Sheath capacitance observed by impedance probes onboard sounding rockets: Its application to ionospheric plasma diagnostics

Suzuki, Tomonori; Ono, Takayuki; Uemoto, Jyunpei; Wakabayashi, Makoto; Abe, Takumi; Kumamoto, A.; Iizima, M.

doi:10.5047/eps.2010.01.003

Cited by 10 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…No point is therefore plotted at altitudes from 109 km to 141 km in the descent phase in Figure . The NEI also measured the capacitance of the ion sheath surrounding the probe, which increases as the Debye length decreases [ Suzuki et al ., ]. After the third lithium release, the sheath capacitance sometimes enhanced significantly.…”

Section: Nei/pwm Observation and Analysis Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observation of wake‐induced plasma waves around an ionospheric sounding rocket

2015

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Plasma waves generated around the plasma wake of a supersonically moving rocket are studied using data from an impedance probe and a wave receiver installed on the sounding rocket S-520-26. These instruments were used to measure the electron number density and plasma waves at 260 ms intervals, which allows four to five measurements per rotation. During the flight of the S-520-26, three types of plasma waves were observed: short-wavelength electrostatic waves such as electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves, upper hybrid resonance mode waves, and whistler mode waves, assuming that the observed waves are produced in the near wake of the rocket. The wave generation mechanisms are discussed by calculating the linear growth rates of electrostatic waves; positive growth rates are obtained with the assumption of an anisotropic electron distribution function having a beam component or temperature anisotropy. We revealed the spatial distribution of the wave activity around the rocket and its relationship with the wake structure by analysis of the spin-phase dependence of the waves and the observed electron number density. The spin-phase dependence suggests that there are localized hot plasmas around the wake structure that can induce various types of plasma instability.

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Section: Nei/pwm Observation and Analysis Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observation of wake‐induced plasma waves around an ionospheric sounding rocket

2015

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“…Spencer et al [] used the PFFDTD simulation to obtain not only the absolute electron density but also the electron neutral collision frequencies at selected altitudes for the Sudden Atom Layer sounding rocket mission. An analysis of the variation of the plasma sheath with altitude from the S‐520‐23 sounding rocket experiment was used as a diagnostic tool to determine electron temperature in Suzuki et al []. It should also be mentioned that particle‐in‐cell studies of the impedance of an antenna in a magnetized plasma was performed in Usui et al [], which included both the fluid resonances and additional sheath effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ionosphere plasma electron parameters from radio frequency sweeping impedance probe measurements

Spencer

Patra

2015

Radio Science

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In this work we will describe the technique of using an RF sweeping impedance probe (SIP) to measure the AC impedance of an electrically short monopole immersed in a plasma. We analyze the SIP measurements which are taken from the payload of the Storms sounding rocket, launched from Wallops Island, Virginia, in 2007. The scientific objective of the Storms mission was to concentrate on whether density irregularities observed in midlatitude spread F could arise from ionospheric coupling to terrestrial weather. As such, independent measurements of the electron density profile are crucial. Since the inherent nature of the SIP technique makes it relatively insensitive to errors introduced through spacecraft charging, probe contamination, and other DC effects, it is an ideal instrument to employ under disturbed plasma conditions. The instrument measures both the magnitude and phase of the AC impedance from 100 kHz to 20 MHz in 128 frequency steps, performing 45,776 sweeps over the entire flight. From these measurements we infer both the absolute electron density n e and the electron neutral collision frequencies en throughout the flight trajectory. The SIP data can be approximately analyzed using a fluid formulation and thin sheath approximation particularly at altitudes below 200 km, which allows us to match the measurements to quasi-static analytical formulas. At about 265 km on the upleg, the magnitude data transitioned to a highly damped response with increasing altitude. The phase data, on the other hand, continued to indicate increased plasma density and reduced collisionality as expected. For a large portion of the flight, the payload of the Storms mission exhibited an uncontrolled coning motion, making the local magnetic field orientation with respect to the dipole difficult to decipher. Despite these difficulties, we were able to obtain robust estimates of the electron density profile, using the phase information from each sweep. In addition, the electron neutral collision frequency obtained from matching to phase data alone was on the correct order of magnitude with respect to Naval Research Laboratory Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter-Extended model values in the ionosphere between 100 km and 150 km.

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Long-term partial gravity environment simulation method based on double inclined and horizontal planes cyclical simulation device

Zhang

2022

Measurement

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Sheath capacitance observed by impedance probes onboard sounding rockets: Its application to ionospheric plasma diagnostics

Cited by 10 publications

References 28 publications

Observation of wake‐induced plasma waves around an ionospheric sounding rocket

Observation of wake‐induced plasma waves around an ionospheric sounding rocket

Ionosphere plasma electron parameters from radio frequency sweeping impedance probe measurements

Long-term partial gravity environment simulation method based on double inclined and horizontal planes cyclical simulation device

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