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Competing atomic processes in Ba and Sr injection critical velocity experimentsThe critical ionization velocity effect requires a superthermal electron population to ionize through collisional impact. Such superthermal electrons can however lose energy to competing atomic processes, as well as to ionization, thus limiting the efficiency of the effect. Considering Ba and Sr magnetospheric injection experiments designed to test the CIV theory, it is found that in both cases roughly 60 percent of the superthermal electron energy is lost on exciting line radiation. Moreover, energy loss to background neutral oxygen places a strict limit on the injected cloud densities for which critical velocity effects are possible; a finding which explains the consistently negative results in radial injection experiments.
Document ID
19860034399
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Newell, P. T.
(California Univ. San Diego, CA, United States)
Torbert, R. B.
(California, University San Diego, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 12
ISSN: 0094-8276
Subject Category
Plasma Physics
Accession Number
86A19137
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-610
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-05-005-007
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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