Upper-hybrid Resonance Frequency Research Articles

Design and validation of impedance probe for platform-independent ionospheric plasma diagnostics

The design of an impedance probe (IP), which is one of the instruments in the package called IAMMAP for the CAS500-3 satellite, and related plasma chamber experiments are introduced. The characteristics of the IP were estimated based on plasma and antenna theory. Trade-off studies on the possible geometry and on the circuit configuration were carried out. It was shown that the combination of a short wave monopole antenna and a capacitor bridge with a heterodyne configuration is suitable for ionospheric plasma diagnostics. The plasma chamber experiments reveal that the upper hybrid resonance frequency measured by the IP is compatible with the plasma model and with the Ne values estimated by the Langmuir probe (LP). This suggests that the compactly-designed IP and LP can serve as a good combination for in-situ measurement of the ionospheric plasma providing self-calibrated plasma parameters.

Quasi-longitudinal propagation of nonlinear whistlers with steep electrostatic fluctuations

The quasi-longitudinal whistlers are recently reported in magnetized laboratory plasmas, i.e., at densities considerably higher than the space or magnetospheric plasmas. Given their oblique nature, these whistlers are known to be accompanied by density perturbations which undergo strong nonlinear steepening exclusively for their propagation close to resonant cone angle [Yoon et al., J. Geophys. Res. 119, 1851 (2014)]. This aspect is examined in the parameter regime of laboratory experiments where quasi-longitudinal whistler fluctuations are reported. A systematic study by a set of dedicated single mode numerical solution of the fully nonlinear model of quasi-longitudinally propagating whistlers is presented predominantly covering the high-density (low magnetic field) regime relevant to the laboratory whistler experiments. Following the recovery of existing computational results available for low-density cases, the computations in the newer regime are performed in the present study. The evolution recovered in both these regimes finds the sharp density structures or oscillations to be of resonant origin. While structures accompanying the whistlers' low-density resonant cone readily agree with the upper hybrid resonance frequency, the freshly covered high-density regime shows that the strong nonlinear nature of the whistler is capable of producing a modification in the resonant frequency, causing it to downshift from its linearly expected upper hybrid frequency.

Inferring Jovian Electron Densities Using Plasma Wave Spectra Obtained by the Juno/Waves Instrument

AbstractThe Waves instrument onboard the Juno spacecraft has plasma wave‐measuring capabilities using a single electric dipole antenna and a uniaxial magnetic search coil. Together, these simultaneously measure electric and magnetic field spectral densities in the frequency range 50 Hz–20 kHz, above which only electric field spectral densities are measured up to 41 MHz. A major objective of the Juno mission is to explore Jupiter's high‐latitude magnetosphere and ionosphere. One of the key contributions of the Waves instrument is the determination of electron densities from plasma wave spectra. Given the very high magnetic field strengths near Juno's perijove passes, established techniques cannot be utilized to infer electron densities since such highly magnetized space plasma conditions have not previously been met in planetary missions. By revisiting theoretical treatments of plasma waves, we describe a novel method to determine electron densities from plasma wave spectra that is unique to the near‐Jupiter region. In the absence of the commonly observed upper hybrid resonance frequency in high‐density space plasmas (e.g., the vicinities of Io, Ganymede, Enceladus, and the near‐Earth environment), we achieve this by identifying emission cutoffs at the lower hybrid frequency and electron plasma frequency. Further, we discuss the development of the process and tools for identifying and digitizing appropriate resonance and cutoff frequencies.

Simulation data for "Harmonic-structure electrostatic emissions near the upper hybrid resonance frequency: Arase satellite observations"

Simulation data for "Harmonic-structure electrostatic emissions near the upper hybrid resonance frequency: Arase satellite observations"

Detection of UHR Frequencies by a Convolutional Neural Network From Arase/PWE Data

AbstractWe have developed the automatic detection scheme for upper hybrid resonance (UHR) frequency using a convolutional neural network (CNN) from the electric field spectra obtained by the plasma wave experiment (PWE) aboard Arase. In this paper, we investigate the practical capability of this scheme in terms of actual scientific use case. We find that the average error rate is below 7.8% when the wave frequency is above 30 kHz and the wave spectral intensity is less than 10−5 mV 2/m2/Hz. About 91% of the data obtained by the high‐frequency analyzer (HFA) aboard the Arase satellite satisfies these conditions. To improve the accuracy of the determined UHR frequencies in a wide frequency range, we used another receiver, the onboard frequency analyzer (OFA), which enables us to detect low‐frequency UHR emissions. We confirmed that the averaged error rate derived by the OFA spectra becomes better than that derived from the HFA spectra in a frequency range below 20 kHz. We report the performance of the UHR frequency determination under the different geomagnetic conditions. We find that the UHR frequency can be determined with good accuracy using the CNN from the frequency‐time diagram both during geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. We conclude that the CNN‐based UHR frequency determination is a reliable method to derive the electron density along the satellite orbit through observations of UHR frequencies, and this method contributes to studies on dynamics of the plasmasphere.

Determining Plasmaspheric Density From the Upper Hybrid Resonance and From the Spacecraft Potential: How Do They Compare?

AbstractThe plasmasphere is a critical region of the magnetosphere. It is important for the evolution of Earth's radiation belts. Waves in the plasmasphere interior (hiss) and vicinity (electromagnetic ion cyclotron, chorus) help control the acceleration and loss of radiation belt particles. Thus, understanding the extent, structure, content, and dynamics of the plasmasphere is crucial to understanding radiation belt losses. The Van Allen Probes mission uses two methods to determine the total plasma density. First, the upper hybrid resonance frequency can provide electron density; this determination is the most accurate and robust. However, it requires significant analysis and is challenging during geomagnetically active times: It becomes difficult to interpret the wave spectrum, and the amount of available data is severely limited. Second, the spacecraft potential is a proxy for the plasma density. These high‐resolution measurements are available with high duty cycle. However, environmental effects can limit the accuracy of this method. The relation between spacecraft potential and density is empirical, requiring an independent density measurement and repeated checks. We perform a quantitative comparison of these two in situ techniques during the first 3.5 years of the Van Allen Probes mission. We show how to calibrate potential‐based density measurements using only publicly available wave‐derived densities to provide high‐fidelity results even if upper hybrid measurements are sparse or unavailable. We quantify the level of uncertainty to expect from potential‐derived density data. Our approach can be applied to any in situ spacecraft mission where reliable absolute density and spacecraft potential data are available.

Distribution in Saturn's Inner Magnetosphere From 2.4 to 10 RS: A Diffusive Equilibrium Model

AbstractElectron density measurements have been obtained by the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument covering the period from 30 June 2004 to 19 April 2017, spanning latitudes up to ~30° and L values from 2.4 to 10. Near the F ring, electron densities are derived from RPWS measurements of electron plasma oscillations at high latitudes and from the Langmuir Probe (RPWS/LP) sweep data at low latitudes. The electron density measurements from the ring‐grazing orbits, beginning in December 2016, have made it possible to extend the work of a previous diffusive equilibrium model to include the distribution of the ring plasma. Beyond the ring‐grazing orbits, the densities are derived from RPWS measurements of the upper hybrid resonance frequency. These density measurements are used to anchor the fit of an expanded diffusive equilibrium density model for a two‐species plasma consisting of water group and hydrogen ions in Saturn's inner magnetosphere. Density contour plots for the two ion species and the electrons are presented. The distribution of the derived plasma densities is consistent with two primary sources, the Enceladus plume and the extended ring atmosphere. There is also an indication of a weaker plasma source at Dione. In the region just outside the A ring and in the region including the Enceladus orbit, the diffusive equilibrium model also shows the expansion of lighter ions and electrons to higher latitudes along the magnetic field lines with evidence of a weaker plasma expansion between the orbits of Tethys and Dione.

Nonlinear Upper Hybrid Waves Generated in Ionospheric HF Heating Experiments at HAARP

Excitation of nonlinear upper hybrid waves by O-mode HF heater in the ionospheric heating experiments was explored via HAARP digisonde operated in a fast mode. The observations are manifested by a bump in the virtual spread, which expands the ionogram echoes upward as much as 140 km and is located below the upper hybrid resonance frequency. The bump is similar to that, occurring in daytime ionograms, caused by the cusp at the E-F2 layer transition, indicating that there is a small ledge in the density profile similar to E-F2 layer transitions. The ionograms also show that the virtual height spread, which exceeds 50 km over a significant frequency range below the upper hybrid resonance frequency, is downward, rather than upward as observed in a natural Spread-F situation. It indicates that density irregularities along the geomagnetic field, rather than field-aligned, were generated. Theory shows that the upper hybrid waves excited by the parametric instabilities evolve into nonlinear periodic and solitary waves that enhance downward virtual height spread and generate density cavity to explain the experimental observations.

Hectometric Line Spectra Detected by the Arase (ERG) Satellite

AbstractA new type of terrestrial line spectra has been detected by the Arase satellite. These spectra are called hectometric line spectra. They consist primarily of constant frequency narrowband components at frequencies between 525 and 1,700 kHz, which originate and are sometimes amplified from AM broadcasting waves and other generated emissions. These line spectra can be amplified or generated by the odd‐harmonic electrostatic cyclotron instability while in the Z mode. Hectometric line spectra need to be mode‐converted to the L‐O mode to be received at higher altitudes because the Z mode can only exist when its frequency is lower than the local upper hybrid resonance frequency. Wave penetration into the ionosphere and mode conversion are enabled by low‐density regions and steep density gradients in ionospheric irregularities. Note that the broadcasting waves passed through the ionosphere with frequencies lower than the maximum plasma frequency along their paths.

Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Wave Instability by Loss Cone Distribution

AbstractWe propose a new method to construct a controllable and quantifiable loss cone distribution. Then, we derive a linear growth rate formula of the electrostatic mode for a realistic and arbitrary distribution function. Such formula is used to perform a parametric study of instability analysis of the electron cyclotron harmonic (ECH) wave in a plasma consisting of electron loss cone distribution and isotropic cold electron distribution. We find (1) the peak linear growth rate and the corresponding wave frequency increase with the loss cone size. The wave frequency of peak growth rate is about 1.5 and 2.5 times electron cyclotron frequency when loss cone is about 4–6° wide. The wave normal angle corresponding to the growth rate peak decreases with the loss cone size. (2) Increasing hot electron temperature anisotropy decreases the growth rate but hardly changes the wave frequency and wave normal angle corresponding to the growth rate peak. (3) Increasing hot electron parallel temperature tends to increase both the peak growth rate and wave normal angle but only change the corresponding wave frequency slightly. (4) The peak growth rate and its corresponding wave frequency increase with ωpe/|Ωe| for wavebands above or passing upper hybrid resonance frequency ωUHR and almost remain unchanged for wavebands below ωUHR. (5) Increasing cold electron temperature tends to decrease wave frequency and increase wave normal angle and peak growth rate for wavebands below ωUHR. The impact of our work on ECH wave generation and the significance of ECH waves on diffuse aurora are also discussed.

High Frequency Analyzer (HFA) of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) onboard the Arase spacecraft

