Fast radio imaging of Jupiter''s magnetosphere at low-frequencies with LOFAR

Jupiter emits intense decameter (DAM) radio waves, detectable from the ground in the range 10–40 MHz. They are produced by energetic electron precipitations in its auroral regions (auroral-DAM), as well as near the magnetic footprints of the Galilean satellite Io (Io-DAM). Radio imaging of these decameter emissions with arcsecond angular resolution and millisecond time resolution should provide:

(1) an improved mapping of the surface planetary magnetic field, via imaging of instantaneous cyclotron sources of highest frequency;

(2) measurements of the beaming angle of the radiation relative to the local magnetic field, as a function of frequency;

(3) detailed information on the Io–Jupiter electrodynamic interaction, in particular the lead angle between the Io flux tube and the radio emitting field line;

(4) direct information on the origin of the sporadic drifting decameter S-bursts, thought to be electron bunches propagating along magnetic field lines, and possibly revealing electric potential drops along these field lines;

(5) direct observation of DAM emission possibly related to the Ganymede–Jupiter, Europa–Jupiter and/or Callisto–Jupiter interactions, and their energetics;

(6) information on the magnetospheric dynamics, via correlation of radio images with ultraviolet and infrared images of the aurora as well as of the Galilean satellite footprints, and study of their temporal variations;

(7) an improved mapping of the Jovian plasma environment (especially the Io torus) via the propagation effects that it induces on the radio waves propagating through it (Faraday rotation, diffraction fringes, etc.);

(8) possibly on the long-term a better accuracy on the determination of Jupiter's rotation period.

Fast imaging should be permitted by the very high intensity of Jovian decameter bursts. LOFAR's capability to measure the full polarization of the incoming waves will be exploited. The main limitation will come from the maximum angular resolution reachable. We discuss several approaches for bringing it close to the value of 1^″ at 30–40 MHz, as required for the above studies.

LOFAR antenna development and initial observations of solar bursts

We are developing and testing active baluns and electrically short dipoles for possible use as the primary wide band receiving elements in the low-frequency array (LOFAR) for long wavelength radio astronomy. Several dipoles of various designs and dimensions have been built and tested. Their useful range occurs when the dipole arms are approximately to one wavelength long and the feedpoint is less than wavelength above ground. An eight-element NRL LOFAR test array (NLTA) interferometer has been built and fringes have been observed from the brightest celestial sources in the frequency range from 10 to 50 MHz. The antenna temperatures vary from about 10% to 100% of the average brightness temperature of the galactic background. With these parameters it is easy to make the amplifier noise levels low enough that final system temperature is dominated by the galactic background.     

Low-frequency solar radiophysics with LOFAR and FASR

Low-frequency radio observations offer unique diagnostics of the solar corona and solar wind. After a prolongued hiatus, there is renewed interest in this important frequency regime. Two new ground-based instruments will provide critical new low-frequency observations: the low-frequency array (LOFAR) and the frequency agile solar radiotelescope (FASR). This brief topical review summarizes low-frequency radio phenomena that will be accessible to detailed study by LOFAR and FASR in the coming decade. Energy release, drivers of space weather, and studies of the solar wind are emphasized. Both instruments are expected to play important roles in both basic research problems and national and international space weather capabilities. While FASR is a solar-dedicated instrument, LOFAR is not. Solar observing requirements for LOFAR are briefly discussed.     

Solar, interplanetary, planetary, and related extra-solar system science for LOFAR

The low frequency array (LOFAR) radiotelescope will be a powerful instrument for answering fundamental, unresolved scientific questions concerning solar system radio phenomena and related emissions from nearby stellar systems. This paper reviews the phenomena, emission mechanisms, open scientific questions, and LOFAR's capabilities. LOFAR will detect metric solar radio bursts in the corona and interplanetary medium, out to distances of order 10 solar radii, as well as Jovian radio emissions. Arguments are given that LOFAR may be sufficiently sensitive to detect stellar analoges of solar type II and III bursts, and may detect cyclotron-maser emissions from extra-solar planets. LOFAR may also aid space weather research, by passively detecting coronal mass ejections (CMEs) via scintillation and Faraday rotation effects, or by detecting radar signals bounced off CMEs and coronal density structures if a suitable solar radar is developed.     

A parameterization for the radio emission of air showers as predicted by CoREAS simulations and applied to LOFAR measurements

Measuring radio emission from air showers provides excellent opportunities to directly measure all air shower properties, including the shower development. To exploit this in large-scale experiments, a simple and analytic parameterization of the distribution of the radio signal at ground level is needed. Data taken with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) show a complex two-dimensional pattern of pulse powers, which is sensitive to the shower geometry. Earlier parameterizations of the lateral signal distribution have proven insufficient to describe these data. In this article, we present a parameterization derived from air-shower simulations. We are able to fit the two-dimensional distribution with a double Gaussian, requiring five fit parameters. All parameters show strong correlations with air shower properties, such as the energy of the shower, the arrival direction, and the shower maximum. We successfully apply the parameterization to data taken with LOFAR and discuss implications for air shower experiments.     

The improved ARTEMIS IV multichannel solar radio spectrograph of the University of Athens

We present the improved solar radio spectrograph of the University of Athens operating at the Thermopylae Satellite Telecommunication Station. Observations now cover the frequency range from 20 to 650 MHz. The spectrograph has a 7-meter moving parabola fed by a log-periodic antenna for 100–650 MHz and a stationary inverted V fat dipole antenna for the 20–100 MHz range. Two receivers are operating in parallel, one swept frequency for the whole range (10 spectrums/sec, 630 channels/spectrum) and one acousto-optical receiver for the range 270 to 450 MHz (100 spectrums/sec, 128 channels/spectrum). The data acquisition system consists of two PCs (equipped with 12 bit, 225 ksamples/sec ADC, one for each receiver). Sensitivity is about 3 SFU and 30 SFU in the 20–100 MHz and 100–650 MHz range respectively. The daily operation is fully automated: receiving universal time from a GPS, pointing the antenna to the sun, system calibration, starting and stopping the observations at preset times, data acquisition, and archiving on DVD. We can also control the whole system through modem or Internet. The instrument can be used either by itself or in conjunction with other instruments to study the onset and evolution of solar radio bursts and associated interplanetary phenomena.     

The low-frequency array (LOFAR): opening a new window on the universe

We present an overview of the low-frequency array (LOFAR) that will open a window on one of the last and most poorly explored regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. LOFAR will be a large (baselines up to 400 km), low-frequency aperture synthesis array with large collecting area ( at ) and high resolution (1.5^″ at 100 MHz), and will provide sub-mJy sensitivity across much of its operating range. LOFAR will be a powerful instrument for solar system and planetary science applications as reviewed by papers in this monogram. Key astrophysical science drivers include acceleration, turbulence, and propagation in the galactic interstellar medium, exploring the high red-shift universe and transient phenomena, as well as searching for the red-shifted signature of neutral hydrogen from the cosmologically important epoch of re-ionization.     

Dust in the solar system and in extra-solar planetary systems

Among the observed circumstellar dust envelopes a certain population, planetary debris disks, is ascribed to systems with optically thin dust disks and low gas content. These systems contain planetesimals and possibly planets and are believed to be systems that are most similar to our solar system in an early evolutionary stage. Planetary debris disks have been identified in large numbers by a brightness excess in the near-infrared, mid-infrared and/or submillimetre range of their stellar spectral energy distributions. In some cases, spatially resolved observations are possible and reveal complex spatial structures. Acting forces and physical processes are similar to those in the solar system dust cloud, but the observational approach is obviously quite different: overall spatial distributions for systems of different ages for the planetary debris disks, as opposed to detailed local information in the case of the solar system. Comparison with the processes of dust formation and evolution observed in the solar system therefore helps understand the planetary debris disks. In this paper, we review our present knowledge of observations, acting forces, and major physical interactions of the dust in the solar system and in similar extra-solar planetary systems.     

Using large radio telescopes at decametre wavelengths

With the aim of evaluating the actual possibilities of doing, from the ground, sensitive radio astronomy at decametre wavelengths (particularly below ), an extensive program of radio observations was carried out, in 1999–2002, by using digital spectral and waveform analysers (DSP) of new generation, connected to several of the largest, decametre radio telescopes in the world (i.e., the UTR-2 and URANs arrays in Ukraine, and the Nançay Decametre Array in France).

We report and briefly discuss some new findings, dealing with decametre radiation from Jupiter and the Solar Corona: namely the discovery of new kinds of hyper fine structures in spectrograms of the active Sun, and a new characterisation of Jupiter's “millisecond” radiation, whose waveform samples, with time resolution down to 40 ns, and correlated measurements, by using far distant antennas (3000 km), have been obtained. In addition, scattering effects, caused by the terrestrial ionosphere and the interplanetary medium, could be disentangled through high time resolution and wide-band analyses of solar, planetary and strong galactic radio sources. Consequences for decametre wavelength imaging at high spatial resolution (VLBI) are outlined. Furthermore, in spite of the very unfavourable electromagnetic environment in this frequency range, a substantial increase in the quality of the observations was shown to be provided by using new generation spectrometers, based on sophisticated digital techniques. Indeed, the available, high dynamic range of such devices greatly decreases the effects of artificial and natural radio interference. We give several examples of successful signal detection in the case of much weaker radio sources than Solar System ones, down to the intensity level.

In summary, we conclude that searching for sensitivity improvement at the decametre wavelength is scientifically quite justified, and is now technically feasible, in particular by building giant, phased antenna arrays of much larger collecting area (as in the LOFAR project). In this task, one must be careful of some specifics of this wavelength range—somewhat unusual in “classical” radio astronomy—i.e., very high level and density of radio interference (telecommunications) and the variable terrestrial ionosphere.     

Analysis of a giant lightning storm on Saturn

On January 23, 2006, the Cassini/RPWS (Radio and Plasma Wave Science) instrument detected a massive outbreak of SEDs (Saturn Electrostatic Discharges). The following SED storm lasted for about one month and consisted of 71 consecutive episodes. It exceeded all other previous SED observations by Cassini as well as by the Voyagers with regard to number and rate of detected events. At the same time astronomers at the Earth as well as Cassini/ISS (Imaging Science Subsystem) detected a distinctive bright atmospheric cloud feature at a latitude of 35° South, strongly confirming the current interpretation of SEDs being the radio signatures of lightning flashes in Saturn's atmosphere. In this paper we will analyze the main physical properties of this SED storm and of a single small SED storm from 2005. The giant SED storm of 2006 had maximum burst rates of 1 SED every 2 s, its episodes lasted for 5.5 h on average, and the episode's periodicity of about 10.66 h exactly matched the period of the ISS observed cloud feature. Using the low frequency cutoff of SED episodes we determined an ionospheric electron density around ¹⁰⁴ cm⁻³ for the dawn side of Saturn.     

The shape of the radio wavefront of extensive air showers as measured with LOFAR

Extensive air showers, induced by high energy cosmic rays impinging on the Earth’s atmosphere, produce radio emission that is measured with the LOFAR radio telescope. As the emission comes from a finite distance of a few kilometers, the incident wavefront is non-planar. A spherical, conical or hyperbolic shape of the wavefront has been proposed, but measurements of individual air showers have been inconclusive so far. For a selected high-quality sample of 161 measured extensive air showers, we have reconstructed the wavefront by measuring pulse arrival times to sub-nanosecond precision in 200 to 350 individual antennas. For each measured air shower, we have fitted a conical, spherical, and hyperboloid shape to the arrival times. The fit quality and a likelihood analysis show that a hyperboloid is the best parameterization. Using a non-planar wavefront shape gives an improved angular resolution, when reconstructing the shower arrival direction. Furthermore, a dependence of the wavefront shape on the shower geometry can be seen. This suggests that it will be possible to use a wavefront shape analysis to get an additional handle on the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, which is sensitive to the mass of the primary particle.     

