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On the electron distribution function in the F region and airglow enhancements during HF modification experiments
Author(s) -
Mishin Evgeny,
Carlson Herbert C.,
Hagfors Tor
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl000075
Subject(s) - airglow , ionosphere , electron , atomic physics , excitation , range (aeronautics) , distribution function , physics , plasma , computational physics , atmospheric sciences , materials science , geophysics , nuclear physics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , composite material
The variation with height and plasma frequency of the distribution function of ambient electrons (EDF) in the F region ionosphere during high‐power, HF radio wave modification experiments is discussed. It is shown that the deviation of the EDF from a Maxwellian distribution (MD) in the high energy, >2 eV, range may be quite significant (decreasing by a factor of 2 to 5) depending on the background parameters. As a result, the cooling and excitation rates are reduced with respect to a MD calculation. This, for example, can improve agreement of the model based on excitation by heated thermal electrons with the observations of 630.0 nm airglow during HF modification experiments.