Simulated images of the plasmasphere

G. Randall Gladstone

doi:10.1117/12.60590

1 June 1992 Simulated images of the plasmasphere

G. Randall Gladstone

Proceedings Volume 1744, Instrumentation for Magnetospheric Imagery; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.60590
Event: San Diego '92, 1992, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

In preparation for the upcoming IMI mission to image the Earth's inner magnetosphere, we have simulated several images for two EUV emission lines in the plasmasphere. Two main candidates for remote sensing of the plasmasphere are He II 304 angstroms and O II 834 angstroms emissions, both of which are excited by resonantly scattered sunlight. The He II 304 angstroms feature typically has a brightness in the plasmasphere of about 5 Rayleighs, with no background from the disk of the Earth, making it an ideal emission for imaging the plasmasphere. On the other hand, the plasmaspheric O II 834 angstroms brightness is expected to be no more than about 1 Rayleigh. In addition, there is a background from the disk of the Earth (on the order of 1500 Rayleighs on the dayside) that must be accounted for. Despite the technical difficulties associated with observing a faint plasmaspheric emission component above the bright disk, the possibility of remotely imaging upflowing O⁺ ions pouring into the plasmasphere is compelling enough that the IMI mission payload is likely to include a 834 angstroms imager. We have simulated these two emissions (including the disk background at 834 angstroms) as seen from a nominal IMI orbit, using a constant model plasmasphere and upflowing ion rate. The resulting images show a rough idea of what may be expected from the IMI plasmasphere imagers.

Citation Download Citation

G. Randall Gladstone "Simulated images of the plasmasphere", Proc. SPIE 1744, Instrumentation for Magnetospheric Imagery, (1 June 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.60590

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