Abstract Data from ARCS rocket ion beam injection experiments will be primarily discussed in this paper. There are three results from this series of active experiments that are of particular interest in space plasma physics. These are the transverse acceleration of ambient ions in the large beam volume, the scattering of beam ions near the release payload, and the possible acceleration of electrons very close to the plasma generator which produce intense high frequency waves. The ability of 100 ma ion beam injections into the upper E and F regions of the ionosphere to produce these phenomena appear to be related solely to the process by which the plasma release payload and the ion beam are neutralized. Since the electrons in the plasma release do not convect with the plasma ions, the neutralization of both the payload and beam must be accomplished by large field-aligned currents (milliamperes/square meter) which are very unstable to wave growth of various modes. Future work will concentrate on the wave production and wave-particle interactions that produce the plasma/energetic particle effects discussed in this paper and which have direct application to natural phenomena in the upper ionosphere and magnetosphere.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Plasma effects of active ion beam injections in the ionosphere at rocket altitudes


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1992-01-01


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Plasma effects of active ion beam injections in the ionosphere at rocket altitudes

    Arnoldy, R. L. / Cahill, L. J., Jr. / Kintner, P. M. et al. | NTRS | 1992


    Ion beam releases at rocket altitudes

    Pollock, C. J. / Arnoldy, R. L. / Cahill, L. J., Jr. et al. | NTRS | 1988


    Ion beam releases at rocket altitudes

    Pollock, C.J. / Arnoldy, R.L. / Cahill Jr, L.J. et al. | Elsevier | 1988


    Thrust augmentation of rocket motors at high altitudes

    Harper, D.J. | Engineering Index Backfile | 1964


    Rocket potential measurements during electron beam injection into the ionosphere

    Gringauz, K.I. / Shutte, N.M. / Volokitin, A.S. et al. | Elsevier | 1981