Terrestrial kilometric radiation. I. Spatial structure studies

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1976 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA081i034p05948· OSTI ID:7336038

Alexander, J K; Kaiser, M L

Observations of lunar occultations of the earth at 250 kHz, obtained with the Radio Astronomy Explorer 2 satellite, have been used to derive two-dimensional maps of the location of the sources of terrestrial kilometric radiation (TKR). By examining the two-dimensional source distributions as a function of the observer's location (lunar orbit) with respect to the magnetosphere, we can estimate the average three-dimensional location of the emission regions. Although TKR events at 250 kHz can often be observed at projected distances corresponding to the 250 kHz electron gyro or plasma level (R approx.=2 R/sub E/), many events are observed much farther from the earth (5 < or approx. = R < or approx. = 15 R/sub E/). On the dayside we observed emission apparently in the region of the polar cusp and the magnetosheath at ..lambda.. approx. 75/sup 0/, and in the night hemisphere we find emission associated with regions of the magnetotail at ..lambda.. > or greater than or equal to = 70/sup 0/. The nightside emission is suggestive of a mechanism involving plasma sheet electron precipitation in the premidnight sector. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Planetary Sciences Branch, Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
• OSTI ID: 7336038
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 81:34
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MAGNETOSPHERE
LONG WAVE RADIATION
COORDINATES
EARTH PLANET
ELECTRON PRECIPITATION
EXPLORER SATELLITES
KHZ RANGE 100-1000
MAGNETOPAUSE
PLASMA SHEET
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
DISTRIBUTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FREQUENCY RANGE
KHZ RANGE
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SATELLITES
640203* - Atmospheric Physics- Magnetospheric Phenomena- (-1987)