Contains research objectives and reports on three research projects

Bitter, F.

Breeding, R. J.

Chapman, J. C.

Fiocco, G.

Grams, G. W.

Praddaude, H. C.

Urbanek, K.

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VI. GEOPHYSICSProf. F. Bitter R. J. Breeding G. W. GramsProf. G. Fiocco J. C. Chapman W. D. HalversonDr. T. Fohl A. J. Cohen H. C. KoonsDr. J. F. Waymouth J. B. DeWolf K. UrbanekR. J. DiGraziaRESEARCH OBJECTIVESThis group will be concerned with a variety of problems of geophysical interest,including laboratory investigations of the properties of matter and radiation underextreme conditions. The present program includes three principal projects.1. Van Allen Radiation BeltsTheoretical and experimental investigations of the properties of low-density plasmasin homogeneous magnetic fields and in the magnetic field of a dipole will continue.Methods for making measurements both in the laboratory and in space, as well as modelexperiments on the interaction of the solar wind with the earth' s magnetosphere, havebeen started. Results of the past year's work include theoretical and experimentalinvestigations of the interpretation of Langmuir probe measurements under unusual con-ditions; an experimental investigation of positive column instabilities in a longitudinalmagnetic field; and a theoretical investigation of Coulomb scattering matrix elementsin the presence of a magnetic field.F. Bitter, G. Fiocco2. Ultrahigh Magnetic FieldsThe production of magnetic fields in the multimillion gauss range by explosive fluxcompression have been reported by Fowler, Garn, and Caird from the Los AlamosScientific Laboratory (J. Appl. Phys. 31, 588 (1960)) and others. The extension of thiswork to even higher fields and under conditions better suited to experimentation requiresthe production of more flux for the explosion to compress than has heretofore been avail-able. The technical problems involved in producing up to 1 weber of flux in a metalcylinder of 8-12 inches diameter have been studied, and we hope to test some of resultingproposals experimentally at the National Magnet Laboratory. Of particular geophysicalinterest is the possibility of using such high magnetic fields to help in the study of matterunder the very great pressures that can be achieved only by focused explosions.F. Bitter3. Optical Investigation of the Upper AtmosphereDuring the past year, studies of the Earth' s atmosphere by optical radar have con-tinued. Profiles of the aerosol layers at 20 km and above have been obtained routinely,and have been correlated with other upper atmospheric phenomena. Two optical radarunits were taken to Alaska and to Sweden during the summer to observe noctilucentclouds. The research in this area will continue. We aim to improve the data-handlingcapability of the apparatus and are considering the possibility of installing an opticalradar on an airplane for noctilucent cloud investigations. Studies of Raman scatteringhave been pursued.We plan to extend our work in sofne of the following directions: development of ahigh-resolution spectrograph to resolve, by Doppler techniques, the high-velocity struc-ture of the upper atmospheric winds; laboratory studies of the interaction of a laserbeam with gases, including scattering and ionization phenomena; design of satelliteQPR No. 76(VI. GEOPHYSICS)instrumentation for the study of interplanetary dust and the counterglow; and studies ofthe nightglow.G. FioccoA. COULOMB SCATTERING IN A MAGNETIC FIELD - MATRIX ELEMENTCALCULATIONSThe general problem of interest here is the behavior of one charged particle(charge q, mass m) as it moves by another charged particle (the scatterer, of charge Qand mass M > m so that it can be assumed to be at rest), both particles being located ina uniform magnetic field B. The problem has been approached quantum mechanically;in particular, scattering has been considered in the limit of the Born approxima-tion. The incoming and outgoing particle states that appear in the computation of thematrix element of the Coulomb potential were represented by the eigenfunctions of aspinless free electron in a uniform magnetic field (Landau states). A first approxi-mation, obtained previously by other authors, has been obtained in a simpler way. Inorder to assess its validity, we have been able to reduce the complicated radial integralto a much simpler form from which rapidly convergent series expansions can be obtained.Further work, including numerical evaluation of the matrix elements, is in progress.J. C. Chapman, H. C. PraddaudeB. OPTICAL RADAR RESULTS AND IONOSPHERIC SPORADIC EResults, obtained by using an optical radar technique, of echoes from atmosphericconstituents, presumably dust, at 60-140 km heights, have been reported previously byFiocco and Smullin. The echoes are often localized between heights below 100 km andbetween 110 km and 140 km. The upper echoes and the presence of the minimum in themeasured crossed section between 100 km and 110 km have been interpreted as beingdue to meteoric fragmentation. The same data utilized in that discussion have nowbeen correlated with the presence of Ionospheric Sporadic E. Optical radar observa-tions made during thirteen nights in the summer of 1963 at Lexington, Massachusetts,have been compared with results obtained by the ionospheric sounder operated byLincoln Laboratory at Millstone Hill during the same period. The distance between thetwo stations is approximately 25 km.A paper giving an analysis of the results of these observations has been submittedfor publication to the Journal of Geophysical Research.G. FioccoReferences1. G. Fiocco and L. D. Smullin, Detection of scattering layers in the upper atmos-phere (60-140 Km) by optical radar, Nature 199, 1275 (1963).2. G. Fiocco and G. Colombo, Optical radar results and meteoric fragmentation,J. Geophys. Res. 69, 1795 (1964).QPR No. 76(VI. GEOPHYSICS)C. OBSERVATIONS OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE BY OPTICAL RADARIN ALASKA AND SWEDEN (PART I)During the past summer, two optical