Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Auroral electrons'

Inertial Alfvén waves occur in plasmas where the Alfvén speed is greater than the electron thermal speed and the scale of wave field structure across the background magnetic field is comparable to the electron skin depth. Such waves have an electric field aligned with the background magnetic field that can accelerate electrons. It is likely that electrons are accelerated by inertial Alfvén waves in the auroral magnetosphere and contribute to the generation of auroras. While rocket and satellite measurements show a high level of coincidence between inertial Alfvén waves and auroral activity, definitive measurements of electrons being accelerated by inertial Alfvén waves are lacking. Continued uncertainty stems from the difficulty of making a conclusive interpretation of measurements from spacecraft flying through a complex and transient process. A laboratory experiment can avoid some of the ambiguity contained in spacecraft measurements. Experiments have been performed in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA. Inertial Alfvén waves were produced while simultaneously measuring the suprathermal tails of the electron distribution function. Measurements of the distribution function use resonant absorption of whistler mode waves. During a burst of inertial Alfvén waves, the measured portion of the distribution function oscillates at the Alfvén wave frequency. The phase space response of the electrons is well-described by a linear solution to the Boltzmann equation. Experiments have been repeated using electrostatic and inductive Alfvén wave antennas. The oscillation of the distribution function is described by a purely Alfvénic model when the Alfvén wave is produced by the inductive antenna. However, when the electrostatic antenna is used, measured oscillations of the distribution function are described by a model combining Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic effects. Indications of a nonlinear interaction between electrons and inertial Alfvén waves are present in recent data.

Les principaux phénomènes régissant la dynamique des plasmas spatiaux, que ce soit l'accélération des particules chargées, la reconnection magnétique ou la dissipation turbulente de l'énergie électromagnétique, sont de nature multi-échelle. Afin de comprendre leur rôle dans le fonctionnement du système Soleil-Terre, que ce soit dans le vent solaire, à la magnétopause ou dans la magnétosphère terrestre, il est indispensable de développer une instrumentation à la fois compacte et performante qui permette le déploiement de constellations de satellites. Cependant, les instruments de référence utilisés pour mesurer la distribution en énergie des particules chargées ont un champ de vue limité. L'ajout de systèmes de déflection électrostatique contourne cette limitation avec l'inconvénient d'alourdir ces instruments, de ralentir leur cadence de mesure et finalement de réduire leur performance. La multiplication des capteurs est alors nécessaire pour recouvrir les performances souhaitées, avec un impact sur le dimensionnement des satellites et finalement sur le nombre de satellites pouvant être déployés. La caractérisation des flux de particules chargées pour l'étude de la météorologie de l'espace souffre des mêmes limitations, celle-ci étant réalisée avec des instruments compacts et au champ de vue limité.La première étape de ce projet de recherche a consisté à développer une méthode de conception d'une nouvelle gamme de spectromètres plasmas qui dépassent ces limitations. Les spectromètres étudiés reposent sur une topologie torique innovante, offrant un champ de vue hémisphérique instantané qui évite l'utilisation de déflecteurs électrostatiques. Leur système de détection planaire font d'eux de véritables caméras plasmas. Les méthodes développées ont permis la génération numérique et la caractérisation par simulation d'un large éventail de caméras plasmas avec différentes résolutions angulaires et qui pourraient répondre à ces besoins scientifiques variés.Un modèle d'instrument répondant aux enjeux de météorologie de l'espace à ensuite été conçu avec une gamme en énergie allant jusqu'à 22 keV. Il possède une capacité duale de détection ions/électrons qui évite l'utilisation de capteurs différents pour la mesure des électrons et pour celle des ions. Destiné à être embarqué sur nanosatellite, il présente une masse de 1,8 kg et un diamètre de 19 cm. Un procédé de fabrication par impression 3D, et de fonctionnalisation du matériau imprimé a été défini et mis en œuvre. Un système de conversion ions/électrons utilisant des feuilles de carbone et permettant l'utilisation duale de cette caméra plasma a également été mis au point. Un instrument intégrant l'optique électrostatique et un système de détection dual simplifié a ensuite été testé sous faisceau d'électrons afin d'obtenir des réponses expérimentales précises en énergie et en angle. Les tests sous faisceau ont montré un comportement très proche de la simulation, renforçant ainsi la confiance dans la modélisation numérique. Le fonctionnement du système de conversion a été testé sous faisceau d'électrons et d'ions. L'une des perspectives à court terme de cette thèse est le développement, avec le soutien du CNES, d'un modèle complet de cette caméra plasma afin de rendre possible la démonstration en vol de cet instrument dédié à la météorologie de l'espace
Key phenomena governing the dynamics of space plasmas - including charged particle acceleration, magnetic reconnection and the turbulent dissipation of electromagnetic energy - are multi-scale in nature. In order to understand their role in the Sun-Earth relationship, whether in the solar wind, at the magnetopause or in the Earth's magnetosphere, it is essential to develop instrumentation that is both compact and high-performance, enabling the deployment of satellite constellations. However, the reference instruments used to measure the energy distribution of charged particles have a limited field of view. Adding electrostatic deflection systems circumvents this limitation, with the disadvantage of making these instruments heavier, slowing down their measurement rate, and therefore reducing their performance. In this case, more sensors are needed to achieve the desired performance, impacting satellite size and, ultimately, the number of satellites that can be deployed. The characterization of charged particle fluxes for studying space weather, conducted using compact instruments with a limited field of view, faces the same limitations.The first step in this research project was to develop a method for designing a new range of plasma spectrometers that overcome these limitations. These spectrometers are based on an innovative toroidal topology, offering an instantaneous hemispherical field of view that eliminates the need for electrostatic deflectors. Their planar detection system makes them true plasma cameras. The methods developed have enabled the numerical generation and characterization by simulating a wide range of plasma cameras with different angular resolutions that could meet these various scientific needs.A model instrument was then designed to meet the challenges of space weather applications, with an energy range of up to 22 keV. It features dual ion/electron detection capability, avoiding the need for separate sensors for electron and ion measurements. Intended for nanosatellites, it has a mass of 1.8 kg and a diameter of 19 cm. A 3D-printing manufacturing process and functionalization of the material have been defined and implemented. An ion/electron conversion system using carbon foils, enabling dual use of this plasma camera, has also been developed. An instrument integrating the electrostatic optics and a simplified dual detection system has been tested under an electron beam to obtain precise experimental responses in terms of energy and angle. The beam tests showed behavior very close to the simulation, reinforcing confidence in the numerical modeling. The principle of the conversion system was tested under electron and ion beams. One of the short-term prospects of this thesis is the development, with the support of CNES, of a complete model of this plasma camera, with the aim to demonstrate in orbit the performances of this instrument dedicated to space weather applications

Ganymede, one of Jupiters moons, differs from other moons in the Solar System as it has its own magnetic field. This rare property shapes the morphology on the existing far ultraviolet oxygen auroral ovals on the celestial body in the northern and southern hemisphere created by high energy electrons colliding into the atmosphere.With the help of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) this phenomenon has been captured and analyzed multiple times during the past 20 years using the on-board Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). The ultimate goal of this project is recreating the far ultraviolet oxygen auroral emissions on Ganymede as a 3D computer model in MATLAB by using the data recovered from HST.The method used to reach this goal was to implement a model with main characteristics of the auroral ovals, project it onto a plane and then use a Cauchy distribution to filter the model. To compare the model with images from HST, a χ2-value was calculated for every pixel in each image. To further improvethe model the Nelder-Mead Simplex optimization method was applied.The project succeeded in such a way that the final model created views of the locations and the appearance of the bright spots that represent the auroral ovals around Ganymede with an accurate result in relation to the given data.

Over the last fifty years, a multitude of spacecraft and rocket experiments have studied plasma wave emissions from Earth's auroral regions. One such emission is auroral hiss, a low-frequency whistler-mode wave that is produced in the auroral zone. Observations from Earth-orbiting spacecraft show that auroral hiss is generated by field-aligned electron beams, with the resulting plasma wave emission propagating along the resonance cone. This propagation results in auroral hiss appearing as a V-shaped funnel when observed on a frequency-time spectrogram. This thesis presents the first comprehensive study of auroral hiss at a planet other than Earth, using the Cassini spacecraft to study auroral hiss at Saturn. NASA's Cassini spacecraft, currently in orbit around Saturn, has allowed for the first opportunity to study this emission in detail at another planet. Since 2006, the Cassini spacecraft has twice been in a series of high inclination orbits, allowing investigation and measurements of Saturnian auroral phenomena. During this time, the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) Investigation on Cassini detected low frequency whistler mode emissions propagating upward along the auroral field lines, much like terrestrial auroral hiss. Comparisons of RPWS data with observations from several other Cassini instruments, including the Dual-Technique Magnetometer (MAG), Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI), and the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS), have revealed a complete picture of this emission at Saturn. Observations from these instruments have been used to make a variety of determinations about auroral hiss at Saturn. RPWS has only observed this emission when Cassini was at high-latitudes, although these observations have shown no preference for local time. Tracking the times this emission has been observed revealed a clear periodicity in the emission. Further study later revealed not one but two rotational modulations, one in each hemisphere, rotating at rates of 813.9 and 800.7 degrees per day in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. These rates match with observations of the clock-like Saturn Kilometric Radiation. Study of the field-aligned current structures in the auroral regions revealed a strong upward-directed current in both hemispheres on the lower-latitude side of the auroral hiss emission. Along with correlating particle densities, these observations were used to infer the presence of a high-density plasmasphere at low latitudes, with the series of field-aligned current structures lining up with the outer boundary at L-shell values of around 12-15. Analysis of electron beams observed in conjunction with auroral hiss shows that these beams produce large growth rates for whistler-mode waves propagating along the resonance cone, similar to terrestrial auroral hiss. Analytical calculation of the normalized growth rates of ten electron beam events on Day 291, 2008, yielded a wide range of growth rates, from 0.004 to over 6.85 times the real frequency. The latter, a non-physical result, came from a violation of the weak growth approximation, suggesting there was so much growth that the analytical calculation was not valid in this instance. Numerical calculation using a plasma dispersion-solving code called WHAMP produced a growth rate of about 0.3, a still very large number, suggesting the detected beams may be the source of the observed auroral hiss plasma wave emission.

Aurora, emissões geradas por colisões entre elétrons energéticos e partículas atmosféricas, é frequentemente observada na região polar. Embora muito se sabe sobre a aurora, ainda existem inúmeras questões sem respostas. Por exemplo, não se conhece qual a fonte das partículas energéticas ou por quais processos tais partículas são energizadas. A compreensão do comportamento da aurora é um problema científico importante porque provê informação sobre os processos que ocorrem durante a interação vento solar-magnetosfera. A zona auroral é significantemente afetada por tempestades magnéticas e subtempestades. Ocasionalmente, tempestades magnéticas exibem fase de recuperação longa que pode perdurar por vários dias. Durante tais eventos, os eletrojatos aurorais podem apresentar atividade de longa duração e alta intensidade. Esses eventos são conhecidos como eventos HILDCAA (\textit{High Intensity Long Duration Continuous AE Activity}). A potência injetada na magnetosfera/ionosfera, carregada por precipitação de elétrons, é um importante parâmetro que pode ser estimado pelo instrumento \textit{Ultraviolet Imager} (UVI) a bordo do satélite Polar. Esse instrumento monitora a morfologia espacial e a evolução temporal da aurora na faixa do ultravioleta distante em ambas condições de luz e escuridão. Aplicando as correções necessárias ao instrumento e a remoção de \textit{dayglow}, é possível calcular a energia que chega à zona auroral. Nosso objetivo é obter informação quantitativa sobre a fonte de energia de tempestades magnéticas com longa (LRP) e curta (SRP) fase de recuperação, estimando a quantidade de energia de precipitação depositada. A energia de precipitação foi encontrada altamente variável para eventos LRP. Uma significante entrada de energia durante longas fases de recuperação de tempestades magnéticas implica em fonte de energia adicional para manter a atividade magnética no eletrojato auroral, o qual acredita-se estar relacionado com flutuações de velocidade e do campo magnético do vento solar. Por outro lado, o campo magnético interplanetário IMF permaneceu na direção sul por algum tempo em eventos SRP. Todos os resultados sugerem que os eventos LRP poderiam ser uma consequência de um sistema conduzido pelo vento solar e os eventos SRP seriam associados a processos de descarregamento de energia.
Aurora, light emissions generated by collisions between energetic electrons and atmospheric particles, is often seen in the polar region. Although much is known about the aurora, there are still many questions unanswered. For example, it is not well known what is the source of the energetic particles or by what processes the particles are energized. Understanding the behavior of the aurora is an important scientific problem because it provides information about the processes occurring during the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction. The auroral zone is significantly affected by magnetic storms and substorms. Occasionally, magnetic storms exhibit a long recovery phase which can last for several days. During such events, the auroral electrojet can display high-intensity, long duration activity. These events are known as HILDCAA events (High Intensity Long Duration Continuous AE Activity). The power input to the magnetosphere/ionosphere carried by precipitating electrons is an important parameter which can be estimated by the Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) on board the Polar satellite. This instrument monitors the spatial morphology and temporal evolution of the aurora in the far ultraviolet range in both sunlight and darkness. Applying the necessary instrument corrections and the dayglow removal, it is possible to evaluate the energy coming into the auroral zone. Our goal is to obtain quantitative information about the energy source for magnetic storms with long (LRP) and short (SRP) recovery phases by estimating the amount of precipitation energy input. Precipitation energy has been found highly variable for LRP. A significant energy input during long storm recovery phases implies additional energy source to maintain the magnetic activity in the auroral electrojet which is believed to be related to the fluctuating solar wind magnetic field and velocity. On the other hand, IMF (interplanetary magnetic field) remained southward for a while in SRP events. All the results suggest LRP could be a consequence of a solar wind driven system and SRP would be associated to an energy unloading process.

The auroral density cavity constitutes the boundary between the cold, dense ionospheric plasma and the hot, tenuous plasma sheet plasma. The auroral density cavity is characterized by low electron density and particle populations modified by parallel electric fields. Inside the cavity the electron densities can be as much as a factor 100-1000 lower than same altitude outside the cavity.The Cluster mission's wide range of instruments, long lifetime and ability to make multi-spacecraft observations has been very successful. Over its 15 year lifespan, the Cluster satellites have gathered data on auroral density cavities over a large altitude range and throughout an entire solar cycle, providing a vast data material.The extent of the density cavity and acceleration region is large compared to the typical altitude coverage of a satellite crossing the cavity. This makes it difficult to produce a comprehensive altitude/density profile from a single crossing. In order to facilitate comparisons between data from different events, we introduce a new reference frame, pseudo altitude. Pseudo altitude describes the satellites' position relative to the acceleration region, as opposed to relative to the Earth. This pseudo altitude is constructed by dividing the parallel potential drop below the satellite with the total parallel potential drop. A pseudo altitude of 0 corresponds to the bottom of the acceleration region and a pseudo altitude of 1 to the top of the acceleration region. As expected, the pseudo altitude increases with altitude. The electron density exhibits an anti-correlation with the pseudo altitude, the density becomes lower close to the upper edge of the acceleration region. The upper edge of the acceleration region is located between a geocentric altitude of 4.375 and 5.625 RE. Above the upper edge of the acceleration region, the electron density continues to decrease for the entire range of the study, 3.0-6.5 RE. This is much further than the geocentric altitude range of 2-3 RE which is suggested by previous models. We can conclude that the auroral density cavity is not confined by the auroral acceleration region, as suggested by previous models, and may extend all the way to the plasma sheet.

QC 20151102

A VHDL evaluation platform and interface to the Xilinx Aurora 8b/10b IP has been designed, tested and evaluated. The evaluation platform takes an arbitrary amount of data sources and sends the data over 1,2,4 or 8 multi gigabit serial lanes, using the Aurora 8b/10b protocol. A lightweight communications protocol for point-to-point data transfer, error detection and recovery is used to maintain a reliable and efficient transmission scheme. Priority between sources sharing the serial link is also a part of the platform. The Aurora 8b/10b IP is a lightweight protocol and transceiver interface for Xilinx FPGAs, based on the 8b/10b line encoding protocol. In addition, a demonstration PCB has been developed to introduce the Kintex-7 FPGA to future products at SAAB Dynamics.

L'objet de notre étude est la dynamique des plasmas collisionnels soumis à un champ électrique aligné au champ magnétique en bordure d'aurore. De fortes densités de courant aligné ont été mises en évidence à la fois par des modèles électrodynamiques et des mesures satellites ou radars. Différents auteurs et différents types de travaux (expérimentaux ou de modélisation) montrent que les densités de courant peuvent atteindre des centaines de μA.m−2 en bordure des arcs auroraux. Ces densités de courant sont à l'origine de multiples phénomènes tels que : le chauffage du plasma ionosphérique, l'échappement des ions et le développement d'instabilités. Ces fortes densités de courant impliquent la présence d'un champ électrique parallèle qui peut entraîner des effets cinétiques tels que la création d'électrons runaway. L'étude des électrons runaway n'est pas nouvelle et intervient dans différents domaines tels que la fusion nucléaire, le chauffage de la couronne solaire ou les phénomènes lumineux transitoires tels que les sprites. Dans notre cas, nous nous intéressons à l'ionosphère terrestre où l'étude des électrons runaway est un sujet très novateur.
Ainsi, nous allons étudier la dynamique des électrons portant ces courants très intenses. Pour cela, nous considérons un ensemble d'électrons se déplaçant à travers un gaz ionosphérique d'ions et de neutres et soumis à un champ électrique aligné au champ magnétique. Nous avons développé un modèle cinétique de collisions, incluant les collisions électrons/électrons, électrons/ions et électrons/neutres. Nous utilisons une approche Fokker-Planck afin de décrire les collisions binaires entre les particules chargées (interactions à longue portée). L'opérateur de collisions comporte deux parties : l'équation de Langevin pour les collisions électrons/électrons et électrons/ions et la méthode de Monte-Carlo avec une approche "collision nulle" pour les collisions électrons/neutres. Nous donnons un exemple de retour à l'équilibre afin de tester ces opérateurs de collisions et d'étudier l'impact des différents termes (les collisions électrons/électrons et électrons/ions d'une part et les collisions électrons/neutres d'autre part).
Tout d'abord, nous considérons un champ électrique constant au cours du temps. Dans ce test, les électrons sont déplacés uniquement selon z, la direction parallèle au champ electrique et au champ magnétique. Nous constatons alors que les fonctions de distribution ne sont plus maxwelliennes et que des électrons runaway sont créés. Ces électrons représentent 20% de la densité totale et ce sont eux qui portent le courant. Cependant, nous remarquons que nous ne conservons pas la divergence du courant nulle.
Nous introduisons alors des modifications majeures telles qu'une rétroaction sur le champ électrique ou la résolution des équations fluides afin de tenir compte de l'évolution des moments de la fonction de distribution des ions. Nous observons que les fonctions de distribution des électrons restent non maxwelliennes. Des électrons suprathermiques sont créés et portent le courant. En effet, la population correspondant au coeur de la distribution reste au repos. Comme ces électrons subissent moins de collisions, ils augmentent la conductivité du plasma.
Enfin, nous avons réalisé une étude paramétrique afin d'étudier l'influence des divers paramètres d'entrée (densité de courant, densité électronique, temps de montée du courant...) sur les fonctions de distribution. Pour cela, nous ajustons deux maxwelliennes qui correspondent au coeur de la distribution et à la population suprathermique. Nous mettons en avant le fait que le temps de montée du courant, c'est-à-dire le temps nécessaire pour atteindre la valeur maximale du courant, est un paramètre clef. En effet, augmenter ce temps influe essentiellement sur les températures : la température moyenne des électrons, mais aussi celle des électrons de la population représentant le coeur de la distribution et de la population suprathermique. La densité de courant joue également un rôle primordial.Augmenter la densité de courant augmente l'ensemble des paramètres : la densité et la vitesse moyenne des électrons runaway et les températures électroniques des deux populations. L'étude sur la densité a révélé que, plus la densité électronique totale augmente, plus la température et la vitesse moyenne des électrons suprathermiques diminuent.

Pulsating aurora is low intensity aurora appearing in limited structures with quasiperiodicalmodulations in intensity. The highly energetic electron precipitation associatedwith pulsating aurora has been shown to cause chemical changes as far downas the mesosphere, causing ozone depletion. The drivers involved in generating pulsatingaurora are not fully known, and efforts have been made to model many of thesuggested mechanisms. In order to evaluate these results observational constraintson the temporal and spatial characteristics of pulsating aurora are necessary.Previous studies have noted that the pulsating area tends to decrease over timefrom studying single pulsating patches. This study examines a large set of all-skycamera data comprising approximately 400 image series with pulsating aurora fromthe MIRACLE network in northern Fennoscandia in order to determine the time dependenceof the average size and precipitation energy in pulsating aurora. The 20 stime resolution of the all-sky images makes it challenging to identify spatial boundariesof the pulsating structures whose periods have a typical range of 2-20 s. Twomethods are implemented here, with the same results showing a gradual decreasein average size. No relationship between UT and size is clear. The electron precipitationenergies are inferred from the peak emission height and 557,7 nm/427,8 nmintensity ratio, and seem not to be directly related pulsating structure size. Thepeak emission height shows a constant average energy following an initial increasefollowing the onset of the pulsating aurora, and the intensity ratio suggests a constantaverage electron precipitation energy.
Pulserande norrsken är ett ljussvagt norrsken som framträder i begränsade strukturermed kvasiperiodiska intensitetsförändringar. De nedfallande högenergetiskaelektronerna som är associerade med pulserande norrsken har visats påverka ozonkoncentrationeni mesosfären. De mekanismer som ligger bakom pulserande norrskenär inte fullständigt kända, och försök har gjorts för att modellera olika kandidatmekanismer.För att utvärdera resultaten av dessa är det viktigt att förstå detpulserande norrskenets grundläggande attribut.Tidigare studier har noterat att arean i en pulserande struktur sedd från markenverkar avta, ifrån att ha studerat enstaka strukturer. Denna studie undersöker en stormängd markbaserad kameradata innehållande ca 400 bildserier innehållande pulserandenorrsken från MIRACLE-nätverkets instrument i norra Finland och Sverige.Målet med studien är att undersöka hur den genomsnittliga storleken och partikelenergini pulserande norrsken utvecklas med tid. Bildseriernas tidsupplösning på20 s gör det svårt att identifiera pulserande strukturer med typiska perioder mellan2-20 s. Två skilda metoder används här för att identifiera pulserande strukturer.Båda metoderna resulterar i en nedåtgående trend för area som funktion av tid efterbildseriens början. Inget beroende på UT-tid är tydlig. Elektronenergierna indikerasindirekt av emissionshöjden samt förhållandet mellan intensitet i de gröna och blåemissionslinjerna och verkar inte vara direkt relaterad till strukturstorleken. Emissionshöjden visar på en konstant genomsnittlig elektronenergi efter en kort initialförhöjning, och det genomsnittliga intensitetsförhållandet hålls relativt konstant.

