Investigating Stimulated Wave-Particle Interaction of Radiation Belt Particles with Space-Borne Whistler Mode Transmitters

Abstract

We study the feasibility of transmitting whistler mode waves in space for stimulating wave-particle interaction in the radiation belts. We investigated both theoretically and experimentally the antenna-plasma interaction, the whistler waves radiated from a space-borne transmitter, and the VLF waves radiated from ground-based transmitters. We have developed a one-dimensional model of the high-voltage-antenna-sheath-plasma both analytically and numerically, and compared the results with the space transmission experiments made by the Radio Plasma Imager on the IMAGE satellite. We have developed a general theory for whistler wave radiation in space. Our results have shown that previous antenna sheath theories need significant modifications and the previous whistler wave radiation theory contains substantial mathematical errors and flaws. The model developed a few decades ago to describe the whistler waves penetrating through the ionosphere and propagating in the magnetosphere also needs significant improvements. This project has laid solid foundation for further investigations and modeling of space-borne whistler transmissions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 30, 2009
Accession Number
ADA517099

Entities

People

  • B. W. Reinisch
  • G. S. Sales
  • J. Tu
  • Peng Song
  • V. V. Paznukhov
  • Xinyi Huang

Organizations

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Charged Particles
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Simulations
  • Electric Charge
  • Electric Fields
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Grids
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Protons
  • Radio Frequency
  • Radio Waves
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Charging
  • Three Dimensional
  • Wave Propagation

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space