ON WATER CLUSTER IONS IN THE IONOSPHERIC D REGION.

Abstract

Positive ion composition measurements obtained with rocket-borne mass spectrometers in the lower ionosphere are presented. The current situation regarding the water cluster ions in the D region is considered. Evidence is given in favor of an ambient instead of a contamination origin for the water cluster ions, although the exact processes for the formation of these ions in the atmosphere are still not definitely established. A theory is discussed whereby water cluster ions may be created through the ionization of small water conglomerates, which are assumed both to be present in the mesosphere and to have very low ionization thresholds. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0704548

Entities

People

  • Rocco S. Narcisi

Organizations

  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmosphere (Earth)
  • Atmospheres
  • Atmospheric Electricity
  • Biological Phenomena
  • Contamination
  • Ecological And Environmental Phenomena
  • Electricity
  • Environment
  • Ionization
  • Ionosphere
  • Mass Spectrometers
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Spectrometers

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Spectroscopy.