LANGMUIR PROBES FOR DETERMINING IONOSPHERIC PARTICLE DENSITIES AND TEMPERATURES,

Abstract

The development of a rocket-borne Langmuir probe system for ionospheric research is described. Particular emphasis is placed on D- and E-region electron temperature and density measurement techniques. Present theory is discussed and found to be unsatisfactory for the rocket probe in the collision dominated D region. The development of the electronic instrumentation is cataloged and the results from a number of rocket flights are analyzed. The probe system that is recommended consists of a function generator that biases the electrode alternately between the electron acceleration region and the positive ion acceleration region and a high input impedance logarithmic amplifier capable of compressing five decades of data in the 0 to 5-volt output range. Currents can be monitored over the ambient temperature range of -10C to +50C. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1968
Accession Number
AD0672808

Entities

People

  • Karl G. Seljaas

Organizations

  • University of Utah

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Collisions
  • Electrodes
  • Electrons
  • Generators
  • Impedance
  • Instrumentation
  • Langmuir Probes
  • Logarithmic Amplifiers
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Particles
  • Probes

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems