Etude des processus de fusion-fission et de fusion-évaporation dans l'interaction 20 Ne + 159 Tb entre 8 et 16 MeV/nucléon

None(PHYS 3)--UCL, 200

Dynamical simulations of plasmapause deformations

Dynamical simulations have been developed at IASB-BIRA to model the deformations of the plasmasphere during geomagnetic substorms and other variations in the level of geomagnetic activity. The simulations are based on the mechanism of plasma instability and use the empirical Kp-dependent electric field E5D. The results of the simulations are compared with IMAGE observations that provide the first global comprehensive images of the Earth's plasmasphere. The predicted plasmapause positions correspond generally rather satisfactorily with the EUV observations. The plasmasphere is rather extended in all MLT sectors during quiet periods. During or just after geomagnetic substorms, the plasmaspause is sharper and becomes closer to the Earth in the night sector. Periods of enhanced geomagnetic activity are associated to the formation of plumes that rotate with the plasmasphere. The simulations reproduce the formation and the motion of these plumes, as well as the development of other structures like shoulders observed at the plasmapause by EUV on IMAGE

Using invariant altitude (h(inv)) for mapping of the radiation belt fluxes in the low-altitude environment

[1] Mapping of the radiation belt environment in the classical ( B, L) invariant coordinates is rather poorly resolved at low altitudes where the SAMPEX and DEMETER missions are collecting scientific data. This lack of adequate spatial resolution at low altitudes has been pointed out since 1986. A simple solution to this standing problem is proposed in this article. We recall alternative coordinates that were proposed in the 90s to improve the spatial resolution of binning meshes and radiation belt maps in the low-altitude region, i.e., near the atmospheric cutoff. Next, we define a new coordinate: the "invariant altitude,'' h(inv), that we recommend instead of B or other invariant drift shell coordinates like B/B-0 or alpha(0), the equatorial pitch angle. In McIlwain's reference dipole, the new coordinate, hinv, corresponds to the altitude ( in units of km) of mirror points of particles which have given values of B and I or L, calculated by using a geomagnetic field model like the International Geomagnetic Reference Field. The advantages and limitations of the new hinv coordinate are presented. For illustration, the distributions of the omnidirectional fluxes of electrons and protons predicted by the standard AE8 and AP8 radiation belt models are displayed using this new invariant coordinate, as well as by using alternative invariant coordinates like B/B0 or alpha(0). A set of orbits of the SAMPEX, DEMETER, and CRRES spacecraft are displayed in these different coordinate systems to illustrate the advantage of using the invariant altitude h(inv) to map the radiation belt environment at low altitudes

Comparisons between EUV/IMAGE observations and numerical simulations of the plasmapause formation

Simulations of plasmapause formation described in Pierrard and Lemaire (2004) predict the shape and equatorial distance of the plasmapause as a function of the geomagnetic activity index K-p. The equatorial positions predicted by this model are compared with the observations of EUV/IMAGE during the geomagnetic storm of 24 May 2000, substorm events of 10 June 2001 and 25 June 2000, and also during a prolonged quiet period (2 May 2001) when the plasmasphere was very extended. The formation of structures, like plumes and shoulders observed during periods of high geomagnetic activity, is quite well reproduced by the simulations. These structures are directly related to specific time sequences of K-p variations. The radial distances of the plasmapause are also reproduced, on average, by the model

Study of correlations between waves and particle fluxes measured on board the DEMETER satellite

The topic of relativistic electron dynamics in the outer radiation belt has received considerable attention for many years. Nevertheless, the problem of understanding the physical phenomenon involved is far from being resolved. In this paper, we use DEMETER observations to examine the variations of the energetic electron fluxes and ELF/VLF wave intensities in the inner magnetosphere during the intense 8 November 2004 magnetic storm. Electron flux spectra and associated wave intensity spectra are analysed throughout the magnetic storm and common characteristics or differences to other storm events are retained. The overall objective of this study is to identify and derive parameters that are relevant for particle flux modelling; the time constant characterizing the persistent decay after particle enhancement was found to be one of these important model parameters. The analysis of the 8 November 2004 event reveals that for L-shell parameter higher than similar to 4, all electron flux dropout is observed during the storm's main phase for electrons in the energy range 0.1-1 MeV, as has been reported from other measurements. Characteristic wave spectra accompanying this phase are analysed. They show a typical enhancement in the frequency range 0.3-10 kHz at onset for all L-shell values under consideration (2 < L < 5). During the first stage of the recovery phase, the electron fluxes are increased to a level higher than the pre-storm level, whereas the level of wave intensity in the frequency range observed below 300 Hz is at its highest. In the second stage, the particle flux decrease goes hand in hand with a global wave activity decline, the relaxation time of the latter being smaller than the former's one. In some other cases, long-lasting electron enhancement associated with constant wave activity has been observed during this latter stage. For the above mentioned storm, while at low L values the decay time constants are higher for low energy electrons than for high energy electrons, this order is reversed at high L values. At about L = 3.6 the time constant is independent of electron energy. (C) 2008 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Influence of the convection electric field models on predicted plasmapause positions during magnetic storms

In the present work, we determine how three well documented models of the magnetospheric electric field, and two different mechanisms proposed for the formation of the plasmapause influence the radial distance, the shape and the evolution of the plasmapause during the geomagnetic storms of 28 October 2001 and of 17 April 2002. The convection electric field models considered are: McIlwain's E5D electric field model, Volland-Stern's model, and Weimer's statistical model compiled from low-Earth orbit satellite data. The mechanisms for the formation of the plasmapause to be tested are: (1) the MHD theory where the plasmapause should correspond to the last-closed-equipotential (LCE) or last-closed-streamline (LCS), if the E-field distribution is stationary or timedependent respectively; (2) the interchange mechanism where the plasmapause corresponds to streamlines tangent to a Zero-Parallel-Force surface where the field-aligned plasma distribution becomes convectively unstable during enhancements of the E-field intensity in the nightside local time sector. The results of the different time dependent simulations are compared with concomitant EUV/IMAGE observations when available. The plasmatails or plumes observed after both selected geomagnetic storms are predicted in all simulations and for all E-field models. However, their shapes are quite different depending on the E-field models and the mechanisms that are used. Despite the partial success of the simulations to reproduce plumes during magnetic storms and substorms, there remains a long way to go before the detailed structures observed in the EUV observations during periods of geomagnetic activity can be accounted for very precisely by the existing E-field models. Furthermore, it cannot be excluded that the mechanisms currently identified to explain the formation of "Carpenter's knee'' during substorm events, will have to be revised or complemented in the cases of geomagnetic storms

The Energetic Particle Telescope (EPT) on Board PROBA-V: Description of a New Science-Class Instrument for Particle Detection in Space

This paper provides a detailed description of the Energetic Particle Telescope (EPT) accommodated on board the PROBA-V satellite launched on May 7th, 2013 on a LEO, 820 km altitude, 98.7° inclination and a 10:30 – 11:30 Local Time at Descending Node. The EPT is an ionizing particle spectrometer that was designed based on a new concept and the most advanced signal processing technologies: it performs in-flight electron and ion discrimination and classifies each detected particle in its corresponding physical channels from which the incident spectrum can be readily reconstructed. The detector measures electron fluxes in the energy range 0.5 - 20 MeV, proton fluxes in the energy range 9.5 - 300 MeV and He-ion fluxes between 38 and 1200 MeV. The EPT is a modular configurable instrument with customizable maximum energy, field of view angle, geometrical factor and angular resolution. Therefore, the features of the currently flying instrument may slightly differ from those described in past or future configurations. After a description of the instrument along with the data acquisition and analysis procedures, the first particle fluxes measured by the EPT will be shown and discussed. The web-site located at http://web.csr.ucl.ac.be/csr_web/probav/ which daily displays measured fluxes and other related studies will also be briefly described

The transient observation-based particle (TOP) model and its potential application in radiation effects evaluation

The evaluation of the radiation hazards on components used in space environment is based on the knowledge of the radiation level encountered on orbit. The models that are widely used to assess the near-Earth environment for a given mission are empirical trapped radiation models derived from a compilation of spacecraft measurements. However, these models are static and hence are not suited for describing the short timescale variations of geomagnetic conditions. The transient observation-based particle (TOP)-model tends to break with this classical approach by introducing dynamic features based on the observation and characterization of transient particle flux events in addition to classical mapping of steady-state flux levels. In order to get a preliminary version of an operational model (actually only available for electrons at low Earth orbit, LEO), (i) the steady-state flux level, (ii) the flux enhancements probability distribution functions, and (iii) the flux decay-time constants (at given energy and positions in space) were determined, and an original dynamic model skeleton with these input parameters has been developed. The methodology is fully described and first flux predictions from the model are presented. In order to evaluate the net effects of radiation on a component, it is important to have an efficient tool that calculates the transfer of the outer radiation environment through the spacecraft material, toward the location of the component under investigation. Using the TOP-model space radiation fluxes and the transmitted radiation environment characteristics derived through GEANT4 calculations, a case study for electron flux/dose variations in a small silicon volume is performed. Potential cases are assessed where the dynamic of the spacecraft radiation environment may have an impact on the observed radiation effects

Solar proton damage in high-purity germanium detectors

High-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors used in space for gamma-ray spectroscopy in astrophysics and planetary exploration are known to be damaged by energetic particles. For interplanetary missions close to the Sun such as Messenger or BepiColombo to explore planet Mercury, solar protons represent an important source of damage. In this work, irradiation tests were performed on two large-volume coaxial n-type HPGe detectors with mono-energetic beams of 50-60 MeV protons. One of the detectors, designed for spatial applications, was incrementally exposed to a proton fluence up to 7.5 x 1010 p/cm2 and the other to a unique fluence of 10(10) p/cm(2.) The results showed that the degradation of the energy resolution appeared for fluences higher than 5 x 108 p/cm(2). Moreover, a loss in detection efficiency was observed for fluences above 1010 p/cm(2). Annealings above 80 degrees C allowed the recovery of the initial resolution but not the initial efficiency. By extrapolating the results beyond the experimental conditions, this study also establishes the limits for the use of spaceborne HPGc detectors in harsh low-energy proton environment. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Study of the elastic scattering of He-6 on Pb-208 at energies around the Coulomb barrier

The elastic scattering of He-6 on Pb-208 has been measured at laboratory energies of 14, 16, 18 and 22 MeV. These data were analyzed using phenomenological Woods-Saxon form factors and optical model calculations. A semiclassical polarization potential was used to study the effect of the Coulomb dipole polarizability. Evidence for long range absorption, partially arising from Coulomb dipole polarizability, is reported. The energy variation of the optical potential was found to be consistent with the dispersion relations which connect the real and imaginary parts of the potential. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved