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Yang L, He J, Verscharen D, Li H, Bowen TA, Bale SD, Wu H, Li W, Wang Y, Zhang L, Feng X, Wu Z. Energy transfer of imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence in the heliosphere. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7955. [PMID: 38040682 PMCID: PMC10692179 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43273-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence is a universal process playing a crucial role in energy transfer in space, astrophysical, and laboratory plasmas. A fundamental and long-lasting question about the imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence is how and through which mechanism the energy transfers between scales. Here, we show that the energy transfer of imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence is completed by coherent interactions between Alfvén waves and co-propagating anomalous fluctuations. These anomalous fluctuations are generated by nonlinear couplings instead of linear reflection. We also reveal that the energy transfer of the waves and the anomalous fluctuations is carried out mainly through local-scale and large-scale nonlinear interactions, respectively, responsible for their bifurcated power-law spectra. This work unveils the energy transfer physics of imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence, and advances the understanding of imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence observed by Parker Solar Probe in the inner heliosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Yang
- SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiansen He
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Daniel Verscharen
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
| | - Hui Li
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Trevor A Bowen
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7450, USA
| | - Stuart D Bale
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7450, USA
- Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7300, USA
| | - Honghong Wu
- School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenya Li
- State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhang
- China Academy of Aerospace Science and Innovation, 100190, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueshang Feng
- SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziqi Wu
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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2
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Benella S, Stumpo M, Consolini G, Alberti T, Laurenza M, Yordanova E. Kramers–Moyal analysis of interplanetary magnetic field fluctuations at sub-ion scales. RENDICONTI LINCEI. SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12210-022-01108-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn the framework of statistical time series analysis of complex dynamics, we present a multiscale characterization of solar wind turbulence in the near-earth environment. The data analysis, based on the Markov process theory, is meant to estimate the Kramers–Moyal coefficients associated with the measured magnetic field fluctuations. In fact, when the scale-to-scale dynamics can be successfully described as a Markov process, first- and second-order Kramers–Moyal coefficients provide a complete description of the dynamics in terms of Langevin stochastic process. The analysis is carried out using high-resolution magnetic field measurements gathered by Cluster during a fast solar wind period on January 20, 2007. This analysis extends recent findings in the near-Sun environment with the aim of testing the universality of the Markovian nature of the magnetic field fluctuations in the sub-ion/kinetic domain.
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Bowen TA, Chandran BDG, Squire J, Bale SD, Duan D, Klein KG, Larson D, Mallet A, McManus MD, Meyrand R, Verniero JL, Woodham LD. In Situ Signature of Cyclotron Resonant Heating in the Solar Wind. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:165101. [PMID: 36306754 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.165101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The dissipation of magnetized turbulence is an important paradigm for describing heating and energy transfer in astrophysical environments such as the solar corona and wind; however, the specific collisionless processes behind dissipation and heating remain relatively unconstrained by measurements. Remote sensing observations have suggested the presence of strong temperature anisotropy in the solar corona consistent with cyclotron resonant heating. In the solar wind, in situ magnetic field measurements reveal the presence of cyclotron waves, while measured ion velocity distribution functions have hinted at the active presence of cyclotron resonance. Here, we present Parker Solar Probe observations that connect the presence of ion-cyclotron waves directly to signatures of resonant damping in observed proton-velocity distributions using the framework of quasilinear theory. We show that the quasilinear evolution of the observed distribution functions should absorb the observed cyclotron wave population with a heating rate of 10^{-14} W/m^{3}, indicating significant heating of the solar wind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor A Bowen
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Benjamin D G Chandran
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - Jonathan Squire
- Department of Physics, University of Otago, 730 Cumberland Street, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Stuart D Bale
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
- Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA
| | - Die Duan
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Kristopher G Klein
- Department of Planetary Sciences and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Davin Larson
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Alfred Mallet
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Michael D McManus
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
- Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA
| | - Romain Meyrand
- Department of Physics, University of Otago, 730 Cumberland Street, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Jaye L Verniero
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - Lloyd D Woodham
- Department of Physics, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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4
