Studies of a turbulent plasma environmental near an electron beam emitting rocket in the polar ionosphere using electric probes: Echo 6

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

OSTI ID:6988393

Abe, Y

The Echo 6 electron beam experiment was launched from the Poker Flat Range in Alaska on 30 March 1983 on a large sounding rocket. ELF turbulent electric fields during energetic beam injections in the auroral ionosphere were studied using orthogonal electric double provides on a free-flying plasma diagnostic payload. The construction and calibration of the electric probe experiment are described as well as the Echo 6 and its launch details. The vector electric fields perpendicular to B were obtained every 0.4 ms, and were used to calculate frequency-power spectra for two different polarization directions as a function of the probe gun payload distance. Lower hybrid and whistler waves, and quasi-DC fields averaged over 50 ms gun pulses were also measured as well as an electron temperature variation with the distance. Large turbulent electric fields were observed during the first 1 to 10 ms of the gun pulse followed by steadier fields. The amplitudes of the steadier fields often exceeded 100 mV/m when they were measured within the probe gun payload distance (perpendicular to B) of 50 m. Most of such large fields were directed westward of the injected beams and the gun payload. Neutralization processes of the beam emitting payload and a heating of the ambient plasma are discussed, and a model of the currents and potentials around the system is proposed.

• Research Organization: Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6988393
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAE
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
IONOSPHERE
POLAR REGIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRIC PROBES
ELECTRON BEAMS
PLASMA WAVES
POLARIZATION
SATELLITES
WHISTLERS
BEAMS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
LEPTON BEAMS
NOISE
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PROBES
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena