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Electric field and current density profiles in the lower ionosphere
Author(s) -
Gueth K.,
Knott K.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs008i011p01077
Subject(s) - electric field , ionosphere , physics , ion , computational physics , current density , altitude (triangle) , atomic physics , electron density , magnetometer , magnetic field , range (aeronautics) , rocket (weapon) , electric current , electron , geophysics , materials science , mathematics , aerospace engineering , geometry , quantum mechanics , engineering , composite material
Results of a rocket flight are reported where electric fields and ion drifts have been measured between 100 and 192 km in the auroral ionosphere. Electric fields were measured by means of a double probe system, while ion drifts were derived from wake measurements. It is found that the electric field vector stays fairly constant over the indicated range in altitude, although a marked difference exists between the upleg and downleg measurements. The ion drift vector changes as expected from collision frequency profiles. By combining the electron drift vector, which is determined by the electric and magnetic field only, and the ion drift vector, it is possible to derive the current density profile for both the upleg and downleg of the trajectory. Again, a pronounced difference in current density profiles exists for upleg and downleg. The profiles obtained are consistent with ground‐based magnetometer observations.