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Parashar TN, Matthaeus WH. Observations of cross scale energy transfer in the inner heliosphere by Parker Solar Probe. REVIEWS OF MODERN PLASMA PHYSICS 2022; 6:41. [PMCID: PMC9684259 DOI: 10.1007/s41614-022-00097-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The solar wind, a continuous flow of plasma from the sun, not only shapes the near Earth space environment but also serves as a natural laboratory to study plasma turbulence in conditions that are not achievable in the lab. Starting with the Mariners, for more than five decades, multiple space missions have enabled in-depth studies of solar wind turbulence. Parker Solar Probe (PSP) was launched to explore the origins and evolution of the solar wind. With its state-of-the-art instrumentation and unprecedented close approaches to the sun, PSP is starting a new era of inner heliospheric exploration. In this review we discuss observations of turbulent energy flow across scales in the inner heliosphere as observed by PSP. After providing a quick theoretical overview and a quick recap of turbulence before PSP, we discuss in detail the observations of energy at various scales on its journey from the largest scales to the internal degrees of freedom of the plasma. We conclude with some open ended questions, many of which we hope that PSP will help answer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tulasi N. Parashar
- grid.267827.e0000 0001 2292 3111School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Gate 7, Kelburn Parade, Kelburn, Wellington, 6012 New Zealand ,grid.33489.350000 0001 0454 4791Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Sharp Laboratory, Newark, Delaware 19711 USA
| | - William H. Matthaeus
- grid.33489.350000 0001 0454 4791Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Sharp Laboratory, Newark, Delaware 19711 USA
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Kasper JC, Klein KG, Lichko E, Huang J, Chen CHK, Badman ST, Bonnell J, Whittlesey PL, Livi R, Larson D, Pulupa M, Rahmati A, Stansby D, Korreck KE, Stevens M, Case AW, Bale SD, Maksimovic M, Moncuquet M, Goetz K, Halekas JS, Malaspina D, Raouafi NE, Szabo A, MacDowall R, Velli M, Dudok de Wit T, Zank GP. Parker Solar Probe Enters the Magnetically Dominated Solar Corona. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:255101. [PMID: 35029449 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.255101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The high temperatures and strong magnetic fields of the solar corona form streams of solar wind that expand through the Solar System into interstellar space. At 09:33 UT on 28 April 2021 Parker Solar Probe entered the magnetized atmosphere of the Sun 13 million km above the photosphere, crossing below the Alfvén critical surface for five hours into plasma in casual contact with the Sun with an Alfvén Mach number of 0.79 and magnetic pressure dominating both ion and electron pressure. The spectrum of turbulence below the Alfvén critical surface is reported. Magnetic mapping suggests the region was a steady flow emerging on rapidly expanding coronal magnetic field lines lying above a pseudostreamer. The sub-Alfvénic nature of the flow may be due to suppressed magnetic reconnection at the base of the pseudostreamer, as evidenced by unusually low densities in this region and the magnetic mapping.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Kasper
- BWX Technologies, Inc., Washington, DC 20001, USA and Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - K G Klein
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA
| | - E Lichko
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA
| | - Jia Huang
- Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - C H K Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - S T Badman
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - J Bonnell
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - P L Whittlesey
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - R Livi
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - D Larson
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - M Pulupa
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - A Rahmati
- Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - D Stansby
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Surrey RH5 6NT, United Kingdom
| | - K E Korreck
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - M Stevens
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - A W Case
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - S D Bale
- Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA and Space Sciences Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA
| | - M Maksimovic
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Universite PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Universite, Universite de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
| | - M Moncuquet
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Universite PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Universite, Universite de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
| | - K Goetz
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
| | - J S Halekas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - D Malaspina
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - Nour E Raouafi
- The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723, USA
| | - A Szabo
- Heliospheric Physics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, USA
| | - R MacDowall
- Heliospheric Physics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, USA
| | - Marco Velli
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, UCLA, California 90095, USA
| | | | - G P Zank
- Department of Space Science and Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35805, USA
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The Transport and Evolution of MHD Turbulence throughout the Heliosphere: Models and Observations. FLUIDS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/fluids6100368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A detailed study of solar wind turbulence throughout the heliosphere in both the upwind and downwind directions is presented. We use an incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence model that includes the effects of electrons, the separation of turbulence energy into proton and electron heating, the electron heat flux, and Coulomb collisions between protons and electrons. We derive expressions for the turbulence cascade rate corresponding to the energy in forward and backward propagating modes, the fluctuating kinetic and magnetic energy, the normalized cross-helicity, and the normalized residual energy, and calculate the turbulence cascade rate from 0.17 to 75 au in the upwind and downwind directions. Finally, we use the turbulence transport models to derive cosmic ray (CR) parallel and perpendicular mean free paths (mfps) in the upwind and downwind heliocentric directions. We find that turbulence in the upwind and downwind directions is different, in part because of the asymmetric distribution of new born pickup ions in the two directions, which results in the CR mfps being different in the two directions. This is important for models that describe the modulation of cosmic rays by the solar wind.
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7
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Alexandrova O, Jagarlamudi VK, Hellinger P, Maksimovic M, Shprits Y, Mangeney A. Spectrum of kinetic plasma turbulence at 0.3-0.9 astronomical units from the Sun. Phys Rev E 2021; 103:063202. [PMID: 34271660 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.103.063202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We investigate spectral properties of turbulence in the solar wind that is a weakly collisional astrophysical plasma, accessible to in situ observations. Using the Helios search coil magnetometer measurements in the fast solar wind, in the inner heliosphere, we focus on properties of the turbulent magnetic fluctuations at scales smaller than the ion characteristic scales, the so-called kinetic plasma turbulence. At such small scales, we show that magnetic power spectra between 0.3 and 0.9 AU from the Sun have a generic shape ∼f^{-8/3}exp(-f/f_{d}), where the dissipation frequency f_{d} is correlated with the Doppler shifted frequency f_{ρe} of the electron Larmor radius. This behavior is statistically significant: all the observed kinetic spectra are well described by this model, with f_{d}=f_{ρe}/1.8. Our results indicate that the electron gyroradius plays the role of the dissipation scale and marks the end of the electromagnetic cascade in the solar wind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Alexandrova
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
| | - Vamsee Krishna Jagarlamudi
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France.,LPC2E, CNRS, University of Orléans, 3 Avenue de la Recherche Scientifique, F-45071 Orleans Cedex 2, France.,Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, National Institute for Astrophysics, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Petr Hellinger
- Astronomical Institute, CAS, Bocni II/1401, CZ-14100 Prague, Czech Republic.,Institute of Atmospheric Physics, CAS, Bocni II/1401, CZ-14100 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Maksimovic
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
| | - Yuri Shprits
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, University of Potsdam, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Andre Mangeney
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
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8
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Bowen TA, Mallet A, Bale SD, Bonnell JW, Case AW, Chandran BDG, Chasapis A, Chen CHK, Duan D, Dudok de Wit T, Goetz K, Halekas JS, Harvey PR, Kasper JC, Korreck KE, Larson D, Livi R, MacDowall RJ, Malaspina DM, McManus MD, Pulupa M, Stevens M, Whittlesey P. Constraining Ion-Scale Heating and Spectral Energy Transfer in Observations of Plasma Turbulence. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:025102. [PMID: 32701332 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.025102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We perform a statistical study of the turbulent power spectrum at inertial and kinetic scales observed during the first perihelion encounter of the Parker Solar Probe. We find that often there is an extremely steep scaling range of the power spectrum just above the ion-kinetic scales, similar to prior observations at 1 A.U., with a power-law index of around -4. Based on our measurements, we demonstrate that either a significant (>50%) fraction of the total turbulent energy flux is dissipated in this range of scales, or the characteristic nonlinear interaction time of the turbulence decreases dramatically from the expectation based solely on the dispersive nature of nonlinearly interacting kinetic Alfvén waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor A Bowen
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Alfred Mallet
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Stuart D Bale
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
- Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - J W Bonnell
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Anthony W Case
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Benjamin D G Chandran
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
- Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - Alexandros Chasapis
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - Christopher H K Chen
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Die Duan
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Thierry Dudok de Wit
- LPC2E, CNRS and University of Orléans, 3 Avenue de la Recherche Scientifique, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Keith Goetz
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
| | - Jasper S Halekas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - Peter R Harvey
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - J C Kasper
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Kelly E Korreck
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Davin Larson
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Roberto Livi
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Robert J MacDowall
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - David M Malaspina
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
- Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Michael D McManus
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
- Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA
| | - Marc Pulupa
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
| | - Michael Stevens
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Phyllis Whittlesey
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7450, USA
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