Excitation of an Additional Region of Short-Wavelength Plasma Oscillations in Ionospheric Heating Experiments

We discuss transfer of plasma waves, excited by a powerful radio wave due to its scattering on artificial ionospheric irregularities, into an additional region of very short plasma oscillations polarized almost perpendicular to the magnetic field. Such a region can exist in the magnetized ionospheric plasma due to the strong spatial dispersion. We take into account the plasma-wave diffusion over the spectrum caused by multiple scattering on irregularities, as well as the nonlinear process of plasma-wave interaction due to induced scattering by ions. The latter process leads to the transfer of primary plasma waves into the additional region. The induced scattering is considered in the differential approximation valid for sufficiently smooth plasma-wave spectra. The numerical calculations are performed for a Maxwellian plasma in which suprathermal electrons are absent. It is shown that in this case, the additional region of plasma waves is excited if the pump frequency is close to but slightly less than the fourth electron gyroharmonic, so that the absorption of primarily excited plasma waves becomes sufficiently strong. Application of our calculations to the results of ionospheric experiments is discussed.     

On kinetic effects in the ionosphericF-region modified by powerful radio waves

We consider effects related to acceleration of electrons by high-frequency plasma turbulence in the ionospheric F-region modified by powerful radio waves. The threshold of avalanche growth of the number of accelerated particles due to additional ionization is determined for pump-wave frequencies far from the multiple cyclotron resonance. The steady-state density of the accelerated electrons is found for the above pump-frequency values taking into account both turbulent trapping in the accelerating layer due to scattering of plasma waves and the return of electrons to this layer due to collisions. If the pump wave frequency is close to the multiple cyclotron resonance, fast electron distribution with significant transverse anisotropy is formed. Relaxation of this distribution due to collisions with charged particles outside the accelerating layer leads to the appearance of a maximum over transverse velocities in the tail of the distribution function. We propose a generation mechanism for the broad upshifted maximum feature in the spectrum of stimulated electromagnetic emission, which is related to the cyclotron instability of the accelerated electrons. The instability occurs in the double-resonance region in which the pump frequency is close to both the upper-hybrid and multiple-cyclotron frequency. Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 651–669, July 1999.     

Parametric generation of low-frequency waves by plasma electrons accelerated under electron cyclotron resonance conditions

It has been shown experimentally that the diamagnetic effect appearing when electrons of a magnetized plasma in the antenna near field are accelerated under electron cyclotron resonance conditions can be used to generate low-frequency waves. The amplitude modulation of a signal supplied to the antenna is accompanied by the modulation of the diamagnetic effect and leads to the emission of waves at the modulation frequency to the surrounding plasma. In this process, the extended plasma region containing accelerated electrons serves as a parametric bodiless antenna. The results of the model laboratory experiments make it possible to propose a method for the parametric generation of low-frequency whistler waves in the Earth’s ionosphere by a powerful amplitude-modulated signal supplied to the satellite-borne antenna.     

Electron acceleration and type II radio emission at quasi-parallel shock waves

Solar type II radio bursts are interpreted as the radio signature of shock waves travelling through the solar corona. Some of these shock waves are able to enter into the interplanetary medium and are observed as interplanetary type II bursts. The nonthermal radio emission of these bursts indicates that electrons are accelerated up to superthermal and/or relativistic velocities at the corresponding shocks. Plasma wave measurements at interplanetary shock waves support the assumption that the fundamental type II radio emission is generated by wave-wave interactions of electron plasma waves and ion acoustic waves and that the source region is located near the transition region of the shock. Therefore, the instantaneous bandwidth of type II bursts should reflect the density jump across the shock. Comparing the theoretically predicted density jump of coronal shock waves (Rankine-Hugoniot relations) and the measured instantaneous bandwidth of solar type II radio bursts it is appropriate to assume that these bursts are generated by weak supercritical quasi-parallel shock waves. Two different mechanisms for the accelaration of electrons at this kind of shock waves are investigated in the form of test particle calculations in given magnetic and electric fields. These fields have been extracted from in-situ measurements at the quasi-parallel region at Earth’s bow shock, which showed large amplitude magnetic field fluctuations (so-called SLAMS: Short Large Amplitude Magnetic Field Structures) as constituent parts. The first mechanism treats these structures as strong magnetic mirrors, at which charged particles are reflected and accelerated. Thus, thermal electrons gain energy due to multiple reflections between two approaching SLAMS. The second mechanism shows that it is possible to accelerate electrons inside a single SLAMS due to a noncoplanar component of the magnetic field in these structures. Both mechanism are described in the form of test particle calculations, which are supplemented by calculations according to adiabatic theory. The results are discussed for circumstances in the solar corona and in interplanetary space.     

