Deepti Kannapan

Bio: Deepti Kannapan is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Van Allen radiation belt. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 6 citations.

A Nano-satellite Mission to Study Charged Particle Precipitation from the Van Allen Radiation Belts caused due to Seismo-Electromagnetic Emissions

Abstract: In the past decade, several attempts have been made to study the effects of seismo-electromagnetic emissions - an earthquake precursor, on the ionosphere and the radiation belts. The IIT Madras nano-satellite (IITMSAT) mission is designed to make sensitive measurements of charged particle fluxes in a Low Earth Orbit to study the nature of charged particle precipitation from the Van Allen radiation belts caused due to such emissions. With the Space-based Proton Electron Energy Detector on-board a single nano-satellite, the mission will attempt to gather statistically significant data to verify possible correlations with seismo-electromagnetic emissions before major earthquakes.

Design and implementation of a robust downlink communication system for nanosatellites

Abstract: The design of a robust downlink communication system for nanosatellites in UHF amateur radio band involves many challenges like radio spectrum constraints, time-varying Doppler, clock drifts and synchronization in a LEO satellite channel. This paper presents the system designed and implemented for IITMSAT, a student satellite project at IIT Madras, which successfully overcomes these challenges using a robust physical layer design implemented on a generic Software Defined Radio platform. The performance of the proposed design is verified through simulations as well as hardware. The communication system gives a good performance which is only about 1 dB away from theory.

Design of nuclear instrumentation for Space-based Proton-Electron Energy Detector (SPEED)

Abstract: Space-based Proton-Electron Energy Detector (SPEED) is a payload that is being developed to be launched onboard the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) nano-satellite (IITMSAT). The scientific objective of the payload is to gather data on the variations in the charge particle flux below the inner Van Allen radiation belts. SPEED is designed to obtain energy spectra of high-energy protons and electrons, specifically designed to investigate correlations between variations in these spectra and seismic activity, solar flares and lighting storms. In this paper, we will present the design of the electronics and transducer system of SPEED.

Interrelation between energy and time distributions of high- energy electrons during the observation of the particle bursts in the near-Earth space

Abstract: Many satellite experiments showed interrelation between changes of particle fluxes in the near-Earth space and various magnetospheric and geophysical phenomena. In this report we focus on temporal and energy characteristics of bursts of high-energy electrons in the inner zone of the Earth's magnetosphere (L<2). In order to study the variations of electron characteristics during the observation of the bursts, caused by local disturbances of the radiation belt (e.g. lightning or seismic events), numerical modelling the propagation of particle cloud formed by electrons, precipitated from radiation belt, has been carried out. It was shown a relationship between energy distribution and temporal profile of electrons of burst in case of their local precipitation. The results of simulation are analyzed and compared with the data obtained in ARINA and VSPLESK satellite experiments.

A 3D Kinetic Distribution that Yields Observed Plasma Density in the Inner Van Allen Belt

Abstract: A steady-state distribution is obtained that approximately yields the observed plasma density profile of the inner Van Allen radiation belt. The model assumes a collisionless, magnetized plasma with zero electric field present. The inner Van Allen belt consists of a plasma comprising high-energy protons and relativistic electrons. The particle trajectories are obtained from the collisionless Lorentz Force equation for different initial distributions. The resulting steady-state distributions obtained after particles lost to the loss cone are eliminated and are used to generate the density profile. The distribution’s dependence on energy E and magnetic moment \(\mu \) is adjusted to make the density profile agree with observations. For a distribution that is a function of energy times a function of magnetic moment, the calculation leads to the desired type of density profile. The kinetic distribution and the type of density profile obtained are presented.

Design of a large aperture Space-based Proton and Electron Energy Detector as payload of IITMSAT

Abstract: IITMSAT is a student satellite being developed with a mission to measure charged particle energies and fluxes, and to study the precipitation of these particles from the Van Allen radiation belts. The Space-based Proton Electron Energy Detector (SPEED) is the payload detector aboard IITMSAT which is designed to carry out the mission of charge particle detection and energy measurement in low earth orbit (LEO). This paper details the design of the detector that meets the challenging requirements posed by the mission.