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Significant initial results from the environmental measurements experiment on ATS-6The Applications Technology Satellite (ATS-6), launched into synchronous orbit on 30 May 1974, carried a set of six particle detectors and a triaxial fluxgate magnetometer. The particle detectors were able to determine the ion and electron distribution functions from 1 to greater than 10 to the 8th power eV. It was found that the magnetic field is weaker and more tilted than predicted by models which neglect internal plasma and that there is a seasonal dependence to the magnitude and tilt. ATS-6 magnetic field measurements showed the effects of field-aligned currents associated with substorms, and large fluxes of field-aligned particles were observed with the particle detectors. Encounters with the plasmasphere revealed the existence of warm plasma with temperatures up to 30 eV. A variety of correlated waves in both the particles and fields were observed: pulsation continuous oscillations, seen predominantly in the plasmasphere bulge; ultralow frequency (ULF) standing waves; ring current proton ULF waves; and low frequency waves that modulate the energetic electrons. In additon, large scale waves on the energetic-ion-trapping boundary were observed, and the intensity of energetic electrons was modulated in association with the passage of sector boundaries of the interplanetary magnetic field.
Document ID
19780007199
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Technical Publication (TP)
Authors
Fritz, T. A. (NOAA Boulder, Colo., United States)
Arthur, C. W. (California Univ. Los Angeles, United States)
Blake, J. B. (Aerospace Corp. Los Angeles, United States)
Coleman, P. J., Jr. (California Univ. Los Angeles, United States)
Corrigan, J. P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center La., United States)
Cummings, W. D. (Grambling State Univ. Huntsville, United States)
Deforest, S. E. (Alabama Univ. Minneapolis, United States)
Erickson, K. N. (Minnesota Univ.)
Konradi, A. (NASA Johnson Space Center)
Lennartsson, W. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center)
Date Acquired
September 3, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1977
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Space Vehicles
Report/Patent Number
G-7702-F15
NASA-TP-1101
Accession Number
78N15142
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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