共查询到20条相似文献，搜索用时 31 毫秒
1.
Measurements carried out using a cylindrical Langmuir probe operated in the electron accelerating region of the current-voltage characteristics under orbital limited conditions in low density plasmas, show the response of the probe to be in good agreement with Langmuir theory. By making observations in three different plasmas, namely a steady state plasma, an afterglow plasma and the ionospheric plasma it is confirmed that the form of the orbital limited characteristics of the probe is independent of the energy distribution of the electrons in the plasma. Comparative measurements of ionospheric electron densities made between a rocket borne cylindrical probe and a ground based ionosonde show good agreement to exist and thus demonstrate that the probe operated in this mode not only overcomes the significant problems associated with retarding region probe measurements but affords an accurate determination of electron density. This underlines the usefulness of this kind of probe for electron density measurements in plasmas where the energy distribution of the electrons is unknown. 相似文献
2.
An instrument, the split Langmuir probe, has been developed to make in situ measurements of current density and plasma bulk flow. The split Langmuir probe consists of two conducting elements that are separated by a thin insulator that shield each other over a 2π solid angle, and that are simultaneously swept from negative to positive potentials with respect to the plasma. By measuring the current to each plate and the difference current between plates, information can be obtained on the plasma's current density, bulk flow, electron temperature, and density. The instrument was successfully test flown from Fort Churchill on 2 August 1968, with results in reasonable agreement with those from another experiment on the same rocket. Sources of error indicated by these results include plate area differences, plate work function differences, input resistor differences, and probe wake effects. The error signal in the difference current data due to plate work function differences rose to a sharp maximum at plasma potential, which served the useful purpose of precisely marking plasma potential. Possible changes in probe geometry, sweep rate, and telemetry designed to reduce these errors are discussed. 相似文献
3.
Oyama Koh-Ichiro 《Planetary and Space Science》1976,24(2):183-190
The first part of this paper uses a contamination layer model to discuss the effects of electrode contamination upon electron temperatures estimated from Langmuir probe measurements. The model assumes that the contamination layer is equivalent to a parallel capacitor and resistor. It predicts two main features associated with electrode contamination. One of them, the so-called “frequency dependence,” concerns the sweep-rate of the probe voltage and is well understood. The other is that the effect of a contaminated electrode is decreased as the density of the ambient plasma is decreased and this will be called “density dependence.” We present several experimental results which verify the above predictions.This paper also presents some other experimental results which may be useful in improving the accuracy of Langmuir probe measurements.Finally the effects of electrode contamination upon electron density estimates and energy distribution measurements are briefly discussed. 相似文献
4.
This paper examines the role played by the high energy tail of the electron distribution function on Langmuir probe characteristics. A model is developed to derive the mean energy and the density of the hyperthermal electrons from probe characteristics for two ionospheric rocket flights involving different plasma conditions. The hyperthermal electrons are shown to influence the electron temperature measurement even if they constitute only a small fraction of the total electron concentration. The influence of the geomagnetic field, the collisions and the velocity of the vehicle on the probe data are also examined. 相似文献
5.
The energy distribution of thermal electrons in the ionospheric plasma was measured by means of a glass-sealed Langmuir probe. Second derivatives of the v-i curves were obtained electrically by using the second harmonic method. The height of the measurement was from 103 to 360 km.Above 130 km the energy distribution of thermal electrons were Maxwellian enough to evaluate electron temperature. Below 130 km the electrons appeared to consist of two groups of electrons of different temperatures. Because of the bi-Maxwellian energy distribution, the apparent electron temperature obtained from the above method differed from that of an electron temperature probe. 相似文献
6.
Rocket borne Langmuir probe measurements of electron temperature in the E-region are examined in relation to recent laboratory investigations of surface drift effects which can lead to erroneously high and time-dependent electron temperature measurements. The rocket data is consistent with the laboratory expectations thus supporting the suggested importance of surface effects in rocket measurements and in relation to the E-region discrepancy with simultaneous incoherent radar scatter measurements. 相似文献
7.