The High Frequency Analyzer (HFA) is a subsystem of the Plasma Wave Experiment onboard the Arase (ERG) spacecraft. The main purposes of the HFA include (1) determining the electron number density around the spacecraft from observations of upper hybrid resonance (UHR) waves, (2) measuring the electromagnetic field component of whistler-mode chorus in a frequency range above 20 kHz, and (3) observing radio and plasma waves excited in the storm-time magnetosphere. Two components of AC electric fields detected by Wire Probe Antenna and one component of AC magnetic fields detected by Magnetic Search Coils are fed to the HFA. By applying analog and digital signal processing in the HFA, the spectrograms of two electric fields (EE mode) or one electric field and one magnetic field (EB mode) in a frequency range from 10 kHz to 10 MHz are obtained at an interval of 8 s. For the observation of plasmapause, the HFA can also be operated in PP (plasmapause) mode, in which spectrograms of one electric field component below 1 MHz are obtained at an interval of 1 s. In the initial HFA operations from January to July, 2017, the following results are obtained: (1) UHR waves, auroral kilometric radiation (AKR), whistler-mode chorus, electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves, and nonthermal terrestrial continuum radiation were observed by the HFA in geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. (2) In the test operations of the polarization observations on June 10, 2017, the fundamental R-X and L-O mode AKR and the second-harmonic R-X mode AKR from different sources in the northern polar region were observed. (3) The semiautomatic UHR frequency identification by the computer and a human operator was applied to the HFA spectrograms. In the identification by the computer, we used an algorithm for narrowing down the candidates of UHR frequency by checking intensity and bandwidth. Then, the identified UHR frequency by the computer was checked and corrected if needed by the human operator. Electron number density derived from the determined UHR frequency will be useful for the investigation of the storm-time evolution of the plasmasphere and topside ionosphere.

Wire Probe Antenna (WPT) and Electric Field Detector (EFD) of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) aboard the Arase satellite: specifications and initial evaluation results

This paper summarizes the specifications and initial evaluation results of Wire Probe Antenna (WPT) and Electric Field Detector (EFD), the key components for the electric field measurement of the Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) aboard the Arase (ERG) satellite. WPT consists of two pairs of dipole antennas with ~ 31-m tip-to-tip length. Each antenna element has a spherical probe (60 mm diameter) at each end of the wire (15 m length). They are extended orthogonally in the spin plane of the spacecraft, which is roughly perpendicular to the Sun and enables to measure the electric field in the frequency range of DC to 10 MHz. This system is almost identical to the WPT of Plasma Wave Investigation aboard the BepiColombo Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, except for the material of the spherical probe (ERG: Al alloy, MMO: Ti alloy). EFD is a part of the EWO (EFD/WFC/OFA) receiver and measures the 2-ch electric field at a sampling rate of 512 Hz (dynamic range: ± 200 mV/m) and the 4-ch spacecraft potential at a sampling rate of 128 Hz (dynamic range: ± 100 V and ± 3 V/m), with the bias control capability of WPT. The electric field waveform provides (1) fundamental information about the plasma dynamics and accelerations and (2) the characteristics of MHD and ion waves in various magnetospheric statuses with the magnetic field measured by MGF and PWE–MSC. The spacecraft potential provides information on thermal electron plasma variations and structure combined with the electron density obtained from the upper hybrid resonance frequency provided by PWE–HFA. EFD has two data modes. The continuous (medium-mode) data are provided as (1) 2-ch waveforms at 64 Hz (in apoapsis mode, L > 4) or 256 Hz (in periapsis mode, L < 4), (2) 1-ch spectrum within 1–232 Hz with 1-s resolution, and (3) 4-ch spacecraft potential at 8 Hz. The burst (high-mode) data are intermittently obtained as (4) 2-ch waveforms at 512 Hz and (5) 4-ch spacecraft potential at 128 Hz and downloaded with the WFC-E/B datasets after the selection. This paper also shows the initial evaluation results in the initial observation phase.

Automated determination of electron density from electric field measurements on the Van Allen Probes spacecraft

AbstractWe present the Neural‐network‐based Upper hybrid Resonance Determination (NURD) algorithm for automatic inference of the electron number density from plasma wave measurements made on board NASA's Van Allen Probes mission. A feedforward neural network is developed to determine the upper hybrid resonance frequency, fuhr, from electric field measurements, which is then used to calculate the electron number density. In previous missions, the plasma resonance bands were manually identified, and there have been few attempts to do robust, routine automated detections. We describe the design and implementation of the algorithm and perform an initial analysis of the resulting electron number density distribution obtained by applying NURD to 2.5 years of data collected with the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) instrumentation suite of the Van Allen Probes mission. Densities obtained by NURD are compared to those obtained by another recently developed automated technique and also to an existing empirical plasmasphere and trough density model.

Evidence for a seasonally dependent ring plasma in the region between Saturn's A Ring and Enceladus' orbit

AbstractEquatorial electron density measurements from the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science experiment are derived from the upper hybrid resonance frequency from Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI) on 1 July 2004 through 21 May 2013. These densities are used to determine the characteristics of the plasma in the inner magnetosphere of Saturn between the outer edge of the A Ring and the orbit of Enceladus. Electron densities obtained when Cassini first arrived at Saturn on 1 July 2004 showed a plasma distribution decreasing radially outward from Saturn in the direction of Enceladus, the expected distribution of a centrifugally driven plasma expanding radially outward from a source in the main rings. We examine equatorial electron densities in the region between 2.4 and 4.0 Rs and show that the density measurements in this region exhibit a strong seasonal dependence resulting from photon‐induced decomposition of icy particles on the ring surfaces, a decomposition process which is controlled by the solar incidence angle. This seasonal dependence will have plasma density implications for Cassini when the spacecraft returns to the region just beyond the A Ring in 2016.

Electron temperature and density probe for small aeronomy satellites.

A compact and low power consumption instrument for measuring the electron density and temperature in the ionosphere has been developed by modifying the previously developed Electron Temperature Probe (ETP). A circuit block which controls frequency of the sinusoidal signal is added to the ETP so that the instrument can measure both T(e) in low frequency mode and N(e) in high frequency mode from the floating potential shift of the electrode. The floating potential shift shows a minimum at the upper hybrid resonance frequency (f(UHR)). The instrument which is named "TeNeP" can be used for tiny satellites which do not have enough conductive surface area for conventional DC Langmuir probe measurements. The instrument also eliminates the serious problems associated with the contamination of satellite surface as well as the sensor electrode.

Electron densities inferred from plasma wave spectra obtained by the Waves instrument on Van Allen Probes.

The twin Van Allen Probe spacecraft, launched in August 2012, carry identical scientific payloads. The Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science suite includes a plasma wave instrument (Waves) that measures three magnetic and three electric components of plasma waves in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 12 kHz using triaxial search coils and the Electric Fields and Waves triaxial electric field sensors. The Waves instrument also measures a single electric field component of waves in the frequency range of 10 to 500 kHz. A primary objective of the higher-frequency measurements is the determination of the electron density ne at the spacecraft, primarily inferred from the upper hybrid resonance frequency fuh. Considerable work has gone into developing a process and tools for identifying and digitizing the upper hybrid resonance frequency in order to infer the electron density as an essential parameter for interpreting not only the plasma wave data from the mission but also as input to various magnetospheric models. Good progress has been made in developing algorithms to identify fuh and create a data set of electron densities. However, it is often difficult to interpret the plasma wave spectra during active times to identify fuh and accurately determine ne. In some cases, there is no clear signature of the upper hybrid band, and the low-frequency cutoff of the continuum radiation is used. We describe the expected accuracy of ne and issues in the interpretation of the electrostatic wave spectrum.

Experiments and theory on parametric instabilities excited in HF heating experiments at HAARP

Parametric instabilities excited by O-mode HF heater and the induced ionospheric modification were explored via HAARP digisonde operated in a fast mode. The impact of excited Langmuir waves and upper hybrid waves on the ionosphere are manifested by bumps in the virtual spread, which expand the ionogram echoes upward as much as 140 km and the downward range spread of the sounding echoes, which exceeds 50 km over a significant frequency range. The theory of parametric instabilities is presented. The theory identifies the ionogram bump located between the 3.2 MHz heater frequency and the upper hybrid resonance frequency and the bump below the upper hybrid resonance frequency to be associated with the Langmuir and upper hybrid instabilities, respectively. The Langmuir bump is located close to the upper hybrid resonance frequency, rather than to the heater frequency, consistent with the theory. Each bump in the virtual height spread of the ionogram is similar to the cusp occurring in daytime ionograms at the E-F2 layer transition, indicating that there is a small ledge in the density profile similar to E-F2 layer transitions. The experimental results also show that the strong impact of the upper hybrid instability on the ionosphere can suppress the Langmuir instability.

The plasma density distribution in the inner region of Saturn's magnetosphere

Electron density measurements derived from the upper hybrid resonance frequency have been obtained from the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science experiment over a 7 year period from 28 October 2004 through 7 November 2011. Additional density measurements inside the orbit of Enceladus and outside the orbit of Rhea have made it possible to expand a previously published density model to radial distances from 2.6 to 10.0 Saturnian radii (RS). The distribution of density data is compared to a simple scale height density model for a single‐species plasma within 8° of the magnetic equatorial plane. There is a broad peak in the equatorial density distribution between 4 RS and 5 RS with the plasma falling off both inward and outward from the peak region. The radial dependence of the equatorial density profile varies as R4.0 from 2.6 RS to 4 RS and as R–4.8 from 5 RS to 10 RS. The plasma distribution outside 5 RS remains consistent with earlier density models but additional density measurements inside 4 RS provide information on the plasma distribution in this inner region that will be the focus of the F‐Ring and proximal orbits near the end of the Cassini mission.

Field‐aligned distribution of the plasmaspheric electron density: An empirical model derived from the IMAGE RPI measurements

We present a newly developed empirical model of the plasma density in the plasmasphere. It is based on more than 700 density profiles along field lines derived from active sounding measurements made by the radio plasma imager on IMAGE between June 2000 and July 2005. The measurements cover all magnetic local times and vary from L = 1.6 to L = 4 spatially, with every case manually confirmed to be within the plasmasphere by studying the corresponding dynamic spectrogram. The resulting model depends not only on L‐shell but also on magnetic latitude and can be applied to specify the electron densities in the plasmasphere between 2000 km altitude and the plasmapause (the plasmapause location itself is not included in this model). It consists of two parts: the equatorial density, which falls off exponentially as a function of L‐shell; and the field‐aligned dependence on magnetic latitude and L‐shell (in the form of invariant magnetic latitude). The fluctuations of density appear to be greater than what could be explained by a possible dependence on magnetic local time or season, and the dependence on geomagnetic activity is weak and cannot be discerned. The solar cycle effect is not included because the database covers only a fraction of a solar cycle. The performance of the model is evaluated by comparison to four previously developed plasmaspheric models and is further tested against the in situ passive IMAGE RPI measurements of the upper hybrid resonance frequency. While the equatorial densities of different models are mostly within the statistical uncertainties (especially at distances greater than L = 3), the clear latitudinal dependence of the RPI model presents an improvement over previous models. The model shows that the field‐aligned density distribution can be treated neither as constant nor as a simple diffusive equilibrium distribution profile. This electron density model combined with an assumed model of the ion composition can be used to estimate the time for an Alfven wave to propagate from one hemisphere to the other, to determine the plasma frequencies along a field line, and to calculate the raypaths for high frequency waves propagating in the plasmasphere.

First observations of 4fce auroral roar emissions

This is a report on the first observations of auroral roar emissions near 4 times the ionospheric electron cyclotron frequency (fce) with a passive receiver installed in Svalbard, Norway. 4fce roar emissions were detected from 5.27 to 5.70 MHz during moderate geomagnetic disturbances in 22 days between May and September 2011 only from noon to evening, while no event occurred during the winter season. An analysis of a typical event shows that the electron density profile measured from EISCAT Svalbard dynasonde satisfies the condition that the upper frequency of the 4fce roar is nearly equal to both upper hybrid resonance frequency (fUH) and 4fce at 238‐km altitude. These observations support the idea expanded from the most commonly‐accepted generation mechanism of 2fce and 3fce roar: the origin of 4fce roar is upper hybrid waves favorably generated under the condition of fUH ∼ 4fce in the auroral F‐region ionosphere.