Laboratory and in situ evidence for the presence of ice particles in a PMSE region

Zadorozhny, A. M.; Vostrikov, A. A.; Witt, G.; Bragin, O. A.; Dubov, D. Yu.; Kazakov, V. G.; Kikhtenko, V. N.; Tyutin, A. A.

doi:10.1029/97gl50866

Cited by 26 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Zadorozhny et al (1993) reported strong electric fields on the order of ∼1 V/m in a PMSE layer, however, based on laboratory investigations on the impact of supersonic water clusters on their electric field mill, they later published corrections with values of about the same order of magnitude (Zadorozhny et al, 1997). In a more recent investigation, Holzworth et al (2001), applying a different technique, also found strong V/m perturbations at PMSE altitudes.…”

Section: Electric Field Measurements In Pmsementioning

confidence: 93%

Polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE): Review of observations and current understanding

Rapp¹,

Lübken²

2004

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

368

350

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Abstract. Polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE) are very strong radar echoes primarily studied in the VHF wavelength range from altitudes close to the polar summer mesopause. Radar waves are scattered at irregularities in the radar refractive index which at mesopause altitudes is effectively determined by the electron number density. For efficient scatter, the electron number density must reveal structures at the radar half wavelength (Bragg condition for monostatic radars; ∼3 m for typical VHF radars). The question how such small scale electron number density structures are created in the mesopause region has been a longstanding open scientific question for almost 30 years. This paper reviews experimental and theoretical milestones on the way to an advanced understanding of PMSE. Based on new experimental results from in situ observations with sounding rockets, ground based observations with radars and lidars, numerical simulations with microphysical models of the life cycle of mesospheric aerosol particles, and theoretical considerations regarding the diffusivity of electrons in the ice loaded complex plasma of the mesopause region, a consistent explanation for the generation of these radar echoes has been developed. The main idea is that mesospheric neutral air turbulence in combination with a significantly reduced electron diffusivity due to the presence of heavy charged ice aerosol particles (radii ∼5-50 nm) leads to the creation of structures at spatial scales significantly smaller than the inner scale of the neutral gas turbulent velocity field itself. Importantly, owing to their very low diffusivity, the plasma structures acquire a very long lifetime, i.e., 10 min to hours in the presence of particles with radii between 10 and 50 nm. This leads to a temporal decoupling of active neutral air turbulence and the existence of small scale plasma structures and PMSE and thus readily explains observations proving the absence of neutral air turbulence at PMSE altitudes. With this explaCorrespondence to: M. Rapp (rapp@iap-kborn.de) nation at hand, it becomes clear that PMSE are a suitable tool to permanently monitor the thermal and dynamical structure of the mesopause region allowing insights into important atmospheric key parameters like neutral temperatures, winds, gravity wave parameters, turbulence, solar cycle effects, and long term changes.

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Section: Electric Field Measurements In Pmsementioning

confidence: 93%

Polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE): Review of observations and current understanding

Rapp¹,

Lübken²

2004

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

368

350

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“…We note that we refrain from an in-depth discussion of electric field measurements in the environment of mesospheric ice clouds. This is because such measurements have either been shown to be strongly influenced by secondary and/or aerodynamic effects (Zadorozhny et al 1993(Zadorozhny et al , 1997Holzworth et al 2001;Sternovsky et al 2004) or hardly showed any detectable electric field signature at all ). The only exception to this is the measurement by Holzworth and Goldberg (2004) who observed a large downward oriented electric field of about 3 V m -1 in an environment of a noctilucent cloud but in the absence of polar mesosphere summer echoes.…”

Section: Charged Particles Away From the Polar Summer Mesosphere Regimentioning

confidence: 95%

News from the Lower Ionosphere: A Review of Recent Developments

Friedrich

Rapp

2009

Surv Geophys

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Current knowledge concerning the lower ionosphere (D-and E-region) is reviewed with an emphasis on new aspects of empirical results. Starting with an overview of experimental techniques and corresponding data bases, both regarding charged as well as the most relevant neutral constituents of this altitude range, the ionospheric variability is discussed both concerning regular (e.g. diurnal and seasonal) as well as irregular variations (e.g. driven by the variability of nitric oxide). We then turn to 'new players' in the lower ionosphere, i.e. charged aerosol particles such as mesospheric ice particles in noctilucent clouds or polar mesospheric summer echoes and meteor smoke particles originating from ablated meteoric matter. These species have received considerable attention in recent years, in part because it is speculated that observations of their properties might be useful for the detection of climate change signals. The available experimental data base regarding these species is reviewed and we show that there is now compelling evidence for the ubiquitous presence of these very heavy charge carriers throughout the lower ionosphere. While many fundamental details regarding these charged species are not yet completely understood, this emphasizes that charged aerosol particles may not be neglected in a comprehensive treatment of the lower ionospheric charge balance and related phenomena. Finally, we close with suggestions for future research.

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“…Such a density would lead to a positive charge on each of the dust particles of $ þ87e if the value of þ7 Â 10 9 e m 3 is valid. Although the presence of the positive dust seem to be confirmed by a corresponding increase in the electron densities-the dust now being sources of electrons due to photoionization, not sinks which lead to electron bit-outs (Pedersen et al, 1969;Ulwick et al, 1988)-such large positive charge densities should be treated with some caution since the measurements probably were influenced by secondary effects (Zadorozhny et al, 1997;Andersson and Pettersson, 1997) due to dust fragmentation during impact on the dust probe grid wires (Havnes and Naesheim, 2004). We will consider only low positive charges of Z d ¼ AE1:…”

Section: Dust In the Mesospherementioning

confidence: 96%