To resolve the small scale structures and distribution functions of the collisionless space plasmas another function is being used--large scale kinetics (LSK), which follows the evolution of distribution functions of a large number of particles in given magnetic and electric fields either from observational models or from the global MHD simulations. This method allows the study of particle precipitation and loss into the ionosphere as well as the local distribution functions and its moments in the magnetosphere. Currently, LSK is being used to study the plasma characteristics of the magnetotail and the plasma sheet (M. Ashour-Abdalla, D. Schriver, and R. Richard), the ring current (M. Ashour- Abdalla, and V. Peroomian), particle entry into the magnetosphere (R. Richard, and R.J. Walker) and distribution functions in the distant geomagnetic tail.
The group also performs a variety of theoretical studies and kinetic simulations investigating wave-particle interactions. The studies focus on magnetic noise bursts in the magnetotail and electron acceleration near an X-line (D. Schriver and M. Ashour-Abdalla), waves at magnetospheric electromagnetic boundaries such as the magnetopause, plasma sheet boundary layer and the plasmapause (J. Berchem, V. Sotnikov, D. Schriver).
In the area of education, members of the group have designed a software package of interactive computer labs called Computer Promoted Understanding of Physics Concepts (CPUPC) (M. Ashour-Abdalla and J. Berchem) which has been used successfully in the Physics 8A and 8B courses.
The group collaborates and maintains links with a number of researchers from other institutions in the areas of theoretical studies (T. Burinskaya, L. Zelenyi, V. Rozov) and experimental space plasma physics (L.A. Frank, A.T.Y. Lui, J.M. Bosqued, R. Schmidt, R. Elphinstone).
Dr. Walker heads the efforts involved with the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS), which archives and distributes digital data from past and present NASA planetary missions, astronomical observations and laboratory measurements. The PDS includes seven discipline nodes and a central node. The Planetary Plasma Interactions (PPI) Node is responsible for the acquisition, preservation, and distribution of fields and particles data and radio science data from all NASA planetary missions. The primary goal is to make available to the research community the highest quality data possible. It also provides other services to the research community including a menu-based interactive system for selection, viewing, and ordering of datasets; the handling of requests for datasets either electronically or on physical media; and the ability to build custom datasets from existing data. During the past year the PPI Node has begun publishing data on CDROM enabling the distribution of data to even wider scientific communities. Some examples include data from the Voyager flybys of Uranus and Neptune. In Fall 1993, the entire 14 year data set of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter will be available.
The PPI Node personnel have developed a new system to manage data holdings. This system called the Distributed Inventory Tracking and Data Ordering Specifications (DITDOS) enables scientists to access data which is located anywhere in the world.
In addition to the main PPI Node at UCLA, PPI has a subnode (Under the direction of C.T. Russell) specializing in inner planets data, an outer planets subnode at the University of Iowa, and a Planetary Radio Astronomy subnode at the Goddard Space Flight Center.
The planetary plasma phsyics group under M.G. Kivelson is working on the Galileo Magnetometer mission. Data from the Galileo Flyby of Gaspra (the first-ever flyby of an asteroid) and Earth, returned in December 1992) are being analyzed along with data received from the flyby of Ida (returned in August 1993). The Galileo Flight Team received a NASA Group Achievement Award for its efforts during the flyby of Gaspra. Future studies of current systems in the magnetosphere and studies in space plasma theory are planned. Prof. Kivelson is currently serving as a Team Member on the Cluster Magnetometer project--an international cooperative project involving 7 nations and 10 institutions.
The Space Physics group under the supervision of Prof. Russell is currently building magnetometers for the GGS/ ISTP POLAR mission and the Small Explorer FAST mission to be launched in 1994. Prof. Russell is a co-investigator on the Mars 94, Galileo and Cassini mission magnetometers and is one of the interdisciplinary scientists on Galileo. He is also a member of one of the approved Discovery study groups designing a mission to Mercury.
Dr. Luhmann serves as co-investigator on the Mars 94 mission for the magnetometer and the ionosonde and is a member of the Cassini Orbiter Neutral Mass Spectrometer Team. Dr. Luhmann is President-Elect of the SPA section of the American Geophysical Union.
Dr. Strangeway, Dr. Luhmann and Prof. Russell have collaborated in the planning for the final entry into the Venus atmosphere of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter. This spacecraft acquired nearly 14 years of data while in orbit around Venus. Dr. Strangeway helped organize a special session at the Spring Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Baltimore where several papers were presented on the "entry phase" results. He also helped put together a special section in Geophysical Research Letters, where these results will be published. He has also participated in press conferences publicizing the entry phase results.
Dr. Le serves as editor of the Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) Messenger and assists with GEM campaign coordination activities. GEM is a coordinated program funded by NSF with the goal of supporting basic research into the dynamical and structural properties of geospace, leading to the construction of a global geospace general circulation model. Primarily her efforts involve studies of the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling process using ISEE data and ground-based data from the IGS magnetometer chain.
Ashour-Abdalla, M.SSC has graduate and undergraduate students actively involved in research programs (either on payroll status or through fellowships):
Barbosa, D.
Berchem, J.
Coleman, P.
Kennel, C.
Khurana, K.
Kivelson, M.
Le, G.
Luhmann, J.
McPherron, R.
Pritchett, P.
Raeder, J.
Richard, R.
Russell, C.
Schriver, D.
Strangeway, R.
Walker, R.
Wang, Z.
Total= 18
Angelopoulos, V. (Ph.D. Summer 93)
Bell, R.
Blanchard, G.
Chun, F. (Ph.D. Summer 92)
Chen, S.-H. (Ph.D. Spring 93)
Chen, X.
Chi, P.-J.
Convery, P.
Crawford, G. (Ph.D. Summer 93)
Farris, M. (Ph.D. Summer 93)
Ginskey, M. (Undergraduate)
Hammond, C. (Ph.D. Winter 93)
He, C. (Undergraduate Student Research Project)
Ho, C.-M. (Ph.D. Winter 93)
Horn, L. (Ph.D. Fall 92)
Kuo, H.
Li, X.
Lindsay, G.
McAlexander, R. (Undergraduate, Student Research Project)
Orlowski, D.
Peroomian. V.
Petrinec, S. (Ph.D. Fall 1993)
Scurry, L. (Ph.D. Summer 92)
Xiao, F.
Xu, D.
Xu. Y.
Total = 26
Margaret Kivelson: Elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in December 1992. In July 1993, she and members of the Galileo ~light Team received a Group Achievement Award for their efforts in the first-ever spacecraft encounter of an asteroid, 951 Gaspra.
Vahe Peroomian: Received an Outstanding Student Paper Award at the 1992 Fall AGU Meeting in December 1992 and at the 1993 Huntsville Workshop in October 1992.
Last Updated: January 31, 1994
tking@igpp.ucla.edu