71 research outputs found
Simulations of secondary Farley-Buneman instability driven by a kilometer-scale primary wave: anomalous transport and formation of flat-topped electric fields
Since the 1950s, high frequency and very high frequency radars near the magnetic equator have frequently detected strong echoes caused ultimately by the FarleyāBuneman instability (FBI) and the gradient drift instability (GDI). In the 1980s, coordinated rocket and radar campaigns made the astonishing observation of flatātopped electric fields coincident with both meterāscale irregularities and the passage of kilometerāscale waves. The GDI in the daytime E region produces kilometerāscale primary waves with polarization electric fields large enough to drive meterāscale secondary FBI waves. The meterāscale waves propagate nearly vertically along the largeāscale troughs and crests and act as VHF tracers for the largeāscale dynamics. This work presents a set of hybrid numerical simulations of secondary FBIs, driven by a primary kilometerāscale GDIālike wave. Meterāscale density irregularities develop in the crest and trough of the kilometerāscale wave, where the total electric field exceeds the FBI threshold, and propagate at an angle near the direction of total Hall drift determined by the combined electric fields. The meterāscale irregularities transport plasma across the magnetic field, producing flatātopped electric fields similar to those observed in rocket data and reducing the largeāscale wave electric field to just above the FBI threshold value. The selfāconsistent reduction in driving electric field helps explain why echoes from the FBI propagate near the plasma acoustic speed.NSF grants PHY-1500439 and AGS-1755350 and NASA grant NNX14AI13G supported the research presented in this work. This work used TACC and XSEDE computational resources supported by the National Science Foundation grant ACI-1053575. This paper did not use any data; simulation runs are archived on the TACC Ranch system. The authors thank one anonymous reviewer for helpful comments. (PHY-1500439 - NSF; AGS-1755350 - NSF; NNX14AI13G - NASA; ACI-1053575 - National Science Foundation)Published version2019-07-0
Formation of plasma around a small meteoroid: 2. Implications for radar head echo
This paper calculates the spatial distribution of the plasma responsible for radar head echoes by applying the kinetic theory developed in the companion paper. This results in a set of analytic expressions for the plasma density as a function of distance from the meteoroid. It shows that at distances less than a collisional mean free path from the meteoroid surface, the plasma density drops in proportion to 1/R where R is the distance from the meteoroid center; and, at distances much longer than the meanāfreeāpath behind the meteoroid, the density diminishes at a rate proportional to 1/R2. The results of this paper should be used for modeling and analysis of radar head echoes.This work was supported by NSF grant AGS-1244842. (AGS-1244842 - NSF
Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Through E-region Turbulence: Anomalous Conductivities and Frictional Heating
Global magnetospheric MHD codes using ionospheric conductances based on
laminar models systematically overestimate the cross-polar cap potential during
storm time by up to a factor of two. At these times, strong DC electric fields
penetrate to the E region and drive plasma instabilities that create
turbulence. This plasma density turbulence induces non-linear currents, while
associated electrostatic field fluctuations result in strong anomalous electron
heating. These two effects will increase the global ionospheric conductance.
Based on the theory of non-linear currents developed in the companion paper,
this paper derives the correction factors describing turbulent conductivities
and calculates turbulent frictional heating rates. Estimates show that during
strong geomagnetic storms the inclusion of anomalous conductivity can double
the total Pedersen conductance. This may help explain the overestimation of the
cross-polar cap potentials by existing MHD codes. The turbulent conductivities
and frictional heating presented in this paper should be included in global
magnetospheric codes developed for predictive modeling of space weather.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, 2nd of two companion paper
Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Through E-region Turbulence 1: Energy Budget
During periods of intense geomagnetic activity, strong electric fields and
currents penetrate from the magnetosphere into high-latitude ionosphere where
they dissipate energy, form electrojets, and excite plasma instabilities in the
E-region ionosphere. These instabilities give rise to plasma turbulence which
induces non-linear currents and strong anomalous electron heating (AEH) as
observed by radars. These two effects can increase the global ionospheric
conductances. This paper analyzes the energy budget in the electrojet, while
the companion paper applies this analysis to develop a model of anomalous
conductivity and frictional heating useful in large-scale simulations and
models of the geospace environment. Employing first principles, this paper
proves for the general case an earlier conjecture that the source of energy for
plasma turbulence and anomalous heating equals the work by external field on
the non-linear current. Using a two-fluid model of an arbitrarily magnetized
plasma and the quasilinear approximation, this paper describes the energy
conversion process, calculates the partial sources of anomalous heating, and
reconciles the apparent contradiction between the inherently 2-D non-linear
current and the 3-D nature of AEH.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure; 1st of two companion paper
Propagation of gamma rays and production of free electrons in air
A new concept of remote detection of concealed radioactive materials has been
recently proposed \cite{Gr.Nusin.2010}-\cite{NusinSprangle}. It is based on the
breakdown in air at the focal point of a high-power beam of electromagnetic
waves produced by a THz gyrotron. To initiate the avalanche breakdown, seed
free electrons should be present in this focal region during the
electromagnetic pulse. This paper is devoted to the analysis of production of
free electrons by gamma rays leaking from radioactive materials. Within a
hundred meters from the radiation source, the fluctuating free electrons appear
with the rate that may exceed significantly the natural background ionization
rate. During the gyrotron pulse of about 10 microsecond length, such electrons
may seed the electric breakdown and create sufficiently dense plasma at the
focal region to be detected as an unambiguous effect of the concealed
radioactive material.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figure
Modeling Ionospheric Absorption Modified by Anomalous Heating During Substorms
Abstract. Riometers monitor the changes in ionospheric conductivity by measuring the absorption of very high frequency radio noise of galactic origin passing through the ionosphere. In this Letter the absorption of radio signals by a thin layer of ionospheric plasma, produced by ionization due to energetic precipitating electrons, is modeled by taking into account strong turbulent heating caused by instabilities. The precipitating electron population is obtained from a global MHD simulation of the magnetosphere, along with the electric fields which excite the Farley-Buneman instability and lead to turbulent electron heating. A comparison, the first of its kind, of the data from polar and sub-auroral riometers for the magnetic cloud event of January 10, 1997 shows good agreement. The ionospheric conductance modified by turbulent electron heating can be used to improve the magnetosphereionosphere coupling in the current global MHD models
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