Anomalous resistivity in the geomagnetic tail region

The beam cyclotron instability and electron acoustic instability, driven by cross-tail current and inhomogeneity in density and magnetic field, are found to be unstable in the earth's magnetic tail region. The anomalous resistivities due to these instabilities are found to be of the order of $\text{(10}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{?10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{)Ω}{}_{\mathrm{e}}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ (Ω_e being the electron gyro frequency). It is also suggested that the non-linear saturation of the beam cyclotron instability may lead to conditions favourable for exciting ion acoustic instability.     

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.     

Role of Coulomb collisions in the equatorial F-region plasma instabilities

The effect of collisions on electrostatic instabilities driven by gravity and density gradients perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field is studied. Electron collisions tend to stabilize the short wavelength (k_y?_i ? 1, where k_y is the perpendicular wavenumber of the instability and ?_i is the ion Larmor radius) kinetic interchange mode. In the presence of weak ion-ion collisions, this mode gets converted into an unmagnetized ion interchange mode which has maximum growth rate one order smaller than that of the collisionless mode. On the other hand, electron collisions can excite a long wavelength resistive interchange mode in a wide wavenumber regime ($\text{10}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{3 ? k}{}_{\mathrm{y}}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{? 0.3}$) with growth rates comparable to that of the collisional Rayleigh-Taylor mode. The results may be relevant to some of the spread F irregularities.     

Comment on the group velocity of surface waves on the plasma sheet boundary

In the recent estimation by Maltsev and Lyatsky (1984) of the group velocity of surface waves on the inner boundary of the plasma sheet, the effect of the curvature of the field lines of the ambient magnetic field of the Earth on the spectrum has been assessed. The authors have not accounted for the fact, however, that the group velocity of the compressional surface magnetohydrodynamic waves itself is nonzero transverse to the magnetic field—a characteristic which has been omitted in the spectrum of Chen and Hasegawa (1974), being used by Maltsev and Lyatsky.This characteristic of compressional surface MHD waves is inherent for the spectrum $\text{ω = (}\text{k}{}_6\text{k}\text{)V}{}_{\mathrm{A}}\text{(k}{}^2{}_6\text{+ 2k}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{\perp }}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, obtained by Nenovski (1978) in the cold plasma limit V_A ? V_S(V_A is Alfvén velocity, and V_S, sound velocity). A comment has been made on the restrictions, proceeding from the approximation, used by Maltsev and Lyatsky. The estimation of the velocities for movements of auroral riometer absorption bays have been reviewed.     

Love numbers of the giant planets

We calculate the Love numbers k_n for n = 2 to 10, and determine the “gravitational noise” from tides. The new values k₂ for Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus yield new estimates for the planetary dissipation functions: $\text{Q}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>J</mtext>}}\text{? 2.5 × 10}{}^4$, $\text{Q}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>S</mtext>}}\text{? 1.4 × 10}{}^4\text{, Q}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>U</mtext>}}\text{? 5 × 10}{}^3$.     

Electron runaway in turbulent astrophysical plasmas

An astrophysical electron acceleration process is described which involves turbulent plasma effects: the acceleration mechanism will operate in ‘collision free’ magnetoactive astrophysical plasmas when ion-acoustic turbulence is generated by an electric field which acts parallel to the ambient magnetic lines of force. The role of ‘anomalous’ (ion-sound) resistivity is crucial in maintaining the parallel electric field. It is shown that, in spite of the turbulence, a small fraction of the electron population can accelerate freely, i.e. runaway, in the high parallel electric potential. The number density n^(B) of the runaway electron component is of order $\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{(B)}}\text{?}\text{n}\text{2}\text{(}\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{U}{}_{\mathrm{\parallel }}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{)}{}^2$, where n = background electron number density, c_s = ion-sound speed and U_∥^? = relative drift velocity between the electron and ion populations. The runaway mechanism and the number density n^(B) do not depend critically on the details of the non-linear saturation of the ion-sound instability.     

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.     

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.     

A self-consistent evaluation of the rate constants for the production of the OI 6300 Å airglow

The quenching rate k_N2 of $\text{O(}{}^1\text{D)}$ by N₂ and the specific recombination rate α_1D of O₂⁺ leading to $\text{O(}{}^1\text{D)}$ are re-examined in light of available laboratory and satellite data. Use of recent experimental values for the $\text{O(}{}^1\text{D)}$ transition probabilities in a re-analysis of AE-C satellite 6300 Å airglow data results in a value for k_N2 of 2.3 × 10^?11 cm³s^?1 at thermospheric temperatures, in excellent agreement with the laboratory measurements. This implies a value of J_O2 = 1.5 × 10^?6s^?1 for the O₂ photodissociation rate in the Schumann-Runge continuum. The specific recombination coefficient α_1D = 2.1 × 10^?7cm³s^?1 is also in agreement with the laboratory value. Implications for the suggested $\text{N}\text{(}{}^2\text{D) + O}{}_2\text{→ O(}{}^1\text{D) + NO}$ reaction are discussed.     

Parametric excitation of alfvén wave by magnetosonic wave with oblique propagation

A parametric excitation of the Alfvén wave (k^A, ω_a) by the magnetosonic wave (K₁^fs, ω_1fs), which propagates obliquely to the static magnetic field, has been analyzed. The theoretical model for a one-fluid with uniform, unbounded, ideally conducting and compressible plasma is employed. The resonance conditions are chosen such as, $\text{k}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{fs}}\text{=}\text{k}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{fs}}\text{+}\text{k}{}^{\mathrm{A}}$ and ω_1fs ? ω_A = δ ～ ω_2fs. The p wave is assumed to be strong enough, so that the pump wave is given as a constant. In both the case of the standing and the propagating pump the growth rates of the excited waves depend on not only the pump power but also the β-ratio. In the standing pump the threshold pump intensity of the oscillating instability is zero at the perfect matching. It is found that we can obtain a larger growth rate of the parametric excitation of Alfvén wave by the fast magnetosonic pump wave for θ_1f ～ 70–80° and the occurrence regions of parametric excitations are localized at the resonance point in the magnetosphere (β ～ m_e/m_i). It is concluded that the parametric instability of Pc3 range HM-waves is the more possible theory than the linear resonance theory.     

Total current to cylindrical collectors in collisionless plasma flow

A theory is presented for charged-particle collection by a cylindrical conducting object, such as a spacecraft or an electrostatic probe, which is moving transversely through a collisionless plasma, such as those in the upper atmosphere and space. The calculation is approximate, using symmetric potential profiles which are exact for the infinite-cylinder stationary case. Theoretical current predictions are presented for ratios of collector potential to electron thermal energy eφ_c/kT_e from 0 to ?25, for ion-to-electron temperature ratios T_i/T_c = 1 and 0.5, ratio of collector radius to electron Debye length r_c/λ_D from 0 to 100, and ratio of flow speed to ion thermal speed $\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{= U/(2kT}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{/m}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ from 0 to 10. Comparisons with existing exact calculations by other authors show that none of these fulfil all of the requirements for nontrivial comparison. Appropriate parameter ranges for future exact calculations are thereby suggested. These are as follows: (a) r_c/λ_D should be large enough that the collector not be in or near orbit-limited conditions; (b) the ratio $\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^2\text{/¦χ}{}_{\mathrm{c,\; i}}\text{¦}$ of ion directed energy to potential energy change in the sheath, should be close to unity or if

$\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^2\text{/¦χ}{}_{\mathrm{c,i}}\text{¦? 1,}\text{then}\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{? 1}$

.     

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 role of protons of the radiation belts in the generation of Pc 3–5

A new theory of the Alfvén wave generation in inhomogeneous finite β two component plasma is developed ($\text{β =}\text{8πρ}\text{β}{}_0{}^2$, ρ and B₀ are plasma pressure and unperturbed magnetic field, respectively). The analysis was carried out for these waves both for long wave approximation kρ_i ? 1 as well as for $\text{kρ}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{? 1}$ (k and ρ_i are wave vector and larmor radius of protons). The influence of the loss-cone on the development of the instability is considered. The theory is applied to explain the generation mechanism of Pc 3–5.     

On the exponential decay of western hemisphere solar particle events

Numerical solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation governing the transport of solar protons are obtained in three dimensions (time t, radial distance r, energy T) with the diffusion coefficient represented by κ = κ₀r^bT^a. The October 4, 1968, solar flare particle event is re-examined, and the rise and decay of the proton flux profiles for > 10, ;30 and > 60 MeV particles can be reasonably well reproduced with an instantaneous injection and a distant (10 AU) free escape boundary. The best fit is achieved with a diffusion coefficient $\text{κ = 1.4 × 10}{}^{20}\text{r}{}^{0.5}\text{T}{}^{0.75}\text{cm}{}^2\text{sec}$ where r is in AU and T in MeV.     

Pitch angle dependence of the charge-exchange lifetime of ring current ions

Previous work has parameterized the pitch angle dependence of the charge-exchange lifetime τ of ring current ions in terms of γ, the power of the cosine of the mirror latitude λ_m of the particles, such that $\text{τ(λ}{}_{\mathrm{m}}\text{)}\text{τ(0) ≌}\text{cos}{}^{\mathrm{\gamma }}\text{λ}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ at given L. Using the atomic hydrogen density model of Johnson and Fish, previous authors have suggested values of γ = 5 or 6. We here evaluate γ as a function of λ_m and L using the more recent Chamberlain density models, and show that γ = 3?4 is more appropriate over most of the pitch angle and L range. Consequently, ion distributions in the ring current decay phase are expected to become rather less anisotropic in pitch angle due to chargeexchange than previously believed. We have also investigated the use of several other simple approximate analytic forms for $\text{τ(λ}{}_{\mathrm{m}}\text{)}\text{τ(0)}$, one of which gives far better agreement with the numerical results than the cos^γ λ_m, variation, and should hence be used in future studies.     

Habitable zones about main sequence stars

Calculations show that a main sequence star which is less massive than the Sun has a continuously habitable zone about it which is not only closer in than the corresponding zone about the Sun, but is also relatively narrower. Let L(t) represent the luminosity after t billion years of a main sequence star of mass M, and let r_inner and r_outer represent the boundaries of the continuously habitable zone about such a star—that is, the zone in which an Earthlike planet will undergo neither a runaway greenhouse effect in the early stages of its history nor runaway glaciation after it develops an oxidizing atmosphere. Then our computer results indicate that $\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>outer</mtext>}}\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>inner</mtext>}}$ is roughly proportional to $\text{[}\text{L(3.5)}\text{L(1.0)}\text{]}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$. This ratio is smaller for stars less massive than the Sun (because they evolve more slowly), and the width of the continuously habitable zone about a main sequence star is therefore a strong function of the initial stellar mass. Our calculations show that r_inner = r_outer for $\text{M～0.83M?}$ (i.e., K1 stars), and it therefore appears that there is no continuously habitable zone about most K stars, nor any about M stars.     

Comparison of Quasi-specular radar scatter from the moon with surface parameters obtained from images

Quasi-specular radar data used to determine apparent surface roughness σ_χ of geologic surfaces displays a variable wavelength λ dependence ranging between $\text{σ}{}_{\mathrm{\chi }}\text{～ λ}{}^0\text{and}\text{σ}{}_{\mathrm{\chi }}\text{～ λ}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?</mtext><mtext>1</mtext><mtext>3</mtext>}}$ for $\text{0.01 ? λ ? 1}\text{m}$. The strongest changes in σ_χ with wavelength are observed in lunar mare, while scatter from lunar highlands is nearly wavelength independent. Commonly used, gently undulating surface models for electromagnetic scatter predict no wavelength dependence. Wavelength dependence occurs whenever a significant fraction of the surface has local radii of curvature comparable to the observing wavelength. This condition can be determined by comparison of the value of the integrated surface curvature spectrum with the radar wavenumber, multiplied by a constant that depends on the geometry. Variations in curvature statistics calculated from photogrammetric reduction of lunar images are consistent with the observed variations in quasi-specular scatter between λ = 13 and 116 cm at the same locations. Variations in the strength of the wavelength dependence are correlated with the sizes of lunar craters that lie near the upper size limit for the local steady-state distribution. This correlation is also consistent with variations in the curvature spectrum calculated from crater size-frequency distributions.     

Excitation of magnetosonic waves with discrete spectrum in the equatorial vicinity of the plasmapause

There is a magnetosonic waveguide under the arch of the plasmasphere. This channel, in the form of a ring with radius L～4, surrounds the Earth. It is shown that in this region of the magnetosphere the flute-like electromagnetic disturbances (k6 = 0) with frequencies ω = sω_p can be excited by energetic protons, with non-monotonic dependence on transverse energy ($\text{??/?ε}{}_{\mathrm{\perp }}\text{> 0}$). The interpretation of magnetic pulsations which have been observed in the equatorial vicinity of the plasmapause on the satellite OGO-3 in the frequency range ～10² cps (Russell et al., 1970) is given. In particular the origin of discrete structure of the observed spectra (narrow band spikes for a rather broad range of frequency) is discussed.     

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.