SPACE ENVIRONMENT, 2022-2023 LAB WORK-2

Metehan Kılıç 09/11/2022

110190116

LabWork #2

This labwork is the second of the planned labworks and its purpose is to find the occurences of
magnetopause and bow shock using the spacecraft data and determine their properties in space
environment.

Spacecraft used to analyse data is packed with various instruments. The instruments that recorded the
labwork data are as follows:

o Flux Gate Magnetometer (FGM) for magnetic field [1]

o Electrostatic Analyzer (ESA) for density, velocity, temperature [2]

Figure 1: Orbit Around the Observed Timeline

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SPACE ENVIRONMENT, 2022-2023 LAB WORK-2
Metehan Kılıç 09/11/2022
110190116

Magnetosphere

Magnetosheath

Solarwind

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SPACE ENVIRONMENT, 2022-2023 LAB WORK-2
Metehan Kılıç 09/11/2022
110190116

Statistical Tables

Btot(nT) solarwind magnetosheath magnetosphere

Mean 2.74875733 2.749048059 2.709287458
Std.De 0.61728787 0.366831023 0.308100165
Med 2.62189 2.746345 2.7316
Max 4.66081 4.09736 3.8894
Min 1.38993 1.63547 1.81446

Vtot(km/sec) solarwind magnetosheath magnetosphere

Mean 307.406632 314.9832271 322.371244
Std.De 8.35346499 5.340580056 3.425285716
Med 309.601966 314.8384618 322.5904456
Maks 322.47157 338.0148041 334.523473
Min 278.906771 294.6964133 303.4856439

n (#/cc) solarwind magnetosheath magnetosphere

Mean 3.64653436 2.40688701 2.285081358
Std.De 0.57447208 0.237396747 0.137404234
Med 3.4331557 2.38326565 2.2892278
Maks 5.9278771 3.3603315 2.9220313
Min 2.2727256 1.5553216 1.6975196

T (eV) solarwind magnetosheath magnetosphere

Mean 11.0817297 15.97816975 15.95562744
Std.De 2.25634322 4.267542684 6.075512455
Med 10.5715573 15.37062672 13.92962543
Maks 32.578793 46.50832884 54.92452678
Min 6.72698342 7.401745048 7.804549363

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SPACE ENVIRONMENT, 2022-2023 LAB WORK-2
Metehan Kılıç 09/11/2022
110190116

Interpretations

Using the table quantitites for magnetic field, velocity, density and temperature at sectioned regions and
comparing these results to the plotted graph can give meaning to simplification of data. From the
observation of magnetic field throughout all three sections, since standard deviation is less than 1, there’s
not an expectation of great difference. This can be confirmed via controlling the plot.

In contrast, having a great deviation at temperature in the magnetosphere, indicates that there are values
stretching beyond normal for the given space. And again, after a comparison with the plotted graph, it is
indeed true that many spikes are formed in the magnetosphere region.

From the calculations, the most significant changes seem to had occured for density and temperature, after
leaving the magnetosheath and getting into the direct effects of open space in solar system.

Sonic mach speed derived from the recorded velues before entering the bowshock is 0.89, while the sonic
mach calculated for after 20 minutes values is 0.924 Mach.

Summary and Outcomes:

Having completing the work given, it is still a fact that even though the calculations and observations are
made continuously, space can never stop amazing people. Recordings show clear signs of differentiations
between magnetosphere, magnetosheath and solarwind on different levels of quantitites.

This labwork assignment has been given to analyze the space environment concerning our solar system and
earth by the use of spacecrafts designed for the sole purpose of research. By reaching out to these values
and meddling inside the given data times, looking for the correct moments of magnetopause and bow shock
occurences, I have learned the different forces that act at space while entering and leaving the earth’s zone
of influence. It is a different feeling to see on paper how great forces and sometimes simple yet still exciting
differences govern the near space.

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SPACE ENVIRONMENT, 2022-2023 LAB WORK-2
Metehan Kılıç 09/11/2022
110190116

References:

[1]: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/spacecraft/FGM.html

[2]: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/spacecraft/ESA.html