Electron acceleration and type II radio emission at quasi-parallel shock waves

Solar type II radio bursts are interpreted as the radio signature of shock waves travelling through the solar corona. Some of these shock waves are able to enter into the interplanetary medium and are observed as interplanetary type II bursts. The nonthermal radio emission of these bursts indicates that electrons are accelerated up to superthermal and/or relativistic velocities at the corresponding shocks. Plasma wave measurements at interplanetary shock waves support the assumption that the fundamental type II radio emission is generated by wave-wave interactions of electron plasma waves and ion acoustic waves and that the source region is located near the transition region of the shock. Therefore, the instantaneous bandwidth of type II bursts should reflect the density jump across the shock. Comparing the theoretically predicted density jump of coronal shock waves (Rankine-Hugoniot relations) and the measured instantaneous bandwidth of solar type II radio bursts it is appropriate to assume that these bursts are generated by weak supercritical quasi-parallel shock waves. Two different mechanisms for the accelaration of electrons at this kind of shock waves are investigated in the form of test particle calculations in given magnetic and electric fields. These fields have been extracted from in-situ measurements at the quasi-parallel region at Earth’s bow shock, which showed large amplitude magnetic field fluctuations (so-called SLAMS: Short Large Amplitude Magnetic Field Structures) as constituent parts. The first mechanism treats these structures as strong magnetic mirrors, at which charged particles are reflected and accelerated. Thus, thermal electrons gain energy due to multiple reflections between two approaching SLAMS. The second mechanism shows that it is possible to accelerate electrons inside a single SLAMS due to a noncoplanar component of the magnetic field in these structures. Both mechanism are described in the form of test particle calculations, which are supplemented by calculations according to adiabatic theory. The results are discussed for circumstances in the solar corona and in interplanetary space. Astrophysikalisches Institut, Observatorium für solare Radioastronomie, Potsdam, Germany. Published from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 84–104, January, 1998.     

Interpretation of harmonic structure in solar type II radio bursts

Spectrographic and partly imaging observations of three Type II solar radio bursts displaying three drifting bands with frequencies related as 1¬2¬3 are discussed. The radio data of two of these events were simultaneousely recorded by the digital radiospectrograph of the Observatory of Solar Radioastronomy in Potsdam-Tremsdorf and the radioheliograph of the Paris-Meudon Observatory in Nançay. The data allow the brightness temperatures of radio emission in the three frequency bands to be determined. The second harmonic is traditionally explained as a result of coalescence of two plasma waves into an electromagnetic wave at twice the plasma frequency. Two nonlinear merging processes—the coalescence of three plasma waves, and of a plasma wave and an electromagnetic wave at twice the plasma frequency—are considered to explain the occurrence of the third harmonic on Type II dynamic spectra. The analysis shows that both processes can fit the observed brightness temperatures of the second and third harmonic. The first process acts preferably at low phase velocities of plasma waves and sharp electron density gradients in the source, and the second process dominates in the case of high plasma wave phase velocities. It is shown that the occurrence of the third harmonic in type II bursts due to nonlinear processes in the coronal plasma indicates not only a powerful event but also some specific conditions in the shock or foreshock region. Finally, we propose a method to distinguish between the two invoked nonlinear processes by a statistical investigation of Type II burst data.     

On the effect ofBUM generation enhancement revealed using the scheme of additional heating of ionospheric plasma

We present measured characteristics of the artificial ionospheric radio emission (AIRE), which were obtained experimentally using additional heating of the ionospheric F-region by O-polarized waves. It is shown that the observed enhancement of intensity of the broad upshifted maximum (BUM) of the AIRE can result from the influence of electrons accelerated in the plasma: esonance region on its generation. An empirical model of the phenomenon observed is developed. It is concluded from experimental results that the BUM has a complex structure and only one of its components produces the above emission enhancement. We show the possibility of using the AIRE in additional heating of ionospheric plasma for diagnostics of artificial ionospheric turbulence and investigation of the features of perturbation propagation along the geomagnetic field lines. Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden. The Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 40, No. 5, pp. 561–585, May, 1997.     

Magnetic zenith effect in ionospheric modifications

The theory of ionospheric modification for the beam of powerful radio emission directed along magnetic field lines is developed. Nonlinear process of beam self-focusing on striations is shown to determine strong amplification of heating and acceleration of plasma electrons. It results in a dramatic enhancement of optic emission from the magnetic zenith region in ionospheric F-layer. An excellent agreement between the theory and recent fundamental observations at HAARP facility (Alaska) [T. Pedersen et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. (2002), in press] is demonstrated.     

Toward a theory of the double plasma resonance in the solar corona

Specific features of the double plasma resonance effect in a magnetized plasma of the solar corona are discussed. The effect consists in enhanced generation of plasma waves in the regions where the upper hybrid frequency coincides with electron gyrofrequency harmonics. It is widely used for interpretation of a fine structure in solar radio emission spectrum in the form of parallel drifting quasi-harmonic stripes of enhanced radiation intensity (zebra pattern). It is shown that the plasma-wave growth rate increases due to both dispersion properties of plasma waves, which are determined by the equilibrium plasma component, and electrons which are non-equilibrium with respect to the velocities transverse to the magnetic field. Special attention is given to an incorrect consideration of the double plasma resonance effect in some papers. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 52, No. 2, pp. 95–108, February 2009.     

Interpretation of harmonic structure in solar type II radio bursts

Spectrographic and partly imaging observations of three Type II solar radio bursts displaying three drifting bands with frequencies related as 1?2?3 are discussed. The radio data of two of these events were simultaneousely recorded by the digital radiospectrograph of the Observatory of Solar Radioastronomy in Potsdam-Tremsdorf and the radioheliograph of the Paris-Meudon Observatory in Nan?ay. The data allow the brightness temperatures of radio emission in the three frequency bands to be determined. The second harmonic is traditionally explained as a result of coalescence of two plasma waves into an electromagnetic wave at twice the plasma frequency. Two nonlinear merging processes—the coalescence of three plasma waves, and of a plasma wave and an electromagnetic wave at twice the plasma frequency—are considered to explain the occurrence of the third harmonic on Type II dynamic spectra. The analysis shows that both processes can fit the observed brightness temperatures of the second and third harmonic. The first process acts preferably at low phase velocities of plasma waves and sharp electron density gradients in the source, and the second process dominates in the case of high plasma wave phase velocities. It is shown that the occurrence of the third harmonic in type II bursts due to nonlinear processes in the coronal plasma indicates not only a powerful event but also some specific conditions in the shock or foreshock region. Finally, we propose a method to distinguish between the two invoked nonlinear processes by a statistical investigation of Type II burst data. Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; Astrophysical Institute, Potsdam, Germany; Paris-Meudon Observatory, France. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 61–83, January, 1998.     

Vertical Velocities and Temperature of the Neutral Component in the Upper Atmosphere

Results of measurements of the velocity of the vertical plasma motion and the temperature of the neutral component in the upper atmosphere and comparison of variations in these parameters have been described. The measurements have been carried out by the resonance scattering of radio waves by artificial periodic irregularities in the ionospheric plasma. The irregularities arise when the ionosphere is modificated by a powerful high-frequency radio emission from a Sura midlatitude heating facility. Comparison has been conducted using experimental data on altitude- and time-dependent variations in the above parameters obtained in experiments of 2010 and 2014. It has been shown that, above 100 km, wavelike variations in temperature and velocity are commonly observed simultaneously. In the absence of wavelike variations, there is a tendency to an increase in temperature with an increase in the velocity of the vertical plasma motion regardless of direction. This tendency can be attributed to thermal flows directed upward from the turbulent region of the ionosphere.     

双频容性耦合等离子体相分辨发射光谱诊断

采用相分辨发射光谱法, 对双频容性耦合纯Ar和不同含O₂量的Ar-O₂混合气体放电等离子体的鞘层激发模式进行了探究. 在射频耦合电源上极板的鞘层区域处观察到两种电子激发模式: 鞘层扩张引起的电子碰撞激发模式和二次电子引起的电子碰撞激发模式; 并发现这两种激发模式均受到低频射频电源周期的调制. 在纯Ar放电等离子体中, 两种激发模式的激发轮廓相似; 而在Ar-O₂混合气放电等离子体中, 随着含O₂量的增加, 二次电子的激发轮廓变弱. 此外, 利用相分辨发射光谱法对不同含O₂量的Ar-O₂混合气放电下Ar的 750.4 nm谱线的平均低频电源周期轴向分布进行了研究, 得到了距耦合电源上极板约3.8 mm处为双频容性耦合射频等离子体的鞘层边界. 关键词： 双频容性耦合等离子体 等离子体鞘层 发射光谱     

