Values of the Atmospheric Density at 280 km Obtained from Spin Drag Data of COSMOS 54 Rocket

A set of atmospheric density values at a height of 280 km between MJD 39675—39702 is determined by using the spin drag data of COSMOS 54 rocket. For this purpose photometric observations from five tracking stations and data about the satellite and its orbital evolution were used. The density values determined firstly at the perigee height were reduced at a standard height of 280 km and then compared with density values determined by using orbital drag data of this rocket at the same height and in the same time interval. The agreement between the two sets of densities (determined by using two different methods) is satisfactory.     

First ever in situ observations of Venus’ polar upper atmosphere density using the tracking data of the Venus Express Atmospheric Drag Experiment (VExADE)

On its highly elliptical 24 h orbit around Venus, the Venus Express (VEX) spacecraft briefly reaches a periapsis altitude of nominally 250 km. Recently, however, dedicated and intense radio tracking campaigns have taken place in August 2008, October 2009, February and April 2010, for which the periapsis altitude was lowered to the 186–176 km altitude range in order to be able to probe the upper atmosphere of Venus above the North Pole for the first time ever in situ. As the spacecraft experiences atmospheric drag, its trajectory is measurably perturbed during the periapsis pass, allowing us to infer total atmospheric mass density at the periapsis altitude. A Precise Orbit Determination (POD) of the VEX motion is performed through an iterative least-squares fitting process to the Doppler tracking data, acquired by the VEX radioscience experiment (VeRa). The drag acceleration is modelled using an initial atmospheric density model (VTS3 model, Hedin, A.E., Niemann, H.B., Kasprzak, W.T., Seiff, A. [1983]. J. Geophys. Res. 88, 73–83). A scale factor of the drag acceleration is estimated for each periapsis pass, which scales Hedin’s density model in order to best fit the radio tracking data. Reliable density scale factors have been obtained for 10 passes mainly from the second (October 2009) and third (April 2010) VExADE campaigns, which indicate a lower density by a factor of about 1.8 than Hedin’s model predicts. These first ever in situ polar density measurements at solar minimum have allowed us to construct a diffusive equilibrium density model for Venus’ thermosphere, constrained in the lower thermosphere primarily by SPICAV-SOIR measurements and above 175 km by the VExADE drag measurements (Müller-Wodarg et al., in preparation). The preliminary results of the VExADE campaigns show that it is possible to obtain with the POD technique reliable estimates of Venus’ upper atmosphere densities at an altitude of around 175 km. Future VExADE campaigns will benefit from the planned further lowering of VEX pericenter altitude to below 170 km.     

Interferometric phase velocity measurements in the auroral electrojet

A double-probe electric field detector and two spatially separated fixed-bias Langmuir probes were flown on a Taurus-Tomahawk sounding rocket launched from Poker Flat Research Range in March 1982. Interesting wave data have been obtained from about 10s of the downleg portion of the flight during which the rocket passed through the auroral electrojet. Here the electric field receiver and both density fluctuation (δn/n) receivers responded to a broad band of turbulence centered at 105 km altitude and at frequencies generally below 4 kHz. Closer examination of the two (δn/n) turbulent waveforms reveals that they are correlated, and from the phase difference between the two signals, the phase velocity of the waves in the rocket reference frame is inferred. The magnitude and direction of the observed phase velocity are consistent either with waves which travel at the ion sound speed (C_s) or with waves which travel at the electron drift velocity. The observed phase velocity varies by about 50% over a 5 km altitude range—an effect which probably results from shear in the zonal neutral wind, although unfortunately no simultaneous neutral wind measurements exist to confirm this.     