We study the variability of intensity of Io’s aurora asa function of Jupiter’s rotation measured in system III longitude.The far-ultraviolet intensity of Io’s aurora was measured by theHubble Space Telescope (HST) using the FUV-MAMA photondetector of the STIS. The data was processed using Matlab tofilter background and reflection, and account for the detector’soptical systems. Target regions of the detector were isolated forthe measurement of the OI(1356 ̊A) and SI(1479 ̊A) emissionsrespectively. By sampling photon detections within each emissionregion, we compute intensity reconstructions that we map tosystem III longitude. Curves were then fitted to the reconstruc-tions using a sinus fit. The results show two intensity peaks atsystem III longitudes (140±5)◦and (284±2)◦for both OIandSI. The difference in amplitude between the peaks are (38±6)%and (28±6)% for OIand SIrespectively. The asymmetriespeak intensities is possibly caused by the probability of excitingsulphur being higher than the probability of exciting sulphur.For a full explanation measurement of the oxygen to sulphurproportion in Ios atmosphere would be needed. We compare theresults to peaks of Io’s footprint on Jupiter measured by JUNOand other HST data sets. We find it likely that we confirm furthervariance in peak angle than reported in other research. This isespecially clear in the first intensity peak as it has a significantlylarger angle. Variability in Jupiter’s magnetic field and densityof the Jovian plasma torus is likely to explain peak angle andintensity variability, but further research is necessary to explainthe mechanisms in detail.
Vi studerar hur intensiteten av Ios aurora varierar i relation till Jupiters rotation mätt i system III longitud. Ios aurora mättes inom UVC området av Hubble Space Telescope (HST) med FUV-MAMA fotondetektorn. Matlab användes för att filtrera bort oönskade signaler som reflektion och bakgrund samt ta hänsyn till sensorns optiska system. Observationsområderna på sensorn konstruerades för mätningen av syre OI (1356Å ) och svavel SI (1479Å ) emissionerna. Genom att sampla fo- tondetektioner inom varje observationsområde så rekonstruerar vi en intensitetskurva som vi mappar till system III longitud. En kurva var sedan anpassad till rekonstruktionen med hjälp av en sinusanpassning. Resultaten visar två intensitetstoppar vid system III longituderna (140 ± 5)◦ och (284 ± 2)◦ för både OI och SI . Kvoten mellan topparna var (38 ± 6)% för OI och (28 ± 6)% för SI . Skillnaden i topparna kan förklaras av att sannolikheten att excitera svavel är större än att excitera syre. För fullständig beskrivning av skillnaden i topparna skulle mätningar av syre till svavel proportionen i Ios atmosfär behövas. Vi jämför våra reslutat med mätningar av Ios avtryck på Jupiter från JUNO och andra HST mätningar. Vi finner det sannolikt att vi bekräftar ytterligare varians i topparnas vinkel, främst för den första toppen vars vinkel är signifikant större. Variationer i Jupiters magnetfält och plasmadensitet av Jupiters plasmatorid kan sannolikt förklara positionen av topparna och intensitetsvariationerna. Vidare forskning behövs för att utförligt förklara dessa mekanismer.
Kandidatexjobb i elektroteknik 2020, KTH, Stockholm

The aim of this project is to model current volt-age characteristic curves for different plasma conditions (i.eelectron density, electron temperature, ion temperature andplasma potential) that can be found in active auroras. This isdone by simulating the charging of a FFU with a connectedLangmuir probe in the software SPIS. These I-V curves wereused to determine the plasma properties of the auroras in whichthe sounding rockets SPIDER-1 and SPIDER-2 were launched.Through the simulations it was also studied how the differentparameters effects the I-V curves.The results showed that the plasma SPIDER-1 was launchedin most likely had properties close to nominal conditions and forSPIDER-2 there was colder electrons in the plasma. A conclusionthat only the electron temperature affects the shape of the I-Vcurves for the values simulated in this project can be drawnas well as the conclusion that the geometry of the probe doesnot affect the shape of the I-V curves. Another result showsthat electron temperature also affect how the hull of the FFUcharges. A higher electron temperature gives the hull a morenegative charge.
Syftet med detta projekt är att modellera ström-pänningskaraktäristisk kurvor för olika plasmatillstånd som finns i aktiva auroror. Detta görs genom att simulera laddning på en FFU med en ansluten Langmuir-prob i SPIS. Dessa I-V-kurvor används för att bestämma plasma egenskaperna för aurororna sondraketerna SPIDER-1 och SPIDER- 2 skjöts upp i. I-V kurvorna används också för att bestämma hur plasma parametrarna elektron temperatur, jon temperatur och elektrondensitet samt hur probens geometri påverkar I-V- kurvornas utseende. Resultaten visade att den plasma SPIDER-1 blev uppskjuten i troligen hade nominella förhållanden och att den SPIDER-2 blev uppskjuten i troligtvis hade kallare elektroner. En slutsats om att endast elektron temperaturen påverkar formen på IV- kurvorna kan dras, såväl som slutsatsen att probens geometri inte påverkar formen på IV-kurvorna. Ett annat resultat visar att elektron temperaturen också påverkar ytpotentialen på FFUn. En högre elektron temperatur ger FFUn en mer negativ laddning.
Kandidatexjobb i elektroteknik 2020, KTH, Stockholm

