A Laboratory Investigation of the High-Frequency Farley-Buneman Instability.
Abstract
A laboratory investigation of the high-frequency Farley-Buneman instability is described. The instability was studied theoretically and is predicted to occur in the low E region of the ionosphere when the E/B drift velocity of the electrons relative to the ions is several times Cs, the ion-acoustic speed. In our experiments, an increase of the electric field well above the Lee 'threshold' merely enhances the general power level of the fluctuations but does not effect appreciably their spectral shape. The observed frequency spectra fall-off in all cases very rapidly with increasing frequency, with a spectral shape of the type P(f) alpha 1f to the 3.5 power. This result has negative implications for a recently proposed mechanism of anomalous wave electron heating in the lower E region of the ionosphere.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA140175
Entities
People
- B. Kustom
- N. D'angelo
- R. L. Merlino
Organizations
- University of Iowa