Study of plasmasphere dynamics using incoherent scatter data from Chatanika, Alaska radar facility

Results of the study of Chatanika incoherent scatter radar data and Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory satellite data are reported. Specific topics covered include: determination of the effective recombination coefficient in the auroral E region; determination of the location of the auroral oval; auroral boundary characteristics; and the relationship of auroral current systems, particle precipitation, visual aurora, and radar aurora

A multi-satellite study of the nature of wavelike structures in the magnetospheric plasma

An intercomparison is made of the wavelike structures in the data from the light ion mass spectrometer and the fluxgate magnetometer on OGO 5. The wavelike structures appear simultaneously in the data from both experiments. The waves contain both transverse and compressional modes and exhibit periods of 100 to 200 seconds. The waves are usually observed outside the plasmapause and are located primarily on the dayside of the magnetosphere. One possible cause of the apparent density fluctuation is a velocity modulation of the thermal plasma which causes the particles to drift into and out of the ion spectrometer

Low-energy particle radiation environment at synchronous altitude

The degradation of thermal control coatings of satellites due to the effects of low energy charged particles in the space environment is discussed. Data obtained from ATS-5 satellite measurement of proton and electron fluxes are presented. The variations in electron density, proton density, and magnetic activity are presented to show correlations which exist between these space factors

A cometary ion mass spectrometer

The development of flight suitable analyzer units for that part of the GIOTTO Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS) experiment designated the High Energy Range Spectrometer (HERS) is discussed. Topics covered include: design of the total ion-optical system for the HERS analyzer; the preparation of the design of analyzing magnet; the evaluation of microchannel plate detectors and associated two-dimensional anode arrays; and the fabrication and evaluation of two flight-suitable units of the complete ion-optical analyzer system including two-dimensional imaging detectors and associated image encoding electronics

A study of ion composition and dynamics at Comet Halley

This report details the participation by Lockheed co-investigators in the reduction, analysis, and interpretation of data obtained by the Ion Mass Spectrometer onboard the Giotto mission to Comet Halley. The data analysis activities and much of the scientific collaboration was shared by this team. One objective of the effort under this contract was to use data obtained by the Giotto Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS) during the encounter with comet Halley for the purpose of advancing our understanding of the chemistry and physics of the interaction of the solar wind with comets and obtaining new information on the comet's composition. An additional objective was to make this unique data set available in a format which can be easily used by the reset of the cometary science community for other analysis in the future. The IMS has two sensors: the High Intensity Spectrometer (HIS) and the High Energy Range Spectrometer (HERS)

Composition of the hot plasma near geosynchronous altitude

Although there were no direct measurements of the composition of the hot (keV) plasma at geosynchronous altitudes, the combination of other observations leads to the conclusion that, at least during geomagnetically disturbed periods, there are significant fluxes of ions heavier than protons in this region. Ion composition measurements below 8000 km altitude show upward streaming fluxes of both O(+) and H(+) ions in the L-region of the geosynchronous orbit. These observations are consistent with the conclusion that at least a portion of the total ion fluxes observed at geosynchronous altitude to be highly peaked near the magnetic field lines are heavier than protons and originate in the ionosphere