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2015-01-29T17:17:40Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Tese - Sebastião Antônio Mendanha Neto - 2014.pdf: 7092471 bytes, checksum: 12e06f6af9661e3416fd2248ee25333c (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2015-01-29T17:41:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Tese - Sebastião Antônio Mendanha Neto - 2014.pdf: 7092471 bytes, checksum: 12e06f6af9661e3416fd2248ee25333c (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-29T17:41:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Tese - Sebastião Antônio Mendanha Neto - 2014.pdf: 7092471 bytes, checksum: 12e06f6af9661e3416fd2248ee25333c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-25
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES
The interactions of terpenes with membranes of erythrocyte, fibroblasts, stratum corneum and the model membranes of 1,2-dipalmitoylsn -glycero-3-phosphocholine were investigated by using the the electron paramagnetic resonance and fluorescence spectroscopic of lipophilic probes. It has been shown that when added at high concentrations to systems having a high lipid/solvent ratio, terpenes such as 1,8-cineol, α-terpineol, (+)-limonene and nerolidol are able to self-stabilize in molecular aggregates which can extract the bilayers lipids. Studies on the hemolytic and cytotoxic potential of various terpenes showed that cell damage caused by these molecules are concentration dependent and that among the studied terpenes, nerolidol and α-terpineol are the most hemolytic and cytotoxic, while (+)-limonene and 1,8-cineole are the least hemolytic and cytotoxic. However, the low correlation between these two tests indicates that the processes involved in each case are not completely dependent. It was also shown that once embedded in the membrane, terpenes increase the fluidity of lipid bilayers and decrease the temperature of the main phase transition. Differences between increased fluidity promoted by sesquiterpene nerolidol and all monoterpenes studied were observed. Meanwhile, in a comparison of the effect of the monoterpenes studied, no significant differences in their ability to increase membrane fluidity were detected. Furthermore, it was demonstrated by using confocal and atomic force microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy that the 1,2-distearoylsn -glycero-3-(Aurora nanoparticles) is better incorporated in lipid membranes under fluid phase and that the addition of 0.1% of these conjugated nanoparticles do not produces large variations in membrane fluidity and no causes substantial morphological changes of lipid bilayers.
As intera¸c˜oes de terpenos com membranas de eritr´ocito, fibroblastos, estrato c´orneo e membrana modelo composta de 1,2-dipalmitoil-sn -glicero-3-fosfocolina foram investigadas por meio das espectroscopias de ressonˆancia paramagn´etica eletrˆ onica e de fluorescˆencia por meio do uso de sondas lipof´ılicas. Foi poss´ıvel demonstrar que quando adicionados em altas concentra¸c˜oes `a sistemas que possuem uma alta rela¸c˜ao lip´ıdio/solvente, terpenos como o 1,8-cineol, α-terpineol, (+)-limoneno e nerolidol s˜ao capazes de se estabilizar em agregados moleculares capazes de extrair os lip´ıdios das bicamadas. Estudos sobre o potencial hemol´ıtico e citot´oxico de v´arios terpenos demostraram que os danos celulares causados por estas mol´eculas s˜ao dependentes da concentra¸c˜ao e que dentre os terpenos estudados, nerolidol e terpineol s˜ao os mais hemol´ıticos e citot´oxicos enquanto limoneno e cineol s˜ao os menos hemol´ıticos e citot´oxicos. Entretanto, a baixa correla¸c˜ao entre estes dois testes indica que os processos envolvidos em cada caso n˜ao s˜ao totalmente dependentes. Ficou demonstrado ainda que uma vez incorporados nas membranas, os terpenos aumentam a fluidez das bicamadas lip´ıdicas e diminuem a temperatura de sua transi¸c˜ao de fase principal. Diferen¸cas entre o aumento de fluidez promovido pelo sesquiterpeno nerolidol e por todos os monoterpenos estudados foram verificadas. Contudo, uma compara¸c˜ao entre o efeito dos monoterpenos estudados, n˜ao aponta para diferen¸cas significativas entre suas capacidades de aumento de fluidez. Al´em disso, foi demostrado atrav´es das microscopias confocal e de for¸ca atˆomica e da espectroscopia de fluorescˆencia que a 1,2-distearoil-sn -glicero-3-(Nanopart´ıculas Aurora) ´e melhor incorporada em membranas lip´ıdicas em fase fluida e que a adi¸c˜ao de 0,1% destas nanopart´ıculas conjugadas n˜ao produz grandes varia¸c˜oes na fluidez e n˜ao provoca mudan¸cas morfol´ogicas substanciais das bicamadas lip´ıdicas.

碩士
國立成功大學
物理學系碩博士班
100
In the thesis, we report the development of an Aurora Electron Spectrometer (AES) to measure the electron energy distribution in the 10eV - 20keV energy range with 40ms time resolution for full energy scan with 32 energy steps for deployment in the upper ionosphere above the aurora arc. AES also measures the full particle pitch angle distribution with 16 azimuthal channels. For this purpose, a combination of top-hat electrostatic analyzer and micro-channel plate (MCP) is adopted measure particle flux. Two major focuses of this work are: 1. AES Design by numerical simulations: Numerical simulations are performed to estimate the AES performance with different design parameters and the best design is determined for the AES fabrication. 2. Performance check of AES by experiment: A prototype of AES has been built and its performance has been checked by conducting calibration test using the beam line system at the Plasma and Space Science Center (PSSC) of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). The experiment results are compared with the simulation results. The differences between the experiment and the simulation are investigated.

