HR: 11:35h
AN: SM42A-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Wave Probe – New Instrument For Space Research
AU: * Korepanov, V
EM: vakor@isr.lviv.ua
AF: Lviv Centre of Institute of Space Research, 5-A Naukova Str., Lviv, 79000, Ukraine
AU: Dudkin, F
EM: fd@isr.lviv.ua
AF: Lviv Centre of Institute of Space Research, 5-A Naukova Str., Lviv, 79000, Ukraine
AB: The dispersion relations are very important for the wave activity study in space plasmas. One of the most efficient methods for their analysis is the simultaneous measurements of spatial current density and magnetic field fluctuations during such a wave process. Whereas the measurement of the magnetic field is a routine task realized onboard practically every spacecraft (SC), the direct measurement of spatial current density (SCD) still remains a complicated scientific and technological problem. First attempt to solve it was executed in late 60-ties by a group headed by F. Mozer. They proposed and launched in a rocket experiment the device named "Split Langmuir Probe" (SLP) – two conducting plates separated by a thin insulated split. Unfortunately this experiment failed what diverted the attention of experimenters in space branch from this instrument for many years, practically till now. But the importance to know the SCD stimulated the development of new principles and devices to measure it. A short review of known versions is discussed. The newly evoked interest to this problem caused next attempt to improve the SLP construction and methodology of its application for SCD measurements, which resulted in first successful attempt in 1985: the measured SCD onboard Prognos-10 SC in the bow shock region was in rather good agreement with the calculated value. This attempt was continued onboard Interball-Tail SC (1995-2000) where again a qualitatively good coincidence of measured and calculated values was observed. The obtained experience and further theoretical research allowed developing a new instrument – Wave Probe – which is a combination of induction magnetometer and SLP in one body. Both on-ground tests in plasma chamber and the spatial experiment executed onboard Ukrainian "Sich-1M" SC (2004) showed that the combined in-situ simultaneous measurements of SCD and magnetic field fluctuations allowed obtaining the wave number of the whistler wave. The same wave number was calculated theoretically from dispersion relations of whistler wave using known ionosphere model and the comparison of measured and calculated values of both wave number and SCD gave a good quantitative agreement. The details of theoretical and experimental study are discussed in the report. There is a pleasant duty of the authors to thank Prof. F. Mozer and Prof. S. Klimov for continuous attention and practical support of this work. It was also supported by NSAU contract No 1-02/03.
DE: 2409 Current systems (2721)
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2471 Plasma waves and instabilities (2772)
DE: 2487 Wave propagation (0689, 3285, 4275, 4455, 6934)
DE: 2494 Instruments and techniques
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting