NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Measurement of macroscopic plasma parameters with a radio experiment: Interpretation of the quasi-thermal noise spectrum observed in the solar windThe ISEE-3 SBH radio receiver has provided the first systematic observations of the quasi-thermal (plasma waves) noise in the solar wind plasma. The theoretical interpretation of that noise involves the particle distribution function so that electric noise measurements with long antennas provide a fast and independent method of measuring plasma parameters: densities and temperatures of a two component (core and halo) electron distribution function have been obtained in that way. The polarization of that noise is frequency dependent and sensitive to the drift velocity of the electron population. Below the plasma frequency, there is evidence of a weak noise spectrum with spectral index -1 which is not yet accounted for by the theory. The theoretical treatment of the noise associated with the low energy (thermal) proton population shows that the moving electrical antenna radiates in the surrounding plasma by Carenkov emission which becomes predominant at the low frequencies, below about 0.1 F sub P.
Document ID
19840005028
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Couturier, P.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon)
Hoang, S.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon)
Meyer-Vernet, N.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon)
Steinberg, J. L.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1983
Publication Information
Publication: JPL Solar Wind Five
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Accession Number
84N13096
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available