RADIATION OF VLF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES BY LARGE LOOP MAGNETIC ANTENNA ONBOARD THE TRANSPORT CARGO SPACECRAFT 'PROGRESS-M'

摘要

This paper presents the program and instrumentation of the active very low frequency (VLF) wave experiment "Parameter" with use of the large dynamic cable loop antenna (CLA) onboard the Progress-M cargo spacecraft. Scientific program of the experiment includes investigation of the efficiency of VLF electromagnetic wave generation by large loop antenna and extremely low frequency (ELF) wave generation by parametric antenna system in the ionosphere, study of the processes of propagation and transformations of VLF/ELF electromagnetic waves in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere including nonlinear modulation of amplitude and spectrum of waves, generation of trigger emissions, nonlinear focusing and ducting, and excitation of atmospheric emissions. The results of previous experiments and numerical calculations show, that to realize scientific program it is necessary to use VLF source with magnetic moment ～10~6 Am~2, which can be provided with large loop magnetic antenna, deployed in space by centrifugal force. The electromagnetic signals and induced radiations will be simultaneously measured in the ionosphere on board the microsatellites (subsatellites) and on the ground.