Cynthia Cattell
Professor
316 Tate, 626-8918, email cattell @ fields.space.umn.edu
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Research Areas: Space plasma physics; magnetic and electric field measurements; auroral particle acceleration;particle acceleration processes;non-linear plasma physics; magnetic reconnection and shocks.
Current Research
Energization and loss of relativistic electrons in Van Allen belts
We are using plasma wave and energetic particle data obtained during the 4 perigee passes of the NASA STEREO spacecraft to examine dynamics of the radiation belts. Using observations from STEREO and results of a particle tracing code run on MSI supercomputers, we have shown that electrons can be accelerated by the order of MeV within less than .1s, showing that electron energization can be coherent and rapid rather than stochastic and slow (10s of hours). Studies of electron energization and loss utilizing STEREO and SAMPEX data and development of improved simulations are ongoing.
Waves associated with interplanetary shocks and solar wind electrons
Utilizing particle and waves data from the WIND and STEREO satellites, we are examining dissipation at collisionless shocks. We are also studying a number of wave-particle interaction processes in the solar wind.
Particle acceleration in the aurora
Using in situ particle and fields data from the NASA FAST and Polar satellites and auroral images from IMAGE and TIMED, we are addressing a number of questions associated with the acceleration of electrons and ions in the Earth's auroral regions.
Microphysics of reconnection
Reconnection is a ubiquitous process in magnetized plasmas, converting magnetic field energy to particle energy. Using data from the Polar and Cluster satellites, we are studying microphysics of reconnection, including the role of solitary waves, whistlers and lower hybrid waves.
Selected Publications
C. Cattell et al., Discovery of very large amplitude whistler-mode waves in Earth's radiation belts, Geophys. Res. Let.,35, L01105, doi:10.1029/2007GL032009, 2008 [abstract]
Cattell, C., J. Dombeck, C. Carlson, and J. McFadden, FAST observations of the solar illumination dependence of downgoing auroral electron beams: Relationship to electron energy flux,, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A02201, doi:10.1029/2005JA011337, 2006. [abstract]
C. Cattell, J. Dombeck and J. Wygant, J. F. Drake and M. Swisdak, M. L. Goldstein and W. Keith, A. Fazakerley, M. André, . Lucek and A. Balogh, Cluster observations of electron holes in association with magnetotail reconnection and comparison to simulations, J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 110, A01211, doi:10.1029/2004JA010519, 2005 [abstract]
J. F. Drake,M. Swisdak, C. Cattell, M. A. Shay, B. N. Rogers, A. Zeiler, Formation of Electron Holes and Particle Energization During Magnetic Reconnection, Science, 299, Feb. 7, 2003 [abstract]
L.B. Wilson, C. Cattell, P.J. Kellogg, K. Goetz, K. Kersten, L. Hanson, and R. MacGregor, and J.C. Kasper, Waves in Interplanetary Shocks: A Wind/WAVES Study, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 041101 (2007) [abstract]
CA Cattell, J. Crumley, J. Dombeck, JR Wygant, F. S. Mozer , Polar Observations of Solitary Waves at the Earth's Magnetopause, GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 29, NO. 5, 1065, doi:10.1029/2001GL014046, 2002 [abstract]
Education
B.A. Hampshire College, 1974