text{?3–6}\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{E}}$. The observations were made during conditions of magnetic quieting following moderate disturbance. The structures were detected by a “scanning” process involving relative motion, at about one tenth of the Earth's angular velocity or greater, between the observed density features and the observing whistler station or stations. Three case studies are described, from 26 March 1965, 11 May 1965 and 29 August 1966. The cases support satellite results by showing outlying high density regions at $\text{?4–6}\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{E}}$ that are separated from the main plasmasphere by trough-like depressions ranging in width from $\text{?0.2}$ to 1 R_E. The structures evidently endured for periods of 12 hr or more. In the cases of deepest quieting their slow east-west motions with respect to the Earth are probably of dynamo origin. The cases observed during deep quieting (11 May 1965 and 29 August 1966) suggest the approximate rotation with the Earth of structure formed during previous moderate disturbance activity in the dusk sector. The third case, from 26 March 1965, may represent a structure formed near local midnight. The reported structures appear to be closely related to the bulge phenomenon. The present work supports other experimental and theoretical evidence that the dusk sector is one of major importance in the generation of outlying density structure. It is inferred that irregularities of the type reported here regularly develop near 4–5 R_E during moderate substorm activity. This research suggests that at least a major class of the density structures that develop near 4 R_E are tail-like in nature, joined to the main body of the plasmasphere. The apparent disagreement with Chappell's results from OGO 5, which are interpreted as showing regions of “detached” plasma beyond 5 R_E, may be related to the pronounced spatial structure of electric fields observed in high-latitude ionospheric regions that are conjugate to the magnetospheric regions in which the OGO-5 observations were made.     

Geopotential coefficients of order 29, from analysis of the orbit of satellite 1967-104B

The orbit of the satellite 1967-104B has been analysed as it passed through 29:2 resonance with the Earth's gravitational field between January 1977 and September 1978. From the changes in inclination and eccentricity the following lumped 29th-order geopotential harmonic coefficients were obtained: $\text{10}{}^9\text{C}\text{?}{}_{29}{}^{0.2}\text{= 4.1 ± 0.8}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{S}\text{?}{}_{29}{}^{0.2}\text{= 10.3 ± 2.4}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{C}\text{?}{}_{29}{}^{1.1}\text{= ? 160 ± 19}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{S}\text{?}{}_{29}{}^{1.1}\text{= 79 ± 10}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{C}\text{?}{}_{29}{}^{\mathrm{?1.3}}\text{= 38 ± 14}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{S}\text{?}{}_{29}{}^{\mathrm{?1.3}}\text{= 19 ± 5}$. These values have been compared with existing comprehensive geopotential models: the best agreement is with the model of Rapp (1981).     

Characteristics of localized resonance coupling oscillations of the slow magnetosonic wave in a non-uniform plasma

We analyze linear resonance oscillations in a non-uniform one-fluid finite-β plasma, which is oversimplified to understand easily fundamental characteristics of the resonance oscillations. A linear resonance oscillation of localized slow magnetosonic mode $\text{[ω}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{=}\text{ω}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{A}}\text{(1 +}\text{V}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{A}}\text{V}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{)}\text{]}$, which has the diamagnetic property in a uniform plasma, is newly found to be excited in the radially non-uniform plasma. The localized slow resonance indicates a radially polarized compressional oscillation (δB_∥ ? δB_H ? δB_D). The sense of the Alfvénic polarizations in the H-D plane near the resonant point is a function of both the propagation in the azimuthal direction and the slope of wave amplitude in the radial direction, whereas the sense of the resonant slow magnetosonic polarizations changes in accordance only with the switch in the azimuthal propagation direction. Further multi-satellite studies are necessary to establish the resonant structures of the slow magnetosonic waves in the magnetosphere.     

The determination and analysis of the orbit of NIMBUS 1 ROCKET, 1964-52B: Part 2: Variations in orbital eccentricity

The influence of aerodynamic drag and the geopotential on the motion of the satellite 1964-52B is considered. A model of the atmosphere is adopted that allows for oblateness, and in which the density behaviour approximates to the observed diurnal variation. A differential equation governing the variation of the eccentricity, e, combining the effects of air drag with those of the Earth's gravitational field is given. This is solved numerically using as initial conditions 310 computed orbits of 1964-52B.The observed values of eccentricity are modified by the removal of perturbations due to luni-solar attraction, solid Earth and ocean tides, solar radiation pressure and low-order long-periodic tesseral harmonic perturbations. The method of removal of these effects is given in some detail. The behaviour of the orbital eccentricity predicted by the numerical solution is compared with the modified observed eccentricity to obtain values of atmospheric parameters at heights between 310 and 430 km. The daytime maximum of air density is found to be at 14.5 hours local time. Analysis of the eccentricity near 15th order resonance with the geopotential yielded values of four lumped geopotential harmonics of order 15, namely: $\text{10}{}^9\text{C}{}^{\mathrm{1,0}}{}_{15}\text{= ?78.8 ± 7.0}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{S}{}^{\mathrm{1,0}}{}_{15}\text{= ?69.4 ± 5.3}$, $\text{10}{}^9\text{C}{}^{\mathrm{?1,2}}{}_{15}\text{= ?41.6 ± 3.5}$$\text{10}{}^9\text{S}{}^{\mathrm{?1,2}}{}_{15}\text{= ?26.1 ± 8.9}$, at inclination 98.68°.