Observations of Low Frequency Solar Radio Bursts from the Rosse Solar-Terrestrial Observatory

The Rosse Solar-Terrestrial Observatory (RSTO; www.rosseobservatory.ie) was established at Birr Castle, Co. Offaly, Ireland (53 05'38.9", 7 55'12.7") in 2010 to study solar radio bursts and the response of the Earth's ionosphere and geomagnetic field. To date, three Compound Astronomical Low-cost Low-frequency Instrument for Spectroscopy and Transportable Observatory (CALLISTO) spectrometers have been installed, with the capability of observing in the frequency range 10-870 MHz. The receivers are fed simultaneously by biconical and log-periodic antennas. Nominally, frequency spectra in the range 10-400 MHz are obtained with 4 sweeps per second over 600 channels. Here, we describe the RSTO solar radio spectrometer set-up, and present dynamic spectra of a sample of Type II, III and IV radio bursts. In particular, we describe fine-scale structure observed in Type II bursts, including band splitting and rapidly varying herringbone features

Electro-Magnetic Earthquake Bursts and Critical Rupture of Peroxy Bond Networks in Rocks

We propose a mechanism for the low frequency electromagnetic emissions and other electromagnetic phenomena which have been associated with earthquakes. The mechanism combines the critical earthquake concept and the concept of crust acting as a charging electric battery under increasing stress. The electric charges are released by activation of dormant charge carriers in the oxygen anion sublattice, called peroxy bonds or positive hole pairs (PHP), where a PHP represents an $O_3X/^{OO}\backslash YO_3$ with $X,Y = Si^{4+}, Al^{3+}...$, i.e. an $O^-$ in a matrix of $O^{2-}$ of silicates. We propose that PHP are activated by plastic deformations during the slow cooperative build-up of stress and the increasingly correlated damage culminating in a large ``critical'' earthquake. Recent laboratory experiments indeed show that stressed rocks form electric batteries which can release their charge when a conducting path closes the equivalent electric circuit. We conjecture that the intermittent and erratic occurrences of EM signals are a consequence of the progressive build-up of the battery charges in the Earth crust and their erratic release when crack networks are percolating throughout the stressed rock volumes, providing a conductive pathway for the battery currents to discharge. EM signals are thus expected close to the rupture, either slightly before or after, that is, when percolation is most favored.Comment: 17 pages with 3 figures, extended discussion with 1 added figure and 162 references. The new version provides both a synthesis of two theories and a review of the fiel

Monitoring spatial and temporal variations in the dayside plasmasphere using geomagnetic field line resonances

It is well known that the resonant frequency of geomagnetic field lines is determined by the magnetic field and plasma density. We used cross-phase and related methods to determine the field line resonance frequency across 2.4≤<L≤4.5 in the Northern Hemisphere at 78°–106° magnetic longitude and centered on L=2.8 in the Southern Hemisphere at 226° magnetic longitude, for several days in October and November 1990. The temporal and spatial variation in plasma mass density was thus determined and compared with VLF whistler measurements of electron densities at similar times and locations. The plasma mass loading was estimated and found to be low, corresponding to 5–10% He+ on the days examined. The plasma mass density is described by a law of the form (R/Req)−p, where p is in the range 3–6 but shows considerable temporal variation, for example, in response to changes in magnetic activity. Other features that were observed include diurnal trends such as the sunrise enhancement in plasma density at low latitudes, latitude-dependent substorm refilling effects, shelves in the plasma density versus L profile, and a longitudinal asymmetry in plasma density. We can also monitor motion of the plasmapause across the station array. Properties of the resonance were examined, including the resonance size, Q, and damping. Finally, we note the appearance of fine structure in power spectra at these latitudes, suggesting that magnetospheric waveguide or cavity modes may be important in selecting wave frequencies