Anthropogenic electromagnetic emissions in the Earth’s inner magnetosphere

Supervisor: Doc. RNDr. František Němec, Ph.D.
Status: Available

Abstract:

Very low frequency (i.e., up to about 20 kHz) anthropogenic electromagnetic emissions (primarily power line harmonic radiation and signals from powerful military transmitters) can – after propagating some distance in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide – escape to the space. There they can be detected by spacecraft, not only close to a given wave source, but along the entire respective magnetic field line and eventually also in the magnetically conjugated region. These waves are important both with regard to their interaction with energetic particles trapped in the Van Allen radiation belts and considering newly generated (“triggered”) emissions which would not occur otherwise. The aim of the thesis is to use available low-altitude spacecraft data (DEMETER, prospectively TARANIS) as well as measurements at larger radial distances (Cluster, Van Allen Probes) for the experimental analysis of these emissions. The focus will be on their overall intensities and variations due to geomagnetic activity, means of propagation throughout the inner magnetosphere, and the evaluation of optimal conditions for the generation of triggered emissions and their properties.

Literature

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2. F. F. Chen: Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. Springer, New York, 1984.
3. R. A. Treumann, W. Baumjohann: Advanced Space Plasma Physics. Imperial College Press, London, 2001.
4. Papers in scientific journals recommended by the thesis supervisor.