Heavy Ion Investigations

Abstract

This is a program for the analysis of selected data from the ARPA Energetic Ion Mass Spectrometer Experiment on the OV1-18 satellite. This experiment provided the first evidence for energetic magnetospheric ions with m > 4 that have recently been inferred to be O+ ions and to be an important new magnetospheric particle population (Shelley et al., 1972). During this quarter, a comparison of the latitudinal position of the energetic O+ ions with the inferred location of the plasmapause was made for three magnetic storms in 1969. The results show that the ions lie poleward of that boundary and are not responsible for the direct excitation of SAR-arcs. In the 24 December 1969 storm where detailed ionospheric data are available, the energetic O+ ions were found to be located near a steep ionospheric gradient. Plasma instabilities generated at this gradient could be the source mechanism for the acceleration of ambient ionospheric O+ ions into the 10-keV range.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 20, 1973
Accession Number
AD0763436

Entities

People

  • Richard D. Sharp

Organizations

  • Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Boundaries
  • Commerce
  • Excitation
  • Instability
  • Ionosphere
  • Magnetic Storms
  • Mass Spectrometers
  • Military Research
  • Particles
  • Plasma Instabilities
  • Radiation
  • Security
  • Spectrometers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster