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Seek S310‐25: Quasi‐periodic echoes and polarization electric fields
Author(s) -
Tsunoda Roland T.,
Yamamoto Mamoru,
Mori Hirotaka,
Fukao Shoichiro
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 - 10.1029/2000gl003777
Subject(s) - polarization (electrochemistry) , radar , physics , electric field , depth sounding , sounding rocket , strips , clockwise , geophysics , computational physics , geodesy , geology , amplitude , optics , astronomy , mathematics , telecommunications , computer science , algorithm , quantum mechanics , chemistry , oceanography
We have reexamined data collected during the flight of the SEEK S310‐25 sounding rocket, together with a second set of radar measurements, to determine whether a more consistent interpretation could be derived, if we allowed for the possibility that sporadic E ( E s ) was configured as a sequence of elongated strips in the form of a frontal structure. We show that the features found in the plasma density, electric field ( ) and the so‐called quasi‐periodic (QP) echoes are consistent with a polarization process acting on the E s strips that is driven by a Hall and not a Pedersen current. Specifically, we show that three large spikes, measured in situ, appeared at intervals of ground distance that were nearly identical to those of the QP echoes. The vector relationship between the spikes and the background was also consistent with this type of polarization process. We also briefly discuss a counterclockwise rotation of , which could be related with a process responsible for the existence of frontal structures.