Particles trapped in the magnetosphere are naturally accelerated by the exchange of electromagnetic and kinetic energy, resulting in relativistic plasma populations. Through a number of processes, these particles can be scattered into the atmosphere and lost to interactions. Such precipitating particles can affect radio communications, ozone chemistry, and thermal structures. For these reasons, it is important to characterize loss mechanisms and quantify precipitation rates. This thesis examines one particular loss mechanism known as current sheet scattering (CSS). If interactions are negligible, charged particles in a magnetic field have approximately conserved quantities that characterize their motion provided the background field changes sufficiently slowly over space and time. The first of these ‘adiabatic invariants,’ the magnetic moment, is related to the particle’s mirror point along its bounce trajectory—the location at which the particle reverses direction in its journey from weaker to stronger B. In the equatorial region of the near-Earth magnetotail, where the radius of field line curvature of the magnetic field can become comparable to the gyroradius of ≈ 100 keV electrons, the homogeneity conditions needed for conservation of the magnetic moment of this population are broken. Upon passing through this location, known as the current sheet, these particles experience a chaotic change in their magnetic moment, and thus an alteration of their mirror point. This is the phenomenon of CSS. If the resulting mirror point lies within the atmosphere, the particle will most likely be lost through interactions. CSS is often investigated for highly relativistic electrons. However, recent observations suggest that this mechanism may account for a significant proportion of precipitating electrons between 100 and 300 keV during the substorm growth phase, a common space weather event wherein magnetic field lines in the near-Earth magnetotail become highly stretched. In this thesis, we test the efficacy of CSS as a loss mechanism for < 300 keV electrons by developing a relativistic charged particle tracer capable of solving complex trajectories in realistic magnetospheric magnetic field models. We then find distributional characteristics through Monte Carlo methods, comparing simulated ratios of loss- to total-flux with observations of the same quantities for a single substorm event. These observations are obtained by comparison of in situ measurements made by THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) with ionospheric energy flux remotely sensed by PFISR (Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar). Given an input distribution from THEMIS satellite measurements, we find agreement between observed and simulated loss- to total-flux ratios within an order of magnitude, with closer agreement for electrons between 100 and 300 keV. This implies CSS can explain a significant proportion of observed precipitation for the event studied and demonstrates its role as a prominent radiation belt loss mechanism. In particular, these findings suggest that the measured loss flux of < 300 keV electrons during such events can be immediately related to the geometry of the near-Earth magnetotail. This is further supported by a parametric study of initially field aligned distributions spawned at various nightside locations, showing a low-energy peak in the loss- to total-flux ratio at the boundary between the outermost radiation belt and the magnetotail. Measurements of particle orientation taken from THEMIS are low resolution, and agreement between simulated and observed loss- to total-flux ratios can be increased by assuming a more field aligned distribution for electrons below 100 keV. This suggests the presence of other physical processes besides CSS that may preferentially structure the pitch angle distributions of low energy electrons to be field aligned. Additional analysis is needed to identify these possible mechanisms. In summary, findings from this work support the role of CSS as an important contributor to < 300 keV electron loss during the substorm growth phase. Though there is an underestimation of loss for < 100 keV electrons, it is known that the empirical magnetic field models employed overestimate the radius of curvature in the current sheet. Furthermore, the dawn-dusk electric field has been neglected, though it has the possibility to produce field aligned electrons through current sheet acceleration. The inclusion of these effects in future studies may further improve agreement between simulation and observations.

A semi-quantitative comparison has been made of the observed and calculated precipitating electron energy fluxes for the April 1988 magnetic storm. Electron energy fluxes were calculated by the Rice Magnetospheric Specification Model (MSM), a comprehensive model of the inner magnetospheric environment, and by the Hardy et al. model, a statistical model of electron precipitation in the auroral zone. The MSM correlates better with the observed fluxes than does the Hardy et al. model in terms of auroral boundaries, latitudinal profile and extent, and the actual magnitude of the energy flux. The sources of error in the MSM are probably: (1) Artificial flux dropouts created near the ionospheric projection of the model outer boundary, (2) an overestimate of the convection electric field, and (3) errors in locating the polar cap boundary.

碩士
國立成功大學
太空天文與電漿科學研究所
98
Observations of the aurora zone in the southern hemisphere are fewer compared with the northern hemisphere, because there are not many ground stations in the south hemisphere. We use statistical methods to study the relation between the aurora zones in the northern and southern hemispheres. Based on GOX data from FORMOSAT-3, we calculate the total electron content (TEC) at various locations in the ionosphere. We also find the AE index corresponding to the GOX data. The relations between TEC and AE are discussed. Cumulative probabilities associated with TEC and AE index are found for various magnetic local time (MLT) and magnetic latitudes (MLAT). The relation between the TEC in the southern and northern hemispheres is analyzed and discussed based on 3-years' data, with and without separating them under seasonal consideration. We arrive at similar conditions for the two kinds of data. In the southern and northern hemispheres, TEC and AE index are unrelated at low MLAT, but highly related at high MLAT when AE index increases . Generally, TEC in the auroral region is larger than other MLAT ranges. Based on various conditions regarding the connection between TEC in the two hemispheres, we find good correlation for the auroral region MLAT as the AE index is high. Finally, the discussion on TEC-AE relation in this study may improve the understanding of the connection between the northern and southern hemispheres.