Effects of Ionospheric Radio Wave Scattering in the Decameter Interferometry

We consider some theoretical issues concerning diffraction of radio waves in a randomly irregular ionosphere with application to the problems of long-wavelength interferometry of cosmic objects. The statistical characteristics of intensity fluctuations of the decameter radio emission from discrete sources in the case of ground-based observations by two-element interferometers with very long and small baselines are analyzed. Analytical expressions are obtained for the autocorrelation function of the radiation intensity and for the scintillation spectrum of a point source in the limiting cases of large and small phase increments in an irregular ionospheric plasma. We find that in the case of radio interferometric reception, the scintillation spectrum corresponding to observations of a source by a single antenna is transferred from the zero-frequency region to the region of the Doppler frequency of the interferometer. It is shown that decameter ground-based and space-borne radio interferometers can be used to study the angular distribution of the radio brightness of cosmic sources under conditions of both quiet and disturbed ionosphere.     

Spectra of Stimulated Electromagnetic Emission of the Ionosphere Sweeping of the Pump Wave Frequency Near Gyroharmonics. II. Discussion of the Results

Alternative mechanisms of generation of the stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) excited in the ionosphere by high-power radio waves are analyzed on the basis of measurements of the SEE spectra obtained during the pump-wave frequency sweeping near the forth (n = 4) and fifth (n = 5) harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency nf_ce [1] and their comparison with the existing physical models. A method for determination of the magnetic field strength and plasma density near the double-resonance region in the ionosphere is developed. It is shown that the generation of the broad upshifted maximum (BUM) feature in the SEE spectrum should occur several kilometers below the double-resonance altitude. A role of high-frequency plasma modes and small-scale magnetic field-aligned irregularities, excited under ionosphere pumping by a high-power radio wave, in the formation of SEE spectra is demonstrated. It is shown that the difference in the emission intensities for f₀ ≲ nf_ce and f₀ > nf_ce is related to different regions (altitudes) at which the plasma waves exist in these cases. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 7, pp. 553–570, July 2008.     

Heat-transfer mechanisms in solar flares. 1: Classical and anomalous heat conduction

In the context of the problem of energy transport in solar flares, simplified analytical models have been developed that describe plasma heating in the solar atmosphere by heat fluxes from the super-hot (T _e ≳ 10⁸ K) reconnecting current layer. It is shown that the applicability conditions of common heat conduction produced by Coulomb collisions of electrons in plasma are not fulfilled in solar flares. The heat flux calculated using the classical Fourier’s law proves to be significantly higher than the real energy fluxes known from modern multi-wavelength observations of flares. The so called anomalous flux produced by interaction of free electrons with ion acoustic waves in a plasma is critically analyzed. The question of what the dominant mechanism of heat transfer in solar flares is requires additional consideration [1].     

Nonlinear resonance of plasma waves in the thermal irregularities of ionospheric plasma

We study the effect of striction plasma density disturbances on the generation intensity of longitudional cold and plasma oscillations due to polarization of the magnetic field-aligned ionospheric plasma irregularities with δN_o<0 by a powerful radio wave. It is assumed that the plasma density level inside the irregularity intersects the upper-hybrid resonance level, in the vicinity of which the cold oscillations excited directly by a powerful radio wave are transformed to shorter-wave plasma oscillations. We consider the short plasma wave limit to reduce the problem to a system of two coupled equations for the cold wave induction and plasma wave electric field. The first equation is supplemented by a local source equal to the integral of the plasma wave electric field in the resonance region. The second equation involves the cold wave induction at the resonance point and describes the electric field of interacting waves in the resonance vicinity. We use simplifications connected with the small absorption of plasma waves propagating inside the irregularity and weak radiation of these waves outside the irregularity. These conditions correspond to the generation of eigenmodes of plasma oscillations trapped in the irregularity. We have obtained a resonance-type nonlinear equation for the electric field intensity (or energy flux) of eigenmode plasma waves with allowance for striction disturbances of the plasma density profile in the resonance region. It is shown that the striction expulsion of plasma is responsible for the occurrence of coefficients describing the change in the intensity of excitation and radiation of plasma waves at the irregularity boundary. Such an expulsion leads to variations of the efficient generation band of plasma eigenmodes with the total phase increment of the wave in the irregularity. It also leads to a change in the phase shift of the plasma wave reflected from the resonance. These coefficients and the nonlinear phase shift are expressed in terms of real wave functions of the nonlinear Airy equation which describes the electric field of the excited waves in the resonance vicinity when the dissipation is absent. Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk, Moscow region, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 270–297, March, 1998.     

