Polar Ionosphere: Measured Ion Density Enhancements and Soft Electron Precipitation,

Abstract

The experiment complement aboard a polar satellite having a perigee near 160 km and initial apogee near 1800 km included an ion trap and sensors for low energy electrons and protons. The data from these two experiments have been correlated for the period August 13-18, 1968, during which time the perigee invariant latitude was > or = 70 degrees. Results of these studies for the polar region are the large ion density enhancements observed are correlated with simultaneously observed enhancements in the precipitating fluxes of low energy electrons. The trough and ionospheric enhancements are shown to occur below as well as above the F-Region maximum density height. It is concluded that the position of the midlatitude trough minimum should not be expected to show a simple relationship with magnetic indices since the shape depends on; the local precipitation (ionization) patterns; the total energy input, its time and spatial extent; diffusion rates of the ionized species; universal time; altitude of the observation. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 15, 1971
Accession Number
AD0726541

Entities

People

  • Frederick A. Morse
  • Henry H. Hilton
  • Paul F. Mizera

Organizations

  • The Aerospace Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Atmosphere (Earth)
  • Biological Phenomena
  • Charged Particles
  • Diffusion
  • Ecological And Environmental Phenomena
  • Electrons
  • Grids
  • Ion Density
  • Ion Traps
  • Ionosphere
  • Ions
  • Latitude
  • Polar Regions
  • Precipitation
  • Regions

Readers

  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster