Mass spectrometer measurements of the positive ion composition in the D- and E-regions of the ionosphere

On 14 December 1971, during the maximum of the Geminid Meteor Shower, the positive ion composition was measured in the D- and E-regions above Sardinia. The payload was launched at 12:11 UT, and measurements were made between 68.5 and 152 km altitude. A magnetic sector type mass spectrometer with dual collector and a liquid helium cryopump was used. The instrument covered the mass range from 11 to 73 AMU and had a resolution at the 1 % level of M/ΔM = 60.In the E-region two distinct metal ion layers were observed, centred at 95 and 119 km, respectively. In the lower layer Fe⁺ and Mg⁺ were the most abundant metal ions, and in the upper layer Si⁺ was dominant. Si⁺ ions were conspicuously absent in the lower layer (Si⁺/Mg⁺ < 2 × 10⁻³). This particular behaviour of Si could be due to the inability of atomic oxygen to reduce SiO, whereas in the upper layer Si⁺ions might be formed directly by the charge rearrangement reaction SiO + O⁺ → Si⁺+ O₂. In addition, Na⁺, Al⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺, Ti⁺, Cr⁺, Ni⁺ and Co⁺ were also identified. The metal oxide ions AlO⁺ and SiO⁺ were detected, and probably also MgO⁺ and SiOH⁺. The concentrations of NO⁺ and O₂⁺ show a deep minimum at the maximum of the lower metal ion layer. A very high neutral metal density of 6 × 10⁷ cm⁻³ would be required to explain this feature as resulting from charge transfer reactions between the molecular and metal ions Such a high metal density is in contradiction to direct measurements and to cosmic dust influx rates. The isotopic ratios of Mg⁺, Si⁺, and of the major isotopes of Fe⁺ and Ni⁺ were measured, some of them with an accuracy of a few per cent (²⁵Mg⁺/²⁴Mg⁺ = 0.124 ± 0.006; ²⁶Mg⁺/²⁴Mg⁺ = 0.139 ± 0.008; ²⁹Si⁺/²⁸Si⁺ = 0.050 ± 0.004; ⁵⁴Fe⁺/⁵⁶Fe⁺ = 0.069 ± 0.005; ⁵⁷Fe⁺/⁵⁶Fe⁺ = 0.029 ± 0.004; ⁶⁰Ni⁺/⁵⁸Ni⁺ = 0.31 ± 0.12). The isotopic ratios agree within the experimental errors with the corresponding terrestrial ratios, thus giving evidence that these elements have the same isotopic composition in the Geminid meteors as in the Earth's crust, in chrondrites, and in lunar material.In the D-region the ions Na⁺H₂O, Na⁺(H₂O)₂, NaO⁺ and NaOH⁺ were tentatively identified. Below 95 km altitude the relative abundances of the ions 32⁺, 33⁺ and 34⁺ deviate from the values expected for molecular oxygen isotopes. Their abundances can not be explained by the presence of S-ions only, and we conclude that HO₂⁺ and H₂O₂⁺ are present.The ion density profiles of the major D-region constituents show some remarkable deviations from typical D-region conditions. These deviations are related to the winter anomaly in ionospheric absorption observed over Spain during the launch day, and our data represent the first ion composition measurements during such conditions. In particular, H⁺(H₂O)₂ is the major ion only up to 77 km, and at 80 km altitude the NO⁺ concentration exceeds the total water cluster ion density by almost two orders of magnitude. An increase of the mesospheric NO, O₃ and O concentrations as well as of the O/H₂O ratio could explain the observed ion profiles. The low NO⁺/O₂⁺ ratios of approximately unity measured in the E-region are in agreement with a strong downward transport of NO and/or O into the mesosphere during the launch day. A simple four-ion model was used to interpret our D-region data. The calculated neutral NO concentration increases from about 2 × 10⁷ cm⁻³ at 85 km to 5 × 10⁷ cm⁻³ at 80 km. In addition, evidence for an increased O₂⁺ production rate above 83 km was found, probably due to an enhanced O₃ concentration. We conclude that our data strongly support vertical transport of minor neutral consituents as cause of the winter anomaly.     

Silicon ion chemistry in the ionosphere

Loss processes which remove Si⁺ ions selectively relative to other meteor-derived atomic ions in the E- and D-regions of the ionosphere have been identified and measured in the laboratory. The major Si⁺ loss in the E-region is the reaction Si⁺ + H₂O → HSiO⁺ + H (1) with a rate constant 2.3 ± 0.9 × 10^?10 cm³s^?1 at 300 K. The corresponding reactions with Fe⁺, Mg⁺ and other metallic meteor ions are endothermic. Presumably (1) is followed by a fast dissociative-recombination with electrons to produce neutral SiO or Si. At lower altitudes Si⁺ ions associate in a three-body reaction with O₂ with a much larger rate constant than the corresponding associations of Fe⁺ and Mg⁺ with O₂.     

Thermal response properties of the Earth's ionospheric plasma

The thermal response of the Earth's ionospheric plasma is calculated for various suddenly applied electron and ion heat sources. The time-dependent coupled electron and ion energy equations are solved by a semi-automatic computational scheme that employs Newton's method for coupled vector systems of non-linear parabolic (second order) partial differential equations in one spatial dimension. First, the electron and composite ion energy equations along a geomagnetic field line are solved with respect to a variety of ionospheric heat sources that include: thermal conduction in the daytime ionosphere; heating by electric fields acting perpendicular to the geomagnetic field line; and heating within a stable auroral red are (SAR-arc). The energy equations are then extended to resolve differential temperature profiles, first for two separate ion species (H⁺, O⁺) and then for four separate ion species (H⁺, He⁺, N⁺, O⁺) in addition to the electron temperature. The electron and individual ion temperatures are calculated for conditions within a night-time SAR-arc excited by heat flowing from the magnetosphere into the ionosphere, and also for typical midlatitude daytime ionospheric conditions. It is shown that in the lower ionosphere all ion species have the same temperature; however, in the topside ionosphere above about 400 km, ion species can display differential temperatures depending upon the balance between thermal conduction, heating by collision with electrons, cooling by collisions with the neutrals, and energy transfer by inter-ion collisions. Both the time evolution and steady-state distribution of such ion temperature differentials are discussed.The results show that below 300km both the electrons and ions respond rapidly (<30s) to variations in direct thermal forcing. Above 600 km the electrons and ions display quite different times to reach steady state, depending on the electron density: when the electron density is low the electrons reach steady state temperatures in 30 s, but typically require 700 s when the density is high; the ions, on the other hand, reach steady state in 700 s when the density is high, and 1500–2500 s when the density is low. Between 300 and 600 km, a variety of thermal structures can exist, depending upon the electron density and the type of thermal forcing; however steady state is generally reached in 200–1000 s.     

Time dependent chemical study of contracting interstellar clouds. III. the charge distribution in interstellar clouds

We have constructed a chemical reaction model in a contracting interstellar cloud including 104 species which are involved in a network of 557 reactions. The chemical kinetic equations were integrated as a function of time by using gear package. The evolution of the system was followed in the density range 10–10⁷ particles cm^-3.The calculated fractional abundances of the charged species are in good agreement with those given by other investigators. The charge density has been followed in diffuse, intermediate and dense regions. The most dominant ionic species are metallic ions, HCO⁺ and H ₃ ⁺ in the shielded regions and atomic ions H⁺, C⁺, Si⁺, He⁺, S⁺ and metal ions in the diffuse and intermediate regions. The abundances of negatively charged ions were found to be negligible. The results of the calculations on the different metallic ions are interpreted.     