radar units were taken to Alaska and to Swedento make observations of the upper atmospjere at latitudes where noctilucent clouds mightbe visible. The unit in Alaska was installed at the Ester Dome Observatory of the Geo-physical Institute of the University of Alaska (geographical coordinates 64 053'N,148 3'W). (See Fig. VI-1.) It was in operation from 24 July to 31 August 1964. Theunit in Sweden, which was mounted in a trailer borrowed from the National Aeronauticsand Space Administration, was stationed at Olands Skogsby (56 0 38'N, 16 0 31'E) from15 July to 31 July 1964 and at Torsta, As, Jamtland (63015'N, 14'33'E) from 5 Augustto 27 August 1964. The longitudinal coordinates of the two stations differ by 1650 so thatthe stations were almost as far apart as possible at these latitudes.Because optical radar observations require a dark sky background to obtain a reason-able signal-to-noise ratio, a mobile unit was used in Sweden so that observations couldbe started at lower latitudes where there are longer periods of darkness.It was of special interest to make observations during the nights on which rocketexperiments were carried out at Kronogird, Sweden (66 0 N, 17'E). These experimentswere designed to measure the temperature and wind velocity at the mesopause and tosample the particular content of the noctilucent clouds. (These rocket experiments werecarried out by scientists of the Swedish Space Committee, the National Aeronautics andSpace Administration, and the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories.)Throughout the summer, networks of stations were maintained in both Sweden andAlaska to observe noctilucent clouds. These networks were organized by the GeophysicalInstitute of the University of Alaska, and the Institute of Meteorology of the University ofStockholm.The apparatus used in Alaska incorporated an RCA Q-switched ruby-laser head thatemitted uplses of approximately 1/2 joule with a wavelength of 6843 A and a duration of-I50 nanoseconds at a p.r.f. of 0. 1 sec- . The 3-inch ruby rod and the elliptical cavitywere cooled by dry nitrogen which had passed through a coil immersed in liquid nitrogen.We modified the EG & G FX 47A (3-inch arc length) flashtube used in the laser forcooling with distilled water. A refracting telescope with a focal length of 1 meter wasused to collimate the outgoing radiation; a synchronized rotating shutter was incorpor-ated into the transmitting unit to prevent the emission of fluorescent light and residualflashlamp light after the pulse had been emitted.The receiving unit consisted of a Newtonian telescope of 30-cm aperture, an inter-ference filter of 3 A bandwidth, an EMI 9558A photomultiplier tube cooled by the samenitrogen that cooled the laser cavity, and a synchronized rotating shutter, which wasincluded to prevent exposing the photometer to the intense return obtained fromQPR No. 76Fig. VI-1. View of the apparatus installed at the Ester Dome Observatory,College, Alaska.BPA3PACE ADMINISTRA... -SHT' CENTER" BRANCH!AILER NO.2Fig. VI-2. Trailer with optical radar at Torsta, Sweden.QPR No. 76d:r---- , L , :------- c---(VI. GEOPHYSICS)scattering at short distances.The apparatus taken to Sweden incorporated our 40-cm Cassegrainian receiving tele-scope and a laser unit built by Applied Laser, Inc. This laser unit was ordinarily usedto deliver approximately 1. 5 joule pulses of duration shorter than 1 p1sec at a p.r.f. of0.2 sec-1. It had ruby rod of 90 orientation, 6. 5 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter.The ruby flashlamp (EG & G FX 67A) and the elliptical cavity were cooled by closed cir-culation of distilled water. The Q switching was achieved by a rotating prism, and theoutput of the laser was collimated by a telescope with a focal length of 1 meter.The receiver included an interference filter of 6 Abandwidth,and an EMI 9558QAphotomultiplier cooled by methanol and dry ice. Synchronized rotating shutters werepart of both the transmitter and the receiver.30 H-z0uZOcL0O 2010 F--I I I I I I I I I I I I I I40 60 80 10HEIGHT (km)Fig. VI-3. Summary of observations takenat Torsta, Sweden.The optical radar systems werezenith-oriented during operation. Visi-bility conditions were less than satisfac-tory a great deal of the time in Alaska,and also in Sweden. Precipitation wasnot uncommon, and cirrus or lowerclouds were often present. On a fewoccasions noctilucent clouds were seenlow near the horizon, at a distance ofseveral hundred kilometers. On the dayof our arrival in Olands, 15 July 1964, avery strong display was visible overheadand toward the South, but the apparatuswas not operational. Thus all of ourmeasurements were made when noctilu-cent clouds were not visible overhead.A summary of observations taken atTorsta on 17 August 1964 from 0h37 m tolh47m U.T. is given in Fig. VI-3. Thetotal photodetection count accumulatedduring that period of time is shown.Echoes are evident in the region between80 km and 88 km. During these obser-vations, weak noctilucent clouds werevisible on the horizon and a rocket wasfired from Kronogard.From our data we estimate theaverage optical thickness of the layerQPR No. 76(VI. GEOPHYSICS)overhead to be approximately 4 X 10-5. Since some of the data taken during the pastsummer remain to be analyzed, a detailed discussion of the results cannot be presentedin this report.These experiments would not have been possible without the support and encourage-ment of many agencies and individuals. We thank the Geophysical Institute, the Universityof Alaska, and the Meteorological Institute of the University of Stockholm for theirhospitality and help in planning. The trailer was kindly lent by the Sounding RocketBranch, Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,and the Meteor Physics Group, Geophysics Research Directorate, Air Force CambridgeResearch Laboratories, Bedford, Massachusetts, was very helpful in arranging fortransportation of the trailer.G. Fiocco, G. Grams, K. Urbanek, R. J. BreedingQPR No. 76

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