James William LaBelle | Department of Physics and Astronomy

Biography

Jim LaBelle is an experimental space plasma physicist. He has been at Dartmouth since 1989. He earned his undergraduate degree in physics from Stanford University (1980), followed by masters and doctorate degrees in applied physics from Cornell University (1982 and 1985). He did post-doctoral work at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany (1985-7) and at Utah State University in Logan, Utah (1987-9). He is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the International Union of Radio Scientists. He has had visiting fellowships at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (1997, 2000-2001) and at the University of Sydney (2008). He has also done stints as visitor at Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Expaciais San Jose dos Campos Brazil (1993), European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association Tromso Norway (2001), and the South African National Space Agency Hermanus (2016). In 2005, the U.S. Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names named LaBelle Valley in recognition of his contributions to Antarctic research. In 2010, he was appointed to the inaugural Lois L. Rodgers Professorship at Dartmouth.

Education

B.S. Stanford University

M.S. Cornell University

Ph.D. Cornell University

Publications

LaBelle, J., Radio emissions of auroral origin observable at ground level: outstanding problems, Front. Astron. Space Sci., 10:1195654. doi: 10.3389/fspas.2023.1195654, 2023.

Labelle, J., and N. Schwartz, Statistical characteristics of leaked AKR observed at South Pole Station Antarctica, Planetary, Solar and Heliospheric Radio Emissions IX, Ed. by Fischer, G., Jackman, C. M., Louis, C. K., Sulaiman, A. H., and Zucca, P., doi:10.25546/103087, Austrian Acad. Sci. Press, 2023.

LaBelle, J., K. Yearby, and J. S. Pickett, Cluster satellite and South Pole Station ground-based measurements of escaping and leaked Auroral Kilometric Radiation, J. Geophys. Res., 127, e2021JA029399, doi:10.1029/2021JA029399, 2022.

LaBelle, J., Flickering low frequency auroral hiss, J. Geophys. Res., 126, doi: 10.1029/2020JA029098, 2021.

LaBelle, J., Polarization measurements of unusual cases of medium frequency burst emissions extending below 1.5 MHz, Earth, Planets, and Space, 70, 143, doi: 10.1186/s40623-018-0912-7, 2018.

LaBelle, J., and Y. Chen, Right-hand polarized 4fce auroral roar, 1: Observations, J. Geophys. Res., 7974-7980, doi: 10.1002/2016JA022890, 2016.

LaBelle, J., and M. Dundek, Comparison of Fine Structures of Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Emissions in Aurora, J. Geophys. Res., 120, doi:10.1002/2015JA021631, 2015.

LaBelle, J., X. Yan, M.C. Broughton, S. Pasternak, M. Dombrowski, R.R. Anderson, H.U. Frey, A.T. Weatherwax, and Y. Ebihara, Further Studies of Ground-Level Auroral Kilometric Radiation from Antarctica and Coordinated Geotail Satellite Observations, J. Geophys. Res., 120, doi:10.1002/2014JA020977, 2015.

LaBelle, J., First observations of 5fce auroral roars, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L19106, doi:10.1029/2012GL053551, 2012.

LaBelle, J., Medium Frequency Burst Emissions: A terrestrial analog to Solar Type III bursts?, Planet. Radio Emissions VII, ed. by H.O. Rucker, et al., Austrian Acad. Sci. Press, p. 271--282, 2011.

LaBelle, J., and Anderson, R.R., Ground-level detection of Auroral Kilometric Radiation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L04104, doi:10.1029/2010GL046411, 2011.

LaBelle, J., I.H. Cairns, and C.A. Kletzing, Electric field statistics and modulation characteristics of bursty Langmuir waves observed in the cusp, J. Geophys. Res., 115, A10317, doi:10.1029/2010JA015277, 2010.

LaBelle, J., Spontaneous radio frequency emissions from natural aurora, in Characterising the Ionosphere, ed. G. Wyman; Technical Report RTO-TR-IST-051, Chapter 4, pp. 1-22. Available from: http://www.rto.nato.int/abstracts.aspx, 2009.

LaBelle, J and R A Treumann, (eds.) Geospace Electromagnetic Waves and Radiation , Lecture Notes on Physics Series, no. 687, Springer-Verlag, Berlin (2006).

LaBelle, J., A.T. Weatherwax, M. Tantiwiwat, E. Jackson and J. Linder, Statistical Study of Medium-Frequency Burst Emissions Observed at South Pole Station and at Multiple Canadian Observatories, J. Geophys. Res., 110, no. A2, A02305, doi:10.1029/2004JA010608 (2005).

LaBelle, J., P.H. Yoon, M. Karlicky, and R.A. Treumann, A model of zebra burst emission in solar radio bursts, Astrophys. J., 593, 1195--1207, 2003.

LaBelle, J., and R.A. Treumann, Auroral Radio Emissions, 1. Hisses, Roars, and Bursts, Space Sci. Rev., 101, 295--440, 2002.

Works in Progress

Analysis ongoing of data from two recent sounding rockets: Cusp Alfven and Plasma Electrodynamics Rocket (CAPER) and Twin Rockets to Investigate Cusp Electrodynamics (TRICE), launched from Andoya, Norway in 2018-9. These experiments include DC-5MHz wave experiments, particle experiments, Langmuir probes, magnetometers, and wave-particle correlators.

Ground-level radio receivers at: South Pole Station, Antarctica, and Toolik Lake, Alaska. Measuring polarization and arrival bearings of auroral radio emissions including auroral hiss, medium frequency burst, 2fce/3fce/4fce/5fce roar, ground-level Auroral Kilometric Radiation, other natural emissions, lightning-generated atmospherics, and man-made broadcast signals.Recently, receivers have been set up three sites within the Canadian High-Arctic Ionospheric Network: Qikiktarjuaq, Halls Beach, and Iqaluit, enabling simultaneous observations of these radio emissions at conjugate ends of the Earth's magnetic field lines.

Ground-level antenna/preamps/digital receivers deployed at approximately ten sites in the eastern United States to measure gravity waves and TIDs via Doppler sounding using commercial radio signals. Sites include: Hanover, NH; Ithaca, NY; Jenny Jump State Park, NJ; Marysville, OH; Detroit, MI; Urbana-Champaign, IL; Harris, MN; Fargo, ND; Clemson, SC; and Columbia, MO. More sites are planned.

Participation in two upcoming satellite missions: AERO/VISTA, twin satellites carrying a wave vector sensor to measure auroral radio emissions as well as perform interferometry; TRACERS to investigate character and consequences of reconnection in the polar cusps. TRACERS is scheduled to launch in May or June, 2025.