Observations of asteroids with ALMA

Thermal observations of large asteroids at millimeter wavelengths have revealed high amplitude rotational lightcurves. Such lightcurves are important constraints on thermophysical models of asteroids, and provide unique insight into the nature of their surface and subsurface composition. A better understanding of asteroid surfaces provides insight into the composition, physical structures, and processing history of these surviving remnants from the formation of our solar system. In addition, detailed observations of the larger asteroids, accompanied by thermophysical models with appropriate temporal and spatial resolution, promise to decrease uncertainties in their flux predictions. Of particular interest are the near-Earth objects, which can be observed at large phase angles, permitting better assessment of the thermal response of their unilluminated surfaces. The high sensitivity of ALMA will enable us to detect many small bodies in all the major groups, to obtain lightcurves for a large sample of main-belt and near-Earth objects, to resolve the surfaces of some large objects, and to separate the emission from primary and secondary objects in binary pairs. In addition to the science goals of asteroid studies, these bodies may also prove useful operationally because those with known shapes and well-characterized lightcurves could be employed for flux calibration by ALMA and other high frequency instruments.     

On the Origin of the Zebra Pattern with Pulsating Superfine Structures on 21 April 2002

Through the data around 3 GHz from the Radio Spectrometer in Huairou, Beijing, zebra-pattern structures from the 21 April 2002 event have been studied. Zebra stripes consist of periodically pulsating superfine structures in this event. An analysis of temporal profiles of intensities at multiple frequency channels shows that the Gaussian temporal profiles of pulse groups on zebra stripes are caused by drifting zebra stripes with Gaussian spectral profiles. The observed quasiperiodic pulsations with about 30 ms period have a peculiar feature of oscillation near a steady state, probably resulting from relaxation oscillations, which modulate the electron cyclotron maser emission that forms the zebra stripes during the process of wave – particle interactions. All the main properties of the zebra stripes with pulsating superfine structures indicate that the double plasma resonance model might be the most suitable one, with the relaxation oscillations, to form the superfine structures. The model of LaBelle et al. (Astrophys. J. 593, 1195, 2003) could not account for the observed properties of zebra-pattern structures in this event nor for most zebra-pattern structures occupying a wide frequency range, mainly because the allowable frequency range of the zebra-pattern structures in their model is too narrow to reproduce the observed zebras.     

Possible patterns in the distribution of planetary formation regions

Eris, an object larger than Pluto, is known to reside in the transneptunian region further away than Pluto. One can wonder whether its semimajor orbital axis fits in a generalized Titius–Bode law, in the same way as Pluto does. We performed a new least-squares fit to a generalized Titius–Bode law including Eris and found that not only does Eris fit in the trend, but also the correlation coefficient improves. In addition, there is a remarkable symmetry of the location of the planetary formation regions with respect to Jupiter when the natural logarithm of the heliocentric distance is used as the metric. The issue of whether the observed patterns have some physical meaning or are due to mere chance is addressed using a Monte Carlo approach identical to that of Lynch. Although the probability of chance occurrence is highly dependent on the way in which the random configurations of synthetic planetary systems are selected, we find that in all reasonable scenarios of random planetary systems the probability of chance occurrence of the observed patterns is small (below 1 per cent in most cases). If the trend were used as a prediction tool, one might expect another planet or dwarf planet or a swarm of bodies with semimajor orbital axis of 120 ± 20 au. Simple calculations show that the protoplanetary nebula most likely had enough mass to allow the accretion of at least a dwarf planet at that distance. We also found that if the surface density of the nebula decayed with heliocentric distance ( r ) as a power of −2, the regular spacing in ln  r in the Solar system could be a natural consequence of the existence of a threshold mass for planetary formation.     