The Combined Atmospheric Photochemistry and Ion Tracing code: Reproducing the Viking Lander results and initial outflow results

A Combined Atmospheric Photochemistry and Ion Tracing code (CAPIT) has been developed to explore ion loss into space at Mars. The CAPIT code includes the major photochemical reactions of Mars’ ionosphere, ion tracing in the presence of magnetic fields, and plasma wave heating of ions. In particular, we examine whether O⁺ escape from the day-side ionosphere is limited by ion production (UV input) or by external energy input to the ions. To verify the code, it is demonstrated that the CAPIT solutions reproduce the Viking 1 Lander’s ion density and temperature profiles. Using Viking 1 Lander conditions as a baseline, ion outflow rates are examined as function of solar wind energy input via plasma waves and UV ionization rates. The O⁺ outflow rates predicted by the simulation are comparable to the outflow rates estimated by observation. The results indicate that plasma waves are a viable source of energy to O⁺ ions and suggest that present-day O⁺ outflow rates at Mars are source limited by photochemical production (UV input) during periods of strong energy input (plasma wave activity), but otherwise regulated by both UV input and energy input. These results imply that ion heating by plasma waves can influence the present-day loss of O⁺.     

Errors in calculated values of electron temperatures in H II regions

This paper considers the classical method to determine the electron temperatures t _3,O, t _2,O and t _2,N from forbidden lines of the ions O⁺⁺, O⁺, and N⁺, and investigates the influence of uncertainties in atomic data on the accuracy of the determined electron temperatures. The uncertainties in atomic data (the Einstein coefficients for spontaneous transitions and electron ionization cross-sections) are estimated as discrepancies between the values computed by various authors. The error in the electron temperature caused by uncertainties in the atomic data is found to increase with the growth in the electron temperature. At a temperature 10000 K, the errors in the electron temperatures t _3,O, t _2,N, and t _2,O do not exceed 1, 3, and 7%, respectively.     

Ionospheric composition in SAR-arcs

The high electron temperatures existing within SAR-arcs can result in enhanced vibrational excitation of atmospheric N₂ molecules and, as a consequence, increase the rate coefficient of the reaction, O⁺ + N₂ → NO⁺ + N. This results in a change in the relative abundance of O⁺ and NO⁺+ in the SAR-arc region compared with that in the undisturbed ionosphere. Theoretical ion density profiles were computed by a triple ion analysis solving the mass, momentum and energy equations for O⁺, NO⁺ and O⁺₂ ions self-consistently. Although the electron temperature dependence of the recombination rate of NO⁺ is not well known, the results show that for a range of expected recombination rates NO⁺ still remains the dominant ion up to ca. 320 km at night within a bright SAR-arc. Studies were also made of the relative importance of a downward O⁺ flux and an upward ion drift in maintaining the F-region under SAR-arc conditions. It was found that the upward drift caused a marked increase in the NO⁺/O⁺ transition altitude as high as 460 km at night. However, for typical drift speeds up to 50 m sec^?1 the peak electron density was lower than experimental observations. The effect of a large, short-duration perpendicular electric field on the SAR-arc ion and electron density profiles was found to be small. In all cases considered the magnitude of the enhanced NO⁺ density as a result of vibrationally excited N₂ molecules was sufficient to prevent the electron density within the night-time SAR-arc from becoming vanishingly small.     

Initial interpretation of Titan plasma interaction as observed by the Cassini plasma spectrometer: Comparisons with Voyager 1

