Radar observations of ion cyclotron waves associated with two barium shaped-charge releases

Journal Article · Fri Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA095iA12p21059· OSTI ID:5378099

Providakes, J; Swartz, W E; Kelley, M C ^[1]; Djuth, F T ^[2]; Noble, S; Jost, R J ^[3]

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1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
2. Aerospace Corp., Los Angeles, CA (USA)
3. System Planning Corp., Houston, TX (USA)

A 50-MHz Doppler radar interferometer and a 138-MHz Doppler radar were operated from Kennedy Space Center to study 3-m and 1-m plasma waves associated with two shaped-charged barium releases from Wallops Island, Virginia, on May 13, 1986. During the first release, interferometer and Doppler power spectral studies showed the existence of short-lived (<2 s) coherent 3-m and 1-m waves centered near 30 Hz. The 3-m waves were located about 100 km above the release on a magnetic field line in contact with the first release. No radar backscatter was observed by the radars during the second release. The coherent 30-Hz radar echoes associated with the first barium release are very similar to some natural occurring auroral radar echoes that are believed to be generated by resistive current-driven electrostatic ion cyclotron waves. A detailed linear dispersion analysis of electrostatic ion cyclotron (EIC) waves showed that only 3-m O{sup +} EIC waves were unstable for field-aligned electron drifts greater than 0.7{upsilon}{sub the} at the altitude of 510 km in a multispecies (O{sup +}, NO{sup +}, or similarly O{sub 2}{sup +}) ionospheric plasma. The authors interpret the 30-Hz waves seen by the two radars far above the release as strong electrostatic ion cyclotron waves generated by intense field-aligned currents associated with the barium stream acting like an MHD generator coupled to the ionospheres.

• OSTI ID: 5378099
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 95:A12; ISSN JGREA; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
&amp; Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BACKSCATTERING
BARIUM
CURRENTS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRON DRIFT
ELEMENTS
ION WAVES
IONOSPHERE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA WAVES
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SCATTERING
STABILITY