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Tether-Induced Airglow: Collisionless EffectsMartinez-Sanchez and Sanmartin [1997] showed that a bare conducting tether can be used as a source of an energetic electron beam. Interacting with the E region atmosphere, the beam should produce airglow thus making possible to deduce the neutral density on a continuous basis. Fujii et al. [2005] suggested that this idea be tested in a specially-designed sounding rocket experiment. We show that collisionless beam-plasma interactions (BPI) complement direct impact, leading to appreciable green-line (557.7 nm) emissions in the F region. In the E region, BPI develops near the entry in the valley, resulting in a narrow layer of strongly-elevated and airglow. Besides, neutralizing electric currents carried by ionospheric electrons in the valley can become unstable or even insufficient to compensate the beam current. Developing plasma waves inhibit neutralizing currents. In the extreme case, the beam might be locked in the valley (the 'virtual cathode'). In addition to optical observations, these effects can also be observed by radiophysical means.
Document ID
20060016376
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Mishin, E. V.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Khazanov, G. V.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2006
Subject Category
Geophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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