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Detection of upper atmospheric negatively charged microclusters by a rocket‐borne mass spectrometer
Author(s) -
Schulte P.,
Arnold F.
Publication year - 1992
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 - 10.1029/92gl02631
Subject(s) - mesopause , rocket (weapon) , mass spectrometry , ion , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , quadrupole mass analyzer , meteor (satellite) , polar , physics , astrobiology , meteorology , mesosphere , astronomy , stratosphere , aerospace engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering
The detection of a layer of massive negative ions (masses up to 400 u and above) by means of rocket borne quadrupole mass spectrometry in the polar summer mesopause region is reported. Taking into account the geophysical and atmospheric conditions encountered during the measurement different possible explanations for these ions are evaluated. We arrive at the conclusion that they are best explained as being the negatively charged fraction of the so called meteor smoke particles.