Continuous monitoring of nightside upper thermospheric mass densities in the martian southern hemisphere over 4 martian years using electron reflectometry

Details are presented of an improved technique to use atmospheric absorption of magnetically reflecting solar wind electrons to constrain neutral mass densities in the nightside martian upper thermosphere. The helical motion of electrons on converging magnetic field lines, through an extended neutral atmosphere, is modeled to enable prediction of loss cone pitch angle distributions measured by the Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer (MAG/ER) experiment on Mars Global Surveyor at 400 km altitude. Over the small fraction of Mars' southern hemisphere (∼2.5%) where the permanent crustal magnetic fields are both open to the solar wind and sufficiently strong as to dominate the variable induced martian magnetotail field, spherical harmonic expansions of the crustal fields are used to prescribe the magnetic field along the electron's path, allowing least-squares fitting of measured loss cones, in order to solve for parameters describing the vertical neutral atmospheric mass density profile from 160 to 230 km. Results are presented of mass densities in the southern hemisphere at 2 a.m. LST at the mean altitude of greatest sensitivity, 180 km, continuously over four martian years. Seasonal variability in densities is largely explained by orbital and latitudinal changes in dayside insolation that impacts the nightside through the resulting thermospheric circulation. However, the physical processes behind repeatable rapid, late autumnal cooling at mid-latitudes and near-aphelion warming at equatorial latitudes is not fully clear. Southern winter polar warming is generally weak or nonexistent over several Mars years, in basic agreement with MGS and MRO accelerometer observations. The puzzling response of mid-latitude densities from 160° to 200° E to the 2001 global dust storm suggests unanticipated localized nightside upper thermospheric lateral and vertical circulation patterns may accompany such storms. The downturn of the 11-year cycle of solar EUV flux is likely responsible for lower aphelion densities in 2004 and 2006 (Mars years 27 and 28).     

ETON 6: A rocket measurement of the O2 Infrared Atmospheric (0-0) band in the nightglow

Co-ordinated rocket measurements of the O₂(a¹Δ_g−X³Σ_g⁻) Infrared Atmospheric (0-0) band emission profile and the atomic oxygen densities in an undisturbed night-time atmosphere are used to investigate the processes responsible for the excitation of O₂(a¹Δ_g) in the terrestrial nightglow. It is shown that three-body recombination of atomic oxygen, and subsequent energy transfer processes, can explain only part of the observed emission profile and that at least two other sources of O₂(a¹Δ_g) emission must exist. One of these additional sources, responsible for most of the emission observed below 90km, is identified as arising from the night-time residual of the very large dayglow ¹Δ_g population. The other additional source is required to explain most of the emission observed above 95km. The processes responsible for this high altitude component cannot be identified but the vertical distribution of the required source function strongly resembles the profile of the atomic oxygen density squared and suggests that a two-body radiative recombination process may be involved. However, the measured zenith emission rates can also be explained without the high altitude source of O₂(a¹Δ_g) if optical emission at 1.27 μm was induced by the rocket as it penetrated the nightglow layer.     

Altitude variation of ultraviolet oxygen night airglow

Night airglow of oxygen 130.4 and 135.6 nm emissions was measured by a spectrophotometer aborad an S520 sounding rocket, launched at 19:50 JST (10:50 UT) on 14 February, 1982 from Kagoshima, Japan. The altitude variation of the emissions was obtained from 110 to 266 km at zenith angles of 35.5°±4°. The emission intensity around 260 km was about 160R and is roughly compatible with model calculations taking account of O⁺+e ^– radiative recombination as well as O⁺–O^– mutual neutralization. Some excess of about 50R, compared to the model calculation, was observed around 200 km. Possible explanations of the excess are: (i) remnant oxygen ions during the transition period from day to night and (ii) diffuse radiation from the background sky. Model calculations taking account of remnant oxygen ions were also performed by adding an excess electron density to the original density profile. However, it was found that an unreasonably large electron density is required around 200 km (5×10⁵ cm^–3) to produce the observed intensity. It is also probable that some contribution from the background sky is present in the observed intensity.     