The Cassini plasma spectrometer (CAPS) instrument made measurements of Titan's plasma environment when the Cassini Orbiter flew through the moon's plasma wake October 26, 2004 (flyby TA). Initial CAPS ion and electron measurements from this encounter will be compared with measurements made by the Voyager 1 plasma science instrument (PLS). The comparisons will be used to evaluate previous interpretations and predictions of the Titan plasma environment that have been made using PLS measurements. The plasma wake trajectories of flyby TA and Voyager 1 are similar because they occurred when Titan was near Saturn's local noon. These similarities make possible direct, meaningful comparisons between the various plasma wake measurements. They lead to the following: (A) The light and heavy ions, H⁺and N⁺/O⁺, were observed by PLS in Saturn's magnetosphere in the vicinity of Titan while the higher mass resolution of CAPS yielded H⁺ and H₂⁺as the light constituents and O⁺/CH₄⁺ as the heavy ions. (B) Finite gyroradius effects were apparent in PLS and CAPS measurements of ambient O⁺ ions as a result of their absorption by Titan's extended atmosphere. (C) The principal pickup ions inferred from both PLS and CAPS measurements are H⁺, H₂⁺, N⁺, CH₄⁺ and N₂⁺. (D) The inference that heavy pickup ions, observed by PLS, were in narrow beam distributions was empirically established by the CAPS measurements. (E) Slowing down of the ambient plasma due to pickup ion mass loading was observed by both instruments on the anti-Saturn side of Titan. (F) Strong mass loading just outside the ionotail by a heavy ion such as N₂⁺ is apparent in PLS and CAPS measurements. (G) Except for the expected differences due to the differing trajectories, the magnitudes and structures of the electron densities and temperatures observed by both instruments are similar. The high-energy electron bite-out observed by PLS in the magnetotail is consistent with that observed by CAPS.     

Low energy ions in the shuttle environment: Evidence for strong ambient-contaminant interactions

The quadrupole mass spectrometer flown by the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory on STS-4 in 1982 detected large intensities of several ions, primarily O⁺, H₂O⁺ and H₃O⁺, with energies less than 1.5 e V with respect to the Shuttle Orbiter. Ion-molecule reactions and non-reactive scattering between the outgassing neutral flux from the Orbiter surfaces and the ambient ionic species are identified as the primary source of these low energy ions.     

Ponderomotive modification of multicomponent magnetospheric plasma due to electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves

We derive the expression for the ponderomotive force in the real multicomponent magnetospheric plasma containing heavy ions. The ponderomotive force considered includes the induced magnetic moment of all the species and arises due to inhomogeneity of the traveling low-frequency electromagnetic wave amplitude in the nonuniform medium. The nonlinear stationary force balance equation is obtained taking into account the gravitational and centrifugal forces for the plasma consisting of the electrons, protons and heavy ions (He⁺). The background geomagnetic field is taken for the dayside of the magnetosphere, where the magnetic field have magnetic “holes” (Antonova and Shabansky in Geomagn. Aeron. 8:639, 1968). The balance equation is solved numerically to obtain the nonlinear density distribution of ions (H⁺) in the presence of heavy ions (He⁺). It is shown that for frequencies less than the helium gyrofrequency at the equator the nonlinear plasma density perturbations are peaked in the vicinity of the equator due to the action of the ponderomotive force. A comparison of the cases of the dipole and dayside magnetosphere is provided. It is obtained that the presence of heavy ions leads to decrease of the proton density modification.     

The evolution of charged particles in a model of contracting cloud

The evolution of the charged particles are followed during contraction of a model of an interstellar cloud, with initial density number of n = 10 cm^–3. The contraction is followed up to density increase by five orders of magnitude. Special care is given to the details of the negative ions. In addition, we have tested the ambipolar diffusion according to the results of the ion density.The results predict the importance of atomic ions in the diffuse regions. H⁺ and C⁺ are distinctly enhanced in the beginning of contraction but decrease as contraction proceeds. Molecular ions enhance as contraction proceeds and becomes important in dense regions. The most enhanced molecular ions are HCO⁺, O₂ ⁺, C₂H₃ ⁺, H₃O⁺ and SO⁺, H₃ ⁺ is less abundant. The atomic ions (except metalic ions) decrease noticeably as density increases. In general the negative ions are of negligible fractional abundances. It has also been found that the time of ambipolar diffusion is shorter than the dynamical time, hence the magnetic field should be weakened in the central core as the central density increases to n = 10⁴ cm^–3.     

