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Measurement of volt/meter vertical electric fields in the middle atmosphereA test flight for a series of middle atmosphere electrodynamics rockets was launched from Wallops Island, Virginia, at 7:18 EST on July 31, 1980. The mother-daughter configuration contained a three axis symmetric double probe electric field instrument and a blunt probe on the daughter payload, and a Gerdien condenser and a single axis (vertical) asymmetric double probe electric field instrument on the mother payload. The payloads reached an apogee of 111 km, and data were gathered from all instruments on the downleg. A downward vertical electric field with a maximum amplitude of about 4 V/m was observed in a layer between about 57 and 67 km. The integrated potential across this layer was approximately 20 kV. Conductivity measurements indicated that free electrons were absent from the region of large electric fields; however, the decrease in conductivity was insufficient to maintain vertical current continuity through the layer. These results establish the existence of large mesospheric electric fields, supporting previous results from single axis measurements.
Document ID
19810060082
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Maynard, N. C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics, Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Croskey, C. L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mitchell, J. D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Hale, L. C.
(Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 11, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1981
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 8
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
81A44486
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-6004
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG6-7
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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