Atmospheric density from the low altitude satellite 1970-48A: Comparison of orbital decay measurements,accelerometer measurements and atmospheric models

Atmospheric densities have been deduced from high resolution radar-determined orbital decay data and from data obtained from a uniaxial accelerometer flown onboard the low altitude satellite 1970-48A. Data were obtained during late June and early July, 1970. The orbital decay-deduced densities, having an effective 6 hr temporal resolution, were determined at an altitude of 143 km, essentially one-half scale height above perigee. The accelerometer deduced densities at the same altitude were obtained on both the approaching-perigee and leaving-perigee portions of each of fifty-nine orbits. A detailed comparison of the densities derived from both types of data is presented. In general, agreement is very good. A comparison of both types of data has also been made with the Jacchia 1970 and 1971 atmospheric models as well as the new OGO-6 atmospheric model. The Jacchia models display reasonable agreement with the data, but the OGO-6 model is unsuitable as a representation of atmospheric density at this altitude.     

Annual and semi-annual zonal wind components and corresponding temperature and density variations, 60–130 km

From rocket and radar-meteor wind observations, annual and semi-annual components of the zonal flow are derived for latitudes N at heights between 60 and 130 km. Height regions of maximum and minimum amplitude are described with reference to changes in phase. The annual components decrease with height throughout the mesosphere and, after a reversal of phase, enhance to 25 m/sec at 100 ± 5 km. The semi-annual components have maximum amplitudes of 25 m/sec over a wide range of latitude in two height regions at 90 and 120 km and in a limited range of latitude (near 50°) at 65 km.

Calculated temperatures and log densities are discussed in terms of amplitude and phase as functions of height and latitude. Below 100 km a comparison is made with temperature amplitudes derived from independent temperature data. Above 100 km the annual temperature variation maximizes at 115 km and is particularly large at high latitudes (exceeding 50°K). On the other hand, the semi-annual component increases rapidly with height between 110 and 120 km at all latitudes maximizing at the 120 km level, where amplitudes exceed 25°K at high and low latitudes and 10°K at mid-latitudes. The annual component of log density, like the temperature variation, is largest at high latitudes up to 125 km. The semi-annual variation has a minimum at 110–115 km, above which amplitudes increase with height, reaching 5–12 per cent at 130 km according to latitude. The phases at and near 130 km for the annual and semi-annual density variations are very close to those found at greater heights from satellite orbits and amplitudes could be readily extrapolated to agree with those in the satellite region.     

Experimental evidence of ion plasma oscillations in the apogee region of the Nike-Apache rocket

Several Nike-Apache rockets with Lang muir probe payloads were launched from Thumba (India) to study the disturbances produced by a moving rocket. The rockets were launched during different times of the day and night. It was found that low frequency ion plasma oscillations of the order of 1 KHz frequency were observed in the altitude region 145 to 200 km. This altitude region corresponds to the rocket apogee region where the rocket velocity is subsonic. The amplitude of the fluctuations was about 1 to 2% and was found to be dependant on rocket velocity electron density in the ambient medium, rocket spin and probe voltage. It was noticed that in the case of Centaure and Petrel rockets such types of oscillations were not observed. The Nike-Apache rockets are made of aluminium while Centaure and Petrel rockets are made of stainless steel.     

Investigation of the force balance in the Titan ionosphere: Cassini T5 flyby model/data comparisons

