(Crossed-microwave-beam air ionization lab)

Technical Report · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6642886

Armstrong, W T; Karl, R; Kelly, M; Roussel-Dupre, R; Buchwald, M; Sutherland, C D; Zinn, J ^[1]; Alvarez, R; Bolton, P; Sieger, G; Patterson, W ^[2]; Hunton, D; Trzcinski, E ^[3]; Eckstrom, D; Stalder, K ^[4]; Testerman, L; Tunnell, T; Blain,

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
3. Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
4. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)

High power microwave radiation is under consideration for use as an ionizing agent to form a radio reflecting region in the stratospheric/mesospheric altitude range. The ionization region is referred to as an Artificial Ionization Layer (AIL) or Artificial Ionization Mirror (AIM). An AIL could conceivably avoid constraints of reflection from the ionosphere: (1) limitation to {approximately}30 MHz reflection frequencies, (2) erratic variations due to it's natural origin, and (3) reduction of a blind skip'' area for high frequency reflections. Work in the United States in this area began with the introduction of the concept in the Air Force Forecast II review of new technologies during 1986. Soviet work began earlier in the 1970's and continued into the 1980's with a benchmark paper by Gurevich appearing in 1980. The experiment goals of AIM-II were to (1) measure ionization thresholds for single and multiple layer formation, (2) characterize the geometry of layer formation, and (3) determine density and effective collision rates in the ionization layer. The AIM-II research campaign, which was performed in the same experimental geometry, was dedicated to repetitive pulse operation to explore the issues surrounding prolonged or sustained'' AIL production that would be necessary in many application scenarios. The primary issues to be examined included: (1) reproducibility of breakdown geometry, (2) utility of increased ionization background from previous pulses in reducing the power threshold for breakdown by subsequent pulses, and (3) ionization persistence or decay.

• Research Organization: EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOD; DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-88NV10617
• OSTI ID: 6642886
• Report Number(s): EGG-10617-5048; ON: DE90012579
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440800 -- Miscellaneous Instrumentation-- (1990-)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
640200* -- Atmospheric Physics
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAM DYNAMICS
BREAKDOWN
COMMUNICATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXTRAPOLATION
FLUIDS
FREQUENCY ANALYSIS
GASES
IONIZATION
LAYERS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
POWER DENSITY
PULSES
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
REFLECTION
RF SYSTEMS
STRATOSPHERE
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT