VLF wave stimulation by pulsed electron beams injected from the Space Shuttle

Among the investigations conducted on the Space Shuttle flight STS-3 of March 1982 was an experiment in which a 1-keV, 100-mA electron gun was pulsed at 3.25 and 4.87 kHz. The resultant waves were measured with a broadband plasma wave receiver. At the time of flight the experimental setup was unique in that the electron beam was square wave modulated and that the Shuttle offered relatively long times for in situ measurements of the ionospheric plasma response to the VLF pulsing sequences. In addition to electromagnetic response at the pulsing frequencies the wave exhibited various spectral harmonics as well as the unexpected occurrence of 'satellite lines' around those harmonics. Both phenomena occurred with a variety of different characteristics for different pulsing sequences.