Cassini’s Titan flyby on 16 April, 2005 (T5) is the only encounter when the two main ionizing sources of the moon’s atmosphere, solar radiation and corotating plasma, align almost anti-parallel. In this paper a single-fluid multi-species 3D MHD model of the magnetospheric plasma interaction for T5 conditions is analyzed. Model results are compared to observations to investigate the ionospheric dynamics at Titan as well as to understand the deviations from a typical solar wind interaction, such as Venus’ interaction with the solar wind. Model results suggest that for the T5 interaction configuration, corotating plasma is the dominant driver determining the global interaction features at high altitudes. In the lower ionosphere below ～1500 km altitude – where the control of the ionospheric composition transfers from dynamic to chemical processes – magnetic and thermal pressure gradients oppose each other locally, complicating the ionospheric dynamics. Model results also imply that the nightside ionosphere – produced only by the impact ionization in the model – does not provide enough thermal pressure to balance the incident plasma dynamic pressure. As a result, the induced magnetic barrier penetrates into the ionosphere by plasma convection down to ～1000 km altitude and by magnetic diffusion below this altitude. Moreover, strong horizontal drag forces due to ion-neutral collisions and comparable drag forces estimated from possible neutral winds in the lower ionosphere below ～1400 km altitude oppose over local regions, implying that the Titan interaction must be treated as a 3D problem. Ion and electron densities calculated from the model generally agree with the Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer and Langmuir probe measurements; however, there are significant differences between the calculated and measured magnetic fields. We discuss possible explanations for the discrepancy in the magnetic field predictions.     

Eddy current torques,air torques,and the spin decay of cylindrical rocket bodies in orbit

This paper considers the torques causing spin decay in cylindrical rocket bodies in orbit. Eddy current torques, due to the Earth's magnetic field, are estimated using Smith's (1962) model—a hollow cylindrical conducting shell, tumbling about a transverse axis. Air torques are estimated by numerical integration of aerodynamic moments over the rocket surface. It is shown that for Cosmos rockets, 7.4 m long and 2.4 m in diameter, eddy current torques outweigh air torques by several orders of magnitude at altitudes near 500 km, and that they are dominant at altitudes down to 160 km. Visual observations of several such rockets illustrate a variation of spin decay time with altitude which supports this conclusion. The same observations suggest that a few Cosmos rockets may be special cases, different from the rest in construction.     

Lower ionosphere electron densities from rocket measurements employing LF radio propagation and DC probe techniques

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.     

Energy fluxes of the (1,1,1) atmospheric oscillation

The global mean vertical energy flux of the (1,1,1) mode of atmospheric oscillation is evaluated at 80 km altitude by classical tidal theory for mean January, April, July and October conditions using revised profiles of water vapour and ozone heating. Fluxes calculated for January and July are lower than those for April and October due to seasonal changes in water vapour, solar declination and Sun-Earth distance. Flux values obtained are compared with a previously stated requirement for maintaining the residual thermosphere and are adequate unless damping, which is ignored in the present calculations, introduces a factor of more than an order of 10 in magnitude. The relative changes of flux between the above four months are noted to be similar in form to the semi-annual variation of thermospheric air densities.     

Latitude variations of exospheric hydrogen and the polar wind

Several satellite experiments have measured the solar Lyman-α line, either in scattering from upper atmospheric atomic hydrogen (the Lyman-α airglow) or directly at line center (which determines the hydrogen column density along the line of sight). Recent analyses of data from the above experiments consistently reveal the presence of an atomic hydrogen depletion at high latitudes. In situ determinations of hydrogen at lower altitude show no evidence of such behaviour. This has led us to postulate two mechanisms which may be more effective in reducing the high-latitude density at the high altitudes of the exospheric measurements (500–2000 km). The first is the polar wind loss of protons, which depletes atomic hydrogen through a charge exchange reaction. The second is a high-latitude magnetospheric heating of protons, followed by charge exchange. Opposing the above loss mechanisms are the influences of ballistic lateral flow and mean meriodional winds. We have shown by means of a three-dimensional exospheric transport model that none of the above mechanisms can reconcile the disparate results in the two altitude regimes, nor can they provide the large outward hydrogen fluxes and the correct seasonal variations observed at high latitudes.     

