Electron-neutral collisions induced by artificially produced VLF waves: Radiation belt remediation
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The interaction of particles and waves is a universal physical process that occurs in nature (e.g. wave-particle heating of the solar corona) as well as in the laboratory (e.g. wave-particle heating of plasmas within magnetic-confinement tokamaks). The development of high-powered radio-transmitters has meant that it is now possible to transmit very low frequency (VLF) signals along magnetic flux tubes with the aim of inducing such wave-particle interactions artificially in near-Earth space. This proposal outlines a method - known as radiation belt remediation - to decrease the number of energetic electrons in the radiation belts by artificially stimulating electron-neutral collisions using such VLF signals. The constantly changing flux of energetic electrons within the radiation belts is dangerous to orbiting hardware such as commercial communication satellites, and numerous scientific and military satellites which fly through the region. If successful, the research proposed would have significant practical applications as well as answering pressing physics problems. Success would provide a means to potentially protect spacecraft and instrumentation from: (a) the elevated particle fluxes that occur naturally (e.g. due to solar-driven variations and in situ particle acceleration, which are known to cause occasional satellite failure) or, (b) the exceptionally high fluxes that can occur due to human actions (e.g. high-altitude nuclear detonations massively increase particle fluxes and would certainly damage satellites traversing the radiation belts). It is estimated radiation-belt disruptions to USA government satellites alone cost in excess of $100 million per year (pre-2000) and that between 1994 and 1997 around $500 million worth of satellite insurance claims were a direct or indirect result of such disruptions. At present, expensive shielding is required to mitigate this effect, although no amount of shielding can provide 100% protection. With an ever-increasing societal reliance on space-based technology, it is clear that the potential for disruption and the related cost is huge. Such costs may be significantly reduced by better understanding the physical cause of such effects and by subsequent development of means to mitigate them.
Publications
Forster D
(2013)
Inner magnetospheric heavy ion composition during high-speed stream-driven storms
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Clilverd M
(2013)
Energetic electron precipitation characteristics observed from Antarctica during a flux dropout event
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Borovsky J
(2013)
The differences between storms driven by helmet streamer CIRs and storms driven by pseudostreamer CIRs
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Hartley D
(2013)
Case studies of the impact of high-speed solar wind streams on the electron radiation belt at geosynchronous orbit: Flux, magnetic field, and phase space density
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Borovsky J
(2014)
Statistically measuring the amount of pitch angle scattering that energetic electrons undergo as they drift across the plasmaspheric drainage plume at geosynchronous orbit
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Denton M
(2014)
Observations and modeling of magnetic flux tube refilling of the plasmasphere at geosynchronous orbit
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Borovsky J
(2014)
Exploring the cross correlations and autocorrelations of the ULF indices and incorporating the ULF indices into the systems science of the solar wind-driven magnetosphere
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Denton M
(2014)
First optical observations of energetic electron precipitation at 4278 Å caused by a powerful VLF transmitter
in Geophysical Research Letters
Hartley D
(2014)
Electron number density, temperature, and energy density at GEO and links to the solar wind: A simple predictive capability
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Borovsky J
(2014)
Long-lived plasmaspheric drainage plumes: Where does the plasma come from?
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Description | European Space Agency |
Organisation | European Space Agency |
Country | France |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with members of the European Space Agency Cluster satelllite mission. |
Collaborator Contribution | Publication of research results. |
Impact | Various publications in peer reviewed journals. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Los Alamos National Laboratory (USA) |
Organisation | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Research Analysis - space physics |
Collaborator Contribution | Research Analysis |
Impact | Over 20 joint publications. |
Description | Space Science Institute (USA) |
Organisation | Space Science Institute |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration on study of solar wind and magnetosphere |
Collaborator Contribution | Research analysis and publications |
Impact | Publication of research results |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | AGU Session Convenor |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Convened sessions at American Geophysical Union meetings (Fall Meeting, USA, 2011 and Spring Meeting, Brazil, 2010). Research collaboration with Augsberg College, USA. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011 |
Description | Conference/Workshop Speaker |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | I have given formal oral/poster sessions at ~25 diffferent meetings in the past five years. Formal collaborations and research projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 |
Description | Confernce Organisation Committee |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Co-organiser of two international meetings in 2011. European Space Agency, ESLAB meeting (Brugge, 2011) ISROSES-II meeting (Bulgaria, 2011) Collaboration and publication of research results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | NASA/RBSP Launch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Invitation to speak at the NASA Radiation Belt Storm Probes Science Working Group (Florida, USA) - 2012. Also guest at the launch of the NASA/RBSP mission from Cape Kennedy, USA. Current collaboration with NASA/RBSP personnel on various research projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | NSERC/CSA Grant Review Panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Part of a panel reviewing proposals to NSERC and the Canadian Space Agency Grants were awarded based on panel recommendations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2012 |
Description | School Visit (Headlands) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Two groups of 30 pupils attended a talk on space science. The school has agreed to host a scientific instrument (VLF radio receiver) to further outreach and collaboration between the PI and the school |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 |