First results of low frequency electromagnetic wave detector of TC-2/Double Star program

Abstract

Abstract. LFEW is a low frequency electromagnetic wave detector mounted on TC-2, which can measure the magnetic fluctuation of low frequency electromagnetic waves. The frequency range is 8 Hz to 10 kHz. LFEW comprises a boom-mounted, three-axis search coil magnetometer, a preamplifier and an electronics box that houses a Digital Spectrum Analyzer. LFEW was calibrated at Chambon-la-Forêt in France. The ground calibration results show that the performance of LFEW is similar to that of STAFF on TC-1. The first results of LFEW show that it works normally on board, and that the AC magnetic interference of the satellite platform is very small. In the plasmasphere, LFEW observed the ion cyclotron waves. During the geomagnetic storm on 8 November 2004, LFEW observed a wave burst associated with the oxygen ion cyclotron waves. This observation shows that during geomagnetic storms, the oxygen ions are very active in the inner magnetosphere. Outside the plasmasphere, LFEW observed the chorus on 3 November 2004. LFEW also observed the plasmaspheric hiss and mid-latitude hiss both in the Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere on 8 November 2004. The hiss in the Southern Hemisphere may be the reflected waves of the hiss in the Northern Hemisphere.