Response of Venus ions to solar wind dynamic pressure

Orbiter ion mass spectrometer measurements, as available in the UADS data files are used to study the response of dayside Venus ions at various altitudes to solar wind dynamic pressure, P _sw. Ion densities below about 200 km are not affected by changes in P _sw. At altitudes above 200 km the ions get abruptly depleted with increase in P _sw, and this abrupt depletion occurs at lower altitudes when P _sw is high. At lower P _sw, the depletion occurs at higher altitudes. The effect is similar for all ions. These results are also compared with the empirical relationship observed by Brace et al. (1980) between the ionopause altitude and P _sw from electron density measurements on orbiter electron temperature probe.     

Upper stratosphere negative ion composition measurements and inferred trace gas abundances

In situ composition measurements of atmospheric negative ions were made at 40.8 km altitude using a balloon-borne mass spectrometer with large mass range and improved mass resolution. The data obtained show marked differences compared to previous data obtained mostly around or below 33 km.It appears that these differences are mostly due to a higher atmospheric temperature, a lower nitric acid vapour abundance and a larger HSO₃-vapour abundance prevailing at the higher altitude.A particularly striking feature is the relatively large fractional abundance of HSO₃-containing cluster ions.Another interesting result is that nitric acid vapour abundances can be inferred from the negative ion composition data with better accuracy than is possible for lower altitudes. The reason being that collisional ion dissociation occurring during ion sampling is less disturbing.The inferred nitric acid vapour abundance for 40.8 km altitude is consistent with current 2-dimensional model calculations.     

Hydrogen atoms and ions in the thermosphere and exosphere

The distribution of atomic hydrogen in the thermosphere and exosphere is computed taking into account the upward flow which balances the escape flux. Because of the upward flow the number-density gradient is much steeper than it would be in a static atmosphere. Attention is drawn to the fact that the ratio of the amount of hydrogen above the 100 or 110km levels to the amount of hydrogen above the 200 or 300 km levels is a sensitive measure of the temperature of the exosphere. The evidence on the absolute abundance of atomic hydrogen is examined. It is concluded that the number density at the 120km level is probably about 5 × 10⁵/cm³. The Ly. absorption line at this level is beyond the linear part of the curve of growth.

Consideration is also given to the steady-state distributions of O⁺ and H⁺ ions. In the lower part of the exosphere the number density of O⁺ ions falls with increase in altitude (the associated scale height being twice that of the O atoms) and the number density of H⁺ ions rises at the same rate (as was first pointed out by Dungey). The altitude at which the number densities of O⁺ and H⁺ ions become equal is calculated on various assumptions regarding the temperature and hydrogen content of the exosphere. It is found to be about 1200 km when the temperature is 1250° K and the hydrogen content corresponds to the number density cited near the end of the preceding paragraph. The gradient of the predicted electrondensity distribution at several Earth radii is much less than that deduced from whistler studies.

The passage from charge transfer to diffusive equilibrium is discussed in an Appendix.     

The aries auroral modelling campaign: characterization and modelling of an evening auroral arc observed from a rocket and a ground-based line of meridian scanners