等离子体中相对论电子的同步曲率辐射特性研究

根据同步曲率辐射理论推导了在等离子体环境中,不同磁场条件下的相对论性电子的吸收系数和发射系数表达式，计算了电子的发射强度，并且在此基础上研究了同步曲率辐射机制的脉泽效应.研究了两种磁场位型，第一种是强度均匀但弯曲的磁场，第二种是偶极磁场，结果发现了一些偶极磁场下特有的辐射特性.考虑到在天体的环境下电子具有的不同的能谱分布，分别选用了三种典型的能谱分布(幂率分布，高斯分布，热分布)进行了研究，通过计算负吸收和脉泽放大效应在发射强度上的表现后， 发现在某些天体物理环境中，同步曲率辐射在等离子体中的确存在脉泽放大效应.这些研究结果对太阳系中行星外层辐射的研究和宇宙中的射电高亮温度等问题的研究可能提供有益的帮助. 关键词： 同步曲率辐射 负吸收 脉泽效应     

Laboratory modeling of physical processes in the ionosphere modified by powerful radio emission

We present the results of the laboratory modeling of physical processes occurring in the ionosphere during active experiments on the ionospheric modificaton by powerful radio emission. The process of nonuniform thermo-diffusion of a magnetoplasma due to local electron heating is studied under the conditions modeling the ionospheric F layer. It is revealed by direct measurements that thermo-diffusion and diffusion are accompanied by excitation of macroscopic eddy currents. In this case, electrons and ions diffuse along and across the magnetic field, respectively, and the eddy current is carried by particles of the background plasma. As a result, a magnetic-field-aligned density depletion rapidly forms in the plasma. The possibility of trapping and guided propagation of Langmuir waves in such a plasma inhomogeneity is demonstrated. Conditions are found under which the wave trapping and the formation of the inhomogeneity occur in a self-consistent regime, i.e., Langmuir waves are trapped in a small-scale inhomogeneity which, in turn, is formed due to local plasma heating by the field of the trapped waves. Such nonlinear wave trapping takes place only above a certain threshold, which significantly increases in the vicinity of gyroharmonics. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 8, pp. 731–746, August 2007.     

Detection of global phenomena of technogenic ultraviolet and infrared nightglows onboard the Vernov satellite

The generation of transients in the Earth’s upper atmosphere under the action of electron fluxes and high- and low-frequency electromagnetic waves has been studied onboard the small Vernov spacecraft (solar synchronous orbit, 98° inclination, height 640–830 km). The studies were carried out with ultraviolet (UV, 240–380 nm), red–infrared (IR, 610–800 nm), gamma-ray (0.01–3 MeV), and electron (0.2–15 MeV) detectors as well as with high-frequency (0.05–15 MHz) and low-frequency (0.1 Hz–40 kHz) radio receivers. Artificial optical signals distributed along the meridian in an extended region of latitudes in the Earth’s Northern and Southern Hemispheres modulated by a low frequency were recorded during the nadir observations at nighttime. Examples of the oscillograms of such signals in the UV and IR spectral ranges and their global distribution are presented. The emission generation altitude and the atmospheric components that can be the sources of this emission are discussed. Particular attention is given to the technogenic causes of this glow in the ionosphere under the action of powerful low- and high-frequency radio stations on the ionosphere.     

Generation of Extra-Ordinary Mode Radiation by an Electrostatic Pump in a Two-Electron-Temperature Plasma

Coherent wave-wave coupling can produce radiation with a high efficiency. Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in the study of electro-magnetic wave generation in magnetized plasmas. We have investigated theoretically the effect of finite ion temperature on the parametric instability of an electro-static upperhybrid pump into an X-mode nonthermal radiation and low frequency ion waves in a two electron temperature plasma. The latter may include the lower-hybrid, the electron-acoustic and the ion-cyclotron waves. The loss cone distribution existing permanently at low altitudes acts as a free energy source generating the upper-hybrid waves. The upper-hybrid waves can also be present because of a linear instability produced by runaway electrons. Nonlinear dispersion relation and the growth rates are derived for each case using the hydrodynamical model. We find extra numerical factor arising due to the ions of finite temperature in the growth rate expression. This study may be useful in magnetosphere, auroral ionosphere, solar wind, solar radio bursts, and laboratory plasmas where ion has finite temperature and electrons have two distinct energy distributions.