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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Kinetic Modeling Of Ionospheric Outflows Observed By The Visions-1 Sounding Rocket, Robert M. Albarran Ii
Kinetic Modeling Of Ionospheric Outflows Observed By The Visions-1 Sounding Rocket, Robert M. Albarran Ii
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
Plasma escape from the high-latitude ionosphere (ion outflow) serves as a significant source of heavy plasma to magnetospheric plasma sheet and ring current regions. Outflows alter mass density and reconnection rates, hence global responses of the magnetosphere. The VISIONS-1 (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm) sounding rocket was launched on Feb. 7, 2013 at 8:21 UTC from Poker Flat, Alaska, into an auroral substorm with the objective of identifying the drivers and dynamics of nightside ion outflow at altitudes where it is initiated, below 1000 km. Energetic ion data from the VISIONS-1 polar cap boundary crossing …
Mms Observations Of The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability And Associated Ion Scale Waves, Rachel C. Rice
Mms Observations Of The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability And Associated Ion Scale Waves, Rachel C. Rice
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
The detailed mechanisms coupling the solar wind to Earth's magnetosphere are not yet fully understood. Solar wind plasma is heated non-adiabatically as it penetrates the magnetosphere, and this process must span scale sizes. Reconnection alone is not able to account for the observed heating; other mechanisms must be at work. One potential process is the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The KHI is a convective instability which operates at the fluid scale in plasmas, but is capable of driving secondary process at smaller scales. Previous work has shown evidence of magnetic reconnection, various ion scale wave modes, mode conversion, and turbulence associated …
Proton Aurora At Mars: Assessing The Characteristics, Variability, And Driving Mechanisms Of A Newly Discovered Phenomenon, Andréa C.G. Hughes
Proton Aurora At Mars: Assessing The Characteristics, Variability, And Driving Mechanisms Of A Newly Discovered Phenomenon, Andréa C.G. Hughes
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
The purpose of this doctoral research dissertation is to develop a deeper understanding of the phenomenology, variability and driving processes of proton aurora at Mars. Proton aurora are the most recently discovered of the three types of Martian aurora. Due to Mars’ lack of a global dipole magnetic field, the formation processes of Martian proton aurora are uniquely different than aurora on Earth. Martian proton aurora are expected to form on the planet’s dayside via electron stripping/charge exchange processes between solar wind protons and the neutral hydrogen corona. Herein, I present the results of a study of proton aurora at …
Astrodynamics Of The Next Generation Space Weather Prediction Mission, Mark Herring
Astrodynamics Of The Next Generation Space Weather Prediction Mission, Mark Herring
Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses
Accurate prediction of the solar wind properties, interplanetary magnetic field direction and various space weather phenomena becomes ever more important as our dependence on Earth orbiting spacecraft increases. Different solar wind drivers can lead both to enhancements and losses of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belts, thus posing a major risk to satellites. To further our understanding of the Sun’s impact on the near Earth space environment, as well as to provide predictive capabilities, a mission placing monitoring satellites in key orbits in the inner Solar System is being proposed. As part of that effort, the possibility of using …