Simulation Studies of Parametric Processes Associated with Ionospheric Electromagnetic Radiation

dc.contributor.authorHussein, Ahmed A.en
dc.contributor.committeechairScales, Wayne A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHuang, Joeen
dc.contributor.committeememberBrown, Gary S.en
dc.contributor.committeememberRiad, Sedki Mohameden
dc.contributor.committeememberBesieris, Ioannis M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberYan, Yinen
dc.contributor.departmentElectrical and Computer Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:22:37Zen
dc.date.adate1997-10-01en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:22:37Zen
dc.date.issued1997-09-19en
dc.date.rdate1997-10-01en
dc.date.sdate1997-09-19en
dc.description.abstractParametric instability processes are thought to produce Stimulated Electromagnetic Emissions (SEE) during ionospheric heating experiments. The phenomenon is primarily attributed to plasma turbulence excited by the high frequency HF heater in the altitude region where the pump frequency <i>ω</i>₀ is near the plasma upper hybrid frequency <i>ω<sub>uh</sub></i>. In this study, parametric instability processes thought to produce SEE are studied using theoretical and electrostatic Particle-In-Cell PIC simulation models. The simulation plasma is driven with a uniform oscillating electric field directed nearly perpendicular to the background geomagnetic field {B} to consider interactions when <i>ω<sub>uh</sub></i> is near electron cyclotron harmonics <i>nΩ<sub>ce</sub></i>. The pump frequency and amplitude are varied to consider the effects on the simulation electric field power spectrum. In this study, theoretical predictions and numerical simulations are used to study the three-wave decay instability process thought to be responsible for the generation of the down-shifted sidebands, the downshifted peak DP and the downshifted maximum DM. In particular, the lower hybrid decay instability LHDI and the ion cyclotron decay instability ICDI are studied in detail. The theory is used to provide the angular regime, with respect to the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field, at which the sidebands develop as well as the frequency and wavenumber regimes of both the LHDI and the ICDI. The effect of the temperature ratio <i>T<sub>e</sub>/T<sub>i</sub></i> for both instabilities is discussed. A comparison between the theoretical predictions, the simulation electric field power spectrum and the experimental observations are presented in this study. Time evolution of both the LHDI and the ICDI is also investigated. The theoretical predictions are also used to investigate the cascading of the LHDI and the ICDI. The spectra show consistencies with the experimental observations. A four-wave parametric decay instability process thought to be responsible for SEE broad up-shifted sideband spectral features is discussed as well. Many theoretical results are presented, in which the effect of stepping the heater frequency closer to the upper hybrid frequency on the angle of maximum growth <i>θ<sub>max</sub></i>, the growth rate γ and on both the frequency and wavenumber regimes of the four-wave process is investigated. The simulation electric field power spectrum showed a large amplitude up-shifted sideband and a much smaller amplitude down-shifted sideband, consistent with the experimental observations. Comparisons between the theoretical predictions, the simulation electric field power spectrum and the experimental observations are discussed in detail. The time evolution of the four-wave process is one important aspect that is also presented in this study. The development of density irregularities, cavities and particle heating is also analyzed and investigated in this study.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.identifier.otheretd-83097-15215en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-83097-15215/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/30733en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartetd.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectPlasmaen
dc.subjectIonospheric Modificationen
dc.subjectNumerical Simulationsen
dc.titleSimulation Studies of Parametric Processes Associated with Ionospheric Electromagnetic Radiationen
dc.typeDissertationen
thesis.degree.disciplineElectrical and Computer Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

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