ALBERT

Description: Model calculations are made to explain the behavior of the potential of a pair of symmetrical floating probes used for the measurement of dc electric fields inside the plasmapause on the S3-A satellite launched on Nov. 15, 1971, into an eccentric orbit. Data representing the behavior of three regions of the plasmapause on and around Dec. 17, 1971, are discussed. The behavior of the plasmapause is found to be generally similar to that determined by previous observations involving variable magnetic activity.

Description: Studies and plans for orbital capture of cosmic dust and interplanetary dust particles (IDP's) looked very bright with the advent of space station Freedom (SSF) and formal selection of Cosmic Dust Collection Facility (CDCF) as an attached payload in 1990. Unfortunately it has been downhill since its selection, culminating in CDCF being dropped as attached payload in the SSF redesign process this year. This action was without any input from the science or cosmic dust communities. The Exobiology Intact Capture Experiment (Exo-ICE) as an experiment on CDCF was also lost. Without CDCF, no facility-class instrument for cosmic dust studies is available or planned. When CDCF (and Exo-ICE) was selected as a SSF attached payload, an exercise called the small particle intact capture experiment (SPICE) was started for Exo-ICE to develop an understanding and early testing of the necessary expertise and technology for intact capture of cosmic dust and IDP's. This SPICE activity looks to fly small, meter square or less, collection area experiments on early orbital platforms of opportunity such as EURECA, MIR, WESTAR, and others, including the shuttle. The SPICE activity has focused on developing techniques and instrument concepts to capture particles intact and without inadvertent contamination. It began with a survey and screening of available capture media concepts and then focused on the development of a capture medium that can meet these requirements. Evaluation and development of the chosen capture medium, aerogel (a silicon oxide gel), has so far lived up to the expectations of meeting the requirements and is highlighted in a companion paper at this workshop. Others such as McDonnell's Timeband Capture Cell Experiment (TICCE) on EuReCa and Tsuo's GAS-CAN lid experiments on STS 47 and 57 have flown aerogel, but without addressing the contamination issue/requirement, especially regarding organics. Horz, Zolenskym and others have studied and have also been advocates for its development. The SPICE instrument's experiment design builds on the knowledge gained from these efforts to meet the intact capture, noncontamination requirements. An overview of a possible SPICE experimental instrument concept using the MIR space station as a host platform for cosmic dust collection is provided in this paper. The SPICE concept is nonplatform-specified and can fly on any platform that provides a mode for experiment recovery.

Description: Results of plasmapause measurements made onboard S cubed A (explorer 45) satellite are presented. Data cover model calculations made to explain the observed probe potential behavior, comparison of satellite data with VLF data to establish that certain effects seen are interpretable as the plasmapause, and plasmapause behavior during the December 17, 1971 magnetic storm.

Description: This paper reviews the first results of satellite experiments to measure magnetospheric convection electric fields using the double-probe technique. The earliest successful measurements were made with the low-altitude (680-2530 km) polar orbiting Injun-5 spacecraft. The Injun-5 results are compared with the initial findings of the electric field experiment on the polar orbiting OGO-6 satellite. Electric field measurements from the OGO-6 satellite have substantiated many of the initial Injun-5 observations with improved accuracy and sensitivity. The OGO-6 detector revealed the persistent occurrence of anti-sunward convection across the polar cap region at velocities not generally detectable with the Injun-5 experiment. The OGO-6 observations also provided information indicating that the location of the electric field reversal shifts equatorward during periods of increased magnetic activity. The implications of the electric field measurements for magnetospheric and auroral structure are summarized, and a list of specific recommendations for improving future experiments is presented.

Description: A common problem for experimental space physicists is the determination of the attitude matrix T which transforms vectors between representations in X and X' coordinate systems according to (vector V sub X) = (T sub XX')(vector V sub X'). A straightforward, simple, and efficient solution for the transformation matrix is a double-cross transformation. It is calculated from any two directions A and B, which are vectors normalized to unit length and are known in both X and X' coordinates. The B direction need be known only well enough to define the plane in which vectors A and B lie. The problem of the intersection of two cones as applicable to attitude solutions is also discussed.

Description: Analytical expressions for the electromagnetic coupling between electrical discharges and floating conducting surfaces are derived. Electrical discharges can occur on satellite surfaces during energetic electron injection events associated with magnetospheric substorms. The theory presented here can be used to study interference to electronic circuits that may be caused by such discharges. The expressions derived in this paper are consistent with laboratory calibrations of an electrical pulse counter that has detected such discharges on a geostationary satellite.

Description: Injun 3 satellite spectrophotographic analysis of VLF noise emissions during magnetic storms, and assessment of relationship between variations in emission and energetic electron fluxes

Description: Magnetospheric plasma convection electric field double-probe measurement at high latitude by Injun-5 satellite, noting east-west velocity reversals or discontinuities at auroral zone