An auroral arc system excited by soft electrons was studied with a combination of in situ rocket measurements and optical tomographic techniques, using data from a photometer on a horizontal, spinning rocket and a line of three meridian scanning photometers. The ground-based scanner data at 4709, 5577, 8446 and 6300 Å were successfully inverted to provide a set of volume emission rate distributions in the plane of the rocket trajectory, with a basic time resolution of 24 s. Volume emission rate profiles, derived from these distributions peaked at about 150 km for 5577 and 4709 Å, while the 8446 Å emission peaked at about 170 km with a more extended height distribution. The rocket photometer gave comparable volume emission rate distributions for the 3914 Å emission as reported in a separate paper by McDade et al. (1991, Planet. Space Sci. 39, 895). Instruments on the rocket measured the primary electron flux during the flight and, in particular, the flux precipitating into the auroral arc overflown at apogee (McEwen et al., 1991; in preparation). The local electron density and temperature were measured by probes on the rocket (Margot and McNamara (1991; Can. J. Phys. 69, 950). The electron density measurements on the downleg were modelled using ion production rate data derived from the optical results. Model calculations of the emission height profile based on the measured electron flux agree with the observed profiles. The height distribution of the N₂⁺ emission in the equatorward band, through which the rocket passed during the descent, was measured by both the rocket and the ground-based tomographic techniques and the results are in good agreement. Comparison of these profiles with model profiles indicates that the exciting primary spectrum may be represented by an accelerated Maxwellian or a Gaussian distribution centered at about 3 keV. This distribution is close to what would be obtained if the electron flux exciting the poleward form were accelerated by a 1–2 kV upward potential drop. The relative height profiles for the volume emission rate of the 5577 Å OI emission and the 4709 Å N₂⁺ emission were almost indistinguishable from each other for both the forms measured, with ratios in the range 38–50; this is equivalent to I(5577)/I(4278) ratios of 8–10. The auroral intensities and intensity ratios measured in the magnetic zenith from the ground during the period before and during the rocket flight are consistent with the primary electron fluxes and height distributions measured from the rocket. Values of I(5577)/I(4278) in the range 8–10 were also measured directly by the zenith ground photometers over which the arc system passed. These values are slightly higher than those reported by Gattinger and Vallance-Jones (1972) and this may possibly indicate an enhancement of the atomic oxygen concentration at the time of the flight. Such an enhancement would be consistent with our result, that the observed values of I(5577) and I(8446) are also significantly higher than those modelled on the basis of the electron flux spectrum measured at apogee.     

General features of the magnetic field of the equatorial electrojet measured by the POGO satellites

The magnitude of the equatorial electrojet signature, S, is a measure of its magnetic field at the location of the satellite recording the signature. The general features of the large quantity of the magnetic field data of the electrojet observed by the series of POGO satellites from 1967 to 1970 have been studied here. We have compared the position of the axis of the electrojet as indicated by the position of the minimum of the electrojet signature with the position of the dip equator on the Earth's surface, and we find no significant latitudinal shift of the electrojet axis from the dip equator on the Earth. Apart from the expected decrease of the magnetic field of the electrojet with altitude above the electrojet, we have found unexpected cases in which the field increases with altitude. More surprisingly, we have discovered that the magnitude of S oscillates with altitude having maxima at about 460km and 635km and minima at about 580km and 725km, with a mean wavelength of 160 ± 29 km. It is suggested that this could be caused by additional weak current layers flowing above the main electrojet at about 110 km altitude. It is also pointed out that Onwumechili's model based on a single current system of the equatorial electrojet predicts field oscillation with altitude. The model therefore shows that a field oscillating with altitude can also result from a single complicated system of current unaided by additional current layers.     

PL whistlers

Simultaneous ground and satellite VLF observations together with raytracing studies clearly establishes the existence of ground observed PL whistlers. The dynamic spectrum $\text{(?-ν-t}\text{shape}\text{)}$ of observed PL whistlers may be reproduced exactly by raytracing in TLG magnetospheric models consistent with lower ionosphere, topside ionosphere and equatorial density measurements. The Transition Level Gradient (TLG) model is based on the observation that the transition level altitude increases towards the plasmapause (Titheridge, 1976). PL ground whistlers (i) are observed downgoing over large latitudinal ranges, for up to 2000 km of satellite travel, by ISIS II at 1400 km altitude, (ii) have almost the same dynamic spectrum over the entire latitudinal range observed by ISIS II, (iii) are indistinguishable from ducted whistlers over the observed frequency range (i.e. linear Q for ? < 10 kHz), (iv) have nose frequencies > 16 kHz, (v) at 1400 km altitude have a lower latitudinal cutoff at L ～ 2 and a higher latitudinal cutoff between L ～ 3 and L ～ 4 and (vi) probably only occur at night-time during or immediately following disturbed magnetic activity.