Current state and development of the minor planets research in Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory

Regular positional observations of minor planets in Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory have been begun with installation of photographic Zone Astrograph in 1961. The observations of 19 selected minor planets up to 12 magnitude were obtained for 36 years. Accuracy of the photographic positions of minor planets is rather high, 0.15^′′-0.19^′′. These positions were used for improvement of the system of fundamental catalogue and determination of its orientation to the dynamical reference frame. CCD observations of asteroids have been begun at the Zone Astrograph in 2000. There was obtained about the same accuracy, as in photographic observations. During 2004-2006 NAO participated in international collaboration with TUBITAK National Observatory (Turkey) and Kazan State University (Russia) in positional and photometric observations of small Solar system bodies. About four thousands of CCD images for 58 asteroids of 11-18 mag were obtained with internal and external errors of 30-80 mas of a single determination. Some of these observations, as well as the observations of the Minor Planet Center, are being used for the current asteroid mass determinations in Nikolaev observatory. Available results allow us to consider the Russian-Turkish telescope RTT150 as a good candidate for ground-based astrometry support of the future space mission GAIA, moreover in the period before GAIA.     

Observations of distant solar system bodies

Multicolour VRI photometry and astrometry of one Centaur and seven Edgeworth-Kuiper objects were obtained. One object, 1994 JQ₁ may be as red as 5145 Pholus, the reddest minor planet previously known. The Centaur 1995 DW₂ has more moderate colour indices, similar to main-belt asteroids. Seven R-magnitudes were obtained for 1994 JS, 1995 FB₂₁, and 1995 GY₇. No light variation above the expected noise is evident, apart from a few outliers. A total of 47 astrometric positions were obtained for the eight objects. The four nights of observations with the ESO New Technology Telescope covered 0.52 square degrees. Two previosuly unknown object, 1995 FB₂₁ and 1995 GY₇, were discovered. We estimate the density of Edgeworth-Kuiper objects brighter than R = 24 to 5.3 per square degree of sky near the ecliptic.     

A Study of the Peak Frequency of the Geosynchronous Spectrum in a Nonuniform Source

This paper investigates in detail the peak frequency of gyrosynchrotron radiation spectrum with self and gyroresonance absorption for a model of nonuniform magnetic field. It is found that the peak frequency shifts from lower frequency to higher frequency with increases in the low-energy cutoff, number density, input depth of energetic electrons, magnetic field strength and viewing angle. When the number density and temperature of thermal electrons increase, the peak frequency also shifts to a slightly higher frequency. However, the peak frequency is independent of the energy spectral index, high-energy cutoff of energetic electrons and the height of the radio source’s upper boundary. It is also found for the first time that there is a good linear correlation between the logarithms of the peak frequency and the low-energy cutoff, number density, input depth of energetic electrons, magnetic field strength, and viewing angle, respectively. Their correlation coefficients are higher than 0.95 and the standard errors are less than 0.06.     

The invention that opened the solar system to exploration

The invention of gravity-propelled interplanetary space travel (also known as “gravity-assist trajectories”) in the early 1960s broke the high-energy barrier of classical space travel based on reaction propulsion, and made possible the exploration of the entire solar system with instrumented spacecraft. In this concept, a free-fall spacecraft is launched from a launch planet P₁ to a nearby planet P₂ such that its gravitational field (superimposed on the gravitational field of the Sun) catapults the vehicle to another planet P₃, which in turn is used to repeat the process. Thus, through a series of planetary encounters, a gravity-propelled trajectory P₁-P₂-P₃-P₄-…-P_N is generated. This paper describes how the invention was conceived and how the difficult mathematical problem of computing the trajectories was solved in order to numerically investigate and use the invention in actual missions. The crucial roles played by the UCLA Computing Facility and the Departments of Mathematics and Physics are also described.