Plasma waves generated during an artificial argon-ion beam experiments in the ionosphere

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5265195

Erlandson, R E

An active ion experiment was performed in the nighttime polar cap ionosphere. The active ion-beam experiment, Auroral Rocket for Controlled Studies ARC 3, was designed to perturb the ionosphere in a controlled manner. The plasma perturbations were observed by instruments on board the main payload (MPL) and subpayload (SPL). The ARCS 3 experiment was different from previous experiments in that two plasma generators, located on the SPL, were oriented so as to inject a beam approximately perpendicular and anti-parallel to the magnetic field. The ARCS 3 experiment included 9 perpendicular and 8 parallel ion beam injections. During the experiment electrostatic ion waves near the harmonics of the hydrogen, oxygen, and possibly argon gyrofrequency were excited by the perpendicular argon ion beam. An absorption feature of the vlf hiss band at the hydrogen gyrofrequency harmonics was also observed during the fourth perpendicular event. During parallel events, the sixth, and seventh perpendicular events electric field fluctuations were recorded near the lower hybrid (LH) frequency. It is suggested that the unexpected perpendicular ion flux observed during parallel events and the perpendicular ion flux observed during parallel events and the perpendicular argon ion beam generates the waves near the LH frequency. Electric-field fluctuations were observed up to and including the seventh perpendicular and parallel events.

• Research Organization: Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5265195
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
BEAM INJECTION
BEAMS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELEMENTS
FLUCTUATIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
ION BEAMS
IONOSPHERE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NONMETALS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA WAVES
POLAR REGIONS
RARE GASES
SATELLITES
VARIATIONS