An auroral absorption event in the D-region of the atmosphere has been studied by simultaneous measurements of electron temperature, electron density and hyperthermal electrons with a Langmuir probe, and of radio absorption coefficient by 30 MHz riometers. The absorption of the radio waves cannot be explained only by the enhancement of the electron density but requires that the electron collision frequency v be increased above its normal value by the presence of a high energy tail in the electron distribution function. A model is used to determine the characteristics of the hyperthermal electrons in order to evaluate their contribution to the collision frequency and to the absorption coefficient. Good agreement is found between theoretical and experimental values. 相似文献
8.
Three ionospheric probes were carried on the ESRO-4 satellite, a spherical gridded probe with swept potential collecting positive ions, a Langmuir probe measuring electron temperature and vehicle potential, and a fixed potential gridded probe measuring fluctuations in total ion density. ESRO-4 was placed in a polar orbit of apogee 1177 km, perigee 245 km on 22 November 1972 and ionospheric data of excellent quality were obtained until the spacecraft's re-entry on 15 April 1974. The instrumentation is described and early results are presented. 相似文献
9.
10.
In the inner magnetosphere of Saturn, the plasma density and drift velocity are high enough, and the photoelectron current low enough, for a Langmuir probe to produce useful data on ion parameters. Plasma density and velocity are found by analyzing the current due to collected ions and emitted photoelectrons for a negative probe potential. In order to correctly analyze the data, the current caused by photoelectrons emitted from the probe must be known. For a spherical probe at negative bias this should be a constant current, but for Cassini's probe it varies with attitude. A likely cause of this is a leakage current from the stub to the probe. The plasma drift velocities derived from Langmuir probe measurements did not agree with those found by the Cassini plasma spectrometer in the inner magnetosphere, but did so elsewhere. A possible solution to this is a two-component plasma where the components have different drift velocities. 相似文献
11.
We reexamine the energetics of nonthermal-electron acceleration in solar noise storms. A new result is obtained for the minimum
nonthermal-electron number density required to produce a Langmuir-wave population of sufficient intensity to power the noise-storm
emission. We combine this constraint with the stochastic electron acceleration formalism developed by Subramanian and Becker
(2005) to derive a rigorous estimate for the efficiency of the overall noise-storm emission process, beginning with nonthermal-electron
acceleration and culminating in the observed radiation. We also calculate separate efficiencies for the electron acceleration–Langmuir
wave generation stage and the Langmuir wave–noise-storm production stage. In addition, we obtain a new theoretical estimate
for the energy density of the Langmuir waves in noise-storm continuum sources. 相似文献
12.
Rocket-borne double probes for electric field measurements can be intermittently operated in special, diagnostic modes involving current bias and low-impedance shunts to obtain information on the properties of the ambient ionospheric plasma along the flight path. Several such modes, and the information that they can provide, are analyzed. For example, in a low-impedance mode with asymmetric bias, the attenuation ratio (i.e. signal amplitude in this mode over the signal amplitude in the electric-field measuring mode) is in a simple way related to the electron temperature of the ambient plasma. The special surface coatings (Aquadag or vitreous carbon) normally used for electric field probes provide very homogeneous surface properties, a feature which also contributes to the reliability of the electron temperature measurements. In addition to electron temperature, the modes analyzed can be used to measure electron density and to give some information on ion temperature. The data from four rocket flights from ESRANGE are discussed in the light of these results. Electron temperature was measured in three of these flights. In all cases the temperature profile is in good agreement with theoretically predicted profiles based on the CIRA 1965 reference atmosphere and the solar illumination prevailing during the respective flights (twilight). Electron density profiles obtained by means of the double probe are in good agreement with the density measured by the Langmuir probe in the two flights for which both kinds of data are available. They are also in agreement with the electron density data available from ionosondes. Finally, pulses occurring when one of the probes passed through the rocket's shadow, are used to determine the photoelectron yield of the probe coatings (Aquadag or vitreous carbon). The values obtained, (7 ± 3) × 10?6 A/m2 for Aquadag and (4 ± 2) × 10?6 A/m2 for vitreous carbon are in good agreement with expectations based on laboratory data and solar Lyman α radiation. 相似文献
13.
L. Muschietti 《Solar physics》1990,130(1-2):201-228
The dynamics of fast electrons streaming from the Sun through the interplanetary plasma is reviewed from the kinetic viewpoint. How can a bump appear on the tail of the electron distribution function? How can the beam survive the beam-plasma instability and propagate up to 1 AU as observed? These two questions are discussed in light of the recent data acquired in situ on electron distributions, Langmuir waves, ion acoustic waves, and background density fluctuations. 相似文献
14.
J.E. Hall 《Planetary and Space Science》1973,21(1):119-131
Electron densities throughout the D- and E-regions of the ionosphere have been measured during two rocket flights from Woomera, Australia; one in the daytime and one at night. The detailed distributions have a height resolution of much better than a km over the majority of the height range which was 66–175 km on the day flight and 83–184 km at night. This resolution has enabled sharp changes in electron density to be observed such as those associated with positive ion changes near 85 km (Reid 1970) and with sporadic-E layers.The detail and large dynamic range in electron density (102 to 3 × 105 cm?3) were achieved by combining the data from an LF radio propagation experiment with those from a probe experiment. The radio equipment allowed measurement of both the phase and amplitude of the wavefield above a ground transmitter. The method of deducing electron density from the phase velocity of the penetrating component of the wavefield is explained in detail. A comparison of the probe current and electron density has shown that the ratio between them varies slowly with height. 相似文献
15.
The paper presents some initial results on measurements of the thermal plasma environment obtained by a spherical retarding potential analyzer and a Langmuir probe flown on the third space shuttle flight (STS-3) as part of the NASA Office of Space Science-1 (OSS-1) payload in March 1982. One of the major effects observed is a higher degree of turbulence in the ambient plasma compared to what is observed from similar instruments flown on unmanned satellites. In addition we see the temperature of the thermal electrons elevated to values of 4000–5000 K. Associated with elevated electron temperatures are regions of enhanced plasma density resulting from the appearance of high densities of molecular ions. The thermal plasma data also show clear effects of an induced V × B · L potential at the location of the probes which matches that produced by an L vector linking the probes to the engine nozzles; thereby establishing the prime return current location on the Orbiter. The final observations discussed are the pronounced and complex wake effects resulting both from the main structure of the Orbiter and from the complex shapes of appendages attached to the Orbiter. 相似文献
16.
We present RPWS Langmuir probe data from the third Enceladus flyby (E3) showing the presence of dusty plasma near Enceladus’ South Pole. There is a sharp rise in both the electron and ion number densities when the spacecraft traverses through Enceladus plume. The ion density near Enceladus is found to increase abruptly from about 102 cm−3 before the closest approach to 105 cm−3 just 30 s after the closest approach, an amount two orders of magnitude higher than the electron density. Assuming that the inconsistency between the electron and ion number densities is due to the presence of dust particles that are collecting the missing electron charges, we present dusty plasma characteristics down to sub-micron particle sizes. By assuming a differential dust number density for a range in dust sizes and by making use of Langmuir probe data, the dust densities for certain lower limits in dust size distribution were estimated. In order to achieve the dust densities of micrometer and larger sized grains comparable to the ones reported in the literature, we show that the power law size distribution must hold down to at least 0.03 μm such that the total differential number density is dominated by the smallest sub-micron sized grains. The total dust number density in Enceladus’ plume is of the order of 102 cm−3 reducing to 1 cm−3 in the E-ring. The dust density for micrometer and larger sized grains is estimated to be about 10−4 cm−3 in the plume while it is about 10−6-10−7 cm−3 in the E-ring. Dust charge for micron sized grains is estimated to be about eight thousand electron charges reducing to below one hundred electron charges for 0.03 μm sized grains. The effective dusty plasma Debye length is estimated and compared with inter-grain distance as well as the electron Debye length. The maximum dust charging time of 1.4 h is found for 0.03 μm sized grains just 1 min before the closest approach. The charging time decreases substantially in the plume where it is only a fraction of a second for 1 μm sized grains, 1 s for 0.1 μm sized grains and about 10 s for 0.03 μm sized grains. 相似文献
17.
Solar flare accelerated electrons escaping into the interplanetary space and seen as type III solar radio bursts are often detected near the Earth. Using numerical simulations we consider the evolution of energetic electron spectrum in the inner heliosphere and near the Earth. The role of Langmuir wave generation, heliospheric plasma density fluctuations, and expansion of magnetic field lines on the electron peak flux and fluence spectra is studied to predict the electron properties as could be observed by Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus. Considering various energy loss mechanisms we show that the substantial part of the initial energetic electron energy is lost via wave–plasma processes due to plasma inhomogeneity. For the parameters adopted, the results show that the electron spectrum changes mostly at the distances before ～?20 R ⊙. Further into the heliosphere, the electron flux spectrum of electrons forms a broken power law relatively similar to what is observed at 1 AU. 相似文献
18.
Results of electron spectrometer and cylindrical Langmuir probe measurements of ionospheric electron energy distribution in the range from about 0·2 eV to 4·0 eV are presented and discussed in this paper. 相似文献
19.
A model is presented to explain the highly variable yet low level of Langmuir waves measured in situ by spacecraft when electron beams associated with type III solar bursts are passing by; the low level of excited waves allows the propagation of such streams from the Sun to well past 1 AU without catastrophic energy losses. The model is based, first, on the existence of large-scale density fluctuations that are able to efficiently diffuse small-k beam-unstable Langmuir waves in phase space, and, second, on the presence of a significant isotropic non-thermal tail in the distribution function of the background electron population, which is capable of stabilizing larger k modes. The strength of the model lies in its ability to predict various levels of Langmuir waves depending on the parameters. This feature is consistent with the high variability actually observed in the measurements. The calculations indicate that, for realistic parameters, the most unstable, small k modes are fully stabilized while some oblique mode with higher k and lower growth rate might remain unstable; thus a very broad range of levels of Langmuir waves is possible from levels of the order of enhanced spontaneous emission to the threshold level for nonlinear processes. On the other hand, from in situ measurements of the density fluctuations spectrum by ISEE-1 and 2 in the vicinity of the Earth, it is shown that measured 100 km scale fluctuations may be too effective in quenching the instability. If such strong density fluctuations are common in the solar wind, we show they must be highly anisotropic in order to allow the build-up of Langmuir waves to the observed mV m–1 range. Moreover, the anisotropy must be such that the strongest variations of density occur in a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. 相似文献
20.
J.M. Grebowsky N.C. Maynard Y.K. Tulunay L.J. Lanzerotti 《Planetary and Space Science》1976,24(12):1177-1185
Explorer 45 traversed the plasmapause (determined approximately via the saturation of the d.c. electric field experiment) at near-equatorial latitudes on field lines which were crossed by Ariel 4 (~600km altitude) near dusk in May 1972 and on field lines which were crossed by Isis II (~1400km altitude) near midnight in December 1971 and January 1972. Many examples were found in which the field line through the near-equatorial plasmapause was traversed by Explorer 45 within one hour local time and one hour universal time of Ariel and Isis crossings of the same L coordinate. For the coincident passes near dusk, the RF electron density probe on Ariel detected electron density depletions near the plasmapause L coordinates when Ariel was in darkness. When the Ariel passes were in sunlight, however, electron depletions were not discernable near the plasmapause field line. On the selected near-midnight passes of Isis II, electron density depressions were typically detected (via the topside sounder) near the plasmapause L coordinate. The dusk Ariel electron density profiles are observed to reflect O+ density variations. Even at the high altitude of Isis near midnight, O+ is found to be the dominant ion in the trough region whereas H+ is dominant at lower latitudes as is evident from the measured electron density scale heights. In neither local time sector was it possible to single out a distinctive topside ionosphere feature as an indicator of the plasmapause field line as identified near the equator. At both local times the equator-determined plasmapause L coordinate showed a tendency to lay equatorward of the trough minimum. 相似文献