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Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory


Dr. William M. Farrell

Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory
NASA/GSFC, Code 695
Greenbelt, MD 20771

Phone: (301) 286-4446

FAX: (301) 286-1433

Email: William.M.Farrell@nasa.gov

Current Position

Staff Scientist, Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory
Solar System Exploration Division
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Education

1982 - B.S., Physics, University of Iowa
1984 - M.S., Physics, University of Iowa
1987 - Ph.D., Physics, University of Iowa

Professional Experience

Dr. Farrell is a space scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center involved in the research of radio emission at the earth and other planets. The basis of the research involves the interpretation of scientific measurements from spacecraft like Voyager 2, Ulysses, the WIND laboratory, and the space shuttle, and often includes the construction detailed and unique mathematical models, such as electrostatic particle simulations and nonlinear dynamical systems, to compliment and explain the findings. He is also involved in building of scientific instrumentation that optimizes weight, power, and information compression for spaceflight use and for terrestrial lightning studies. In 1996, he won a patent for a unique application and improvement to the AC Magnetic Search Coil Device. His interests remain very diversified, studing atmospheric lightning, magnetospheric plasma process, heliospheric radiation processes, and extrasolar planets. He sits on NASA instrument review panels and internal NASA/GSFC committees. He also reviews proposals for NASA Headquarters and scientific articles published IEEE and AGU Journals. He is a scientific co-investigator on the GGS/WIND mission and CASSINI Saturn mission, and has published over 55 articles in the fields of space science, and atmospheric science, and radio instrumentation.

Publications

On the possibility of coherent cyclotron emission from extrasolar planets, Farrell, WM, MD Desch, and P Zarka, submitted, J. Geophys. Res., 1998.

A simple simulation of a plasma void: Applications to WIND observations of the lunar wake, Farrell, WM, ML Kaiser, JT Steinberg, and SD Bale, J. Geophys. Res., in press, 1998.

Electrostatic instability in the central lunar wake: A process for replenishing the plasma void? Farrell, WM, ML Kaiser, and JT Steinberg, Geophys. Res. Lett., 24, 1135, 1997.

Detecting electrical activity from Martian dust storms, WM Farrell, ML Kaiser, MD Desch, JG houser, SA Cummer, DM Wilt, and GA Landis, in press, J. Geophys. Res., 1998.

Modifcation of the upper atmosphere over power lines: A geological effect, WM Farrell, MD Desch, and JG Houser, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 11573, 1998.

The UAV: A unique platform for electrodynamic studies of upward lightning, RA Goldberg, MD Desch, and WM Farrell, ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes, ESA SP-397, 317, 1997.

Magnetic Antenna using metallic glass, W. M. Farrell, M. D. Desch, and J. G. Houser, NASA Tech Brief; 20, 50, 1996.

Upstream ULF waves and energetic electrons associated with the lunar wake: Detection of precursor activity, W. M. Farrell, R. J. Fitzenreiter, C. J. Owen, J. B. Byrnes, R. P. Lepping, K. W. Ogilvie, and F. Neubauer, Geophys. Res. Lett, 23, 1271, 1996.

Fine structure of the auroral kilometric radiation: A Fermi accelleration process?, W. M. Farrell, Radio Sci., 30, 961, 1995.

Very Low Frequency (VLF) spheric simulator, W. M. Farrell and J. G. Houser, NASA Tech Briefs, accepted, 1994.

Possible radio wave precursors associated with the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9/Jupiter impacts, W. M. Farrell, M. L. Kaiser, M. D. Desch, and R. J. MacDowall, Geophys. Res. Lett, 21, 1067, 1994.

Ulysses observation of auroral hiss at high Jovian latitudes, W. M. Farrell, R. J. MacDowall, M. D. Desch, M. L. Kaiser, R. G. Stone, N. Lin, N. Cornilleau-Wehrlin, P. Canu, S. J. Bame, l and J. L. Phillips, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, 2259, 1994.

The heliospheric cavity radio emission: Generation of discrete tones by Fermi acceleration via oscillating boundary, W. M. Farrell, Geophys. Res. Lett, 20, 2011, 1993.

Evidence of Auroral Plasma Cavities at Uranus and Neptune from Radio Burst Observations, W. M. Farrell, M. D. Desch, M. L. Kaiser, and W. Calvert, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 19049-19061, 1991.

(See complete vitae for committees, patents, and complete publications list)

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