On the impact of multiply charged heavy solar wind ions on the surface of Mercury, the Moon and Ceres

We have studied the impact of multiply charged solar wind O⁷⁺ and Fe⁹⁺ ions on the surfaces of Mercury, the Moon and on a Ceres-size asteroid using a quasi-neutral hybrid model.The simulations showed that heavy O⁷⁺ and Fe⁹⁺ ions impact on the surface of Mercury non-homogenously, the highest flux being near the magnetic cusps—much as in the case of impacting solar wind protons. However, in contrast to protons, the analyzed heavy ions do not create high ion impact flux regions near the open-closed magnetic field line boundary. Dawn-dusk asymmetry and the total ion impact flux were each found to increase with respect to the increasing mass per charge ratio for ions, suggesting that the Hermean magnetic field acts as a mass spectrometer for solar wind ions. The Moon, in contrast, does not have a global intrinsic magnetic field and, therefore, solar wind ions can freely impact on its surface when this body is in the solar wind. The same is true for a, non-magnetized, Ceres-size asteroid.The impact of multiply charged ions on a solid surface results in a large variety of physical processes, of often intimately inter-related atomic reactions, e.g. electron exchange between solid and approaching projectile, inelastic scattering of projectile, electronic excitation in the projectile and/or the solid, ejection of electrons, photons, neutral and iodized surface particles, and eventual slowing down and stopping of the projectile in the solid. The electron transfer process between impacting heavy ions and surface constituents can result in soft X-ray (E<1 keV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photon emissions. These processes will eventually damage the target surface. Analysis of the hybrid Mercury model (HYB-Mercury) suggests that, at this planet the damaging processes result in non-homogenous ageing of the surface that is controlled by the intrinsic magnetic field of the planet and by the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field. In the corresponding Lunar model (HYB-Moon) and in the non-magnetized asteroid model (HYB-Ceres), surface ageing is demonstrated to take place on that side of the body that faces toward the flow of the solar wind.     

Saturn's magnetospheric interaction with Titan as defined by Cassini encounters T9 and T18: New results

We present new results of Cassini's T9 flyby with complementary observations from T18. Based on Cassini plasma spectrometer (CAPS) and Cassini magnetometer (MAG), compositional evidence shows the upstream flow for both T9 and T18 appears composed of light ions (H⁺ and H₂⁺), with external pressures ∼30 times lower than that for the earlier TA flyby where heavy ions dominated the magnetospheric plasma. When describing the plasma heating and sputtering of Titan's atmosphere, T9 and T18 can be considered interactions of low magnetospheric energy input. On the other hand, T5, when heavy ion fluxes are observed to be higher than typical (i.e., TA), represents the limiting case of high magnetospheric energy input to Titan's upper atmosphere. Anisotropy estimates of the upstream flow are 1<T_⊥/T_‖<3 and the flow is perpendicular to B, indicative of local picked up ions from Titan's H and H₂ coronae extending to Titan's Hill sphere radius. Beyond this distance the corona forms a neutral torus that surrounds Saturn. The T9 flyby unexpectedly resulted in observation of two “wake” crossings referred to as Events 1 and 2. Event 2 was evidently caused by draped magnetosphere field lines, which are scavenging pickup ions from Titan's induced magnetopause boundary with outward flux ∼2×10⁶ ions/cm²/s. The composition of this out flow is dominated by H₂⁺ and H⁺ ions. Ionospheric flow away from Titan with ion flux ∼7×10⁶ ion/cm²/s is observed for Event 1. In between Events 1 and 2 are high energy field aligned flows of magnetosphere protons that may have been accelerated by the convective electric field across Titan's topside ionosphere. T18 observations are much closer to Titan than T9, allowing one to probe this type of interaction down to altitudes ∼950 km. Comparisons with previously reported hybrid simulations are made.     

On the diurnal and seasonal variations of H+, He+, N+, O+, and Ne at 1400-km altitude

The diurnal and seasonal variations of H⁺, He⁺, N⁺, O⁺ and Ne are analyzed at 1400-km altitude. Using longitudinally averaged observations of ISIS-2 (April 1971 to December 1972), the ion and electron densities are decomposed via spherical harmonics and Fourier series into time-independent, seasonal and diurnal terms. The time-independent terms of H⁺ and He⁺ show a plateauor trough-like structure at medium to low latitudes and a strong decrease towards the poles; N⁺ and O⁺, on the other hand, yield an almost inverse picture with a density increase at high latitudes. All constituents, except He⁺, show at polar latitudes an enhancement during local summer conditions and a depletion during local winter conditions; He⁺, however, exhibits a winter bulge and a density minimum during local summer. The diurnal variations are strongly latitude dependent; while the amplitudes (relative) of H⁺, He⁺, and Ne are rather small, the heavier ions N⁺ and O⁺ show a deep minimum early in the morning and a high but flat maximum during daytime.     

The post-terminator ionosphere of Venus

We have modeled the near and post-terminator thermosphere/ionosphere of Venus with a view toward understanding the relative importance of EUV solar fluxes and downward fluxes of atomic ions transported from the dayside in producing the mean ionosphere. We have constructed one-dimensional thermosphere/ionosphere models for high solar activity for seven solar zenith angles (SZAs) in the dusk sector: 90°, 95°, 100°, 105°, 110°, 115° and 125°. For the first 4 SZAs, we determine the optical depths for solar fluxes from 3 Å to 1900 Å by integrating the neutral densities numerically along the slant path through the atmosphere. For SZAs of 90°, 95°, and 100°, we first model the ionospheres produced by absorption of the solar fluxes alone; for 95°, 100°, and 105° SZAs, we then model the ion density profiles that result from both the solar source and from imposing downward fluxes of atomic ions, including O⁺, Ar⁺, C⁺, N⁺, H⁺, and He⁺, at the top of the ionospheric model in the ratios determined for the upward fluxes in a previous study of the morphology of the dayside (60° SZA) Venus ionosphere. For SZAs of 110°, 115° and 125°, which are characterized by shadow heights above about 300 km, the models include only downward fluxes of ions. The magnitudes of the downward ion fluxes are constrained by the requirement that the model O⁺ peak density be equal to the average O⁺ peak density for each SZA bin as measured by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Ion Mass Spectrometer. We find that the 90° and 95° SZA model ionospheres are robust for the solar source alone, but the O⁺ peak density in the “solar-only” 95° SZA model is somewhat smaller than the average value indicated by the data. A small downward flux of ions is therefore required to reproduce the measured average peak density of O⁺. We find that, on the nightside, the major ion density peaks do not occur at the altitudes of peak production, and diffusion plays a substantial role in determining the ion density profiles. The average downward atomic ion flux for the SZA range of 90–125° is determined to be about 1.2 × 10⁸ cm⁻² s⁻¹.     

Neutral particle release from Europa’s surface

In this paper, we look at space weathering processes on the icy surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa. The heavy energetic ions of the jovian plasma (H⁺, O⁺, S⁺, C⁺) can erode the surface of Europa via ion sputtering (IS), ejecting up to 1000 H₂O molecules per ion. UV photons impinging the Europa’s surface can also result in neutral atom release via photon-stimulated desorption (PSD) and chemical change (photolysis). In this work, we study the efficiency of the IS and PSD processes for ejecting water molecules, simulating the resulting neutral H₂O density. We also estimate the contribution to the total neutral atom release by the Ion Backscattering (IBS) process. Moreover, we estimate the possibility of detecting the sputtered high energy atoms, in order to distinguish the action of the IS process from other surface release mechanisms. Our main results are: (1) The most significant sputtered-particle flux and the largest contribution to the neutral H₂O density come from the incident S⁺ ions; (2) the H₂O density produced via PSD is lower than that due to sputtering by ∼1.5 orders of magnitude; (3) in the energy range below 1 keV, the IBS can be considered negligible for the production of neutrals, whereas in the higher energy range it becomes the dominant neutral emission mechanism; (4) the total sputtering rate for Europa is 2.0 × 10²⁷ H₂O s⁻¹; and (5) the fraction of escaping H₂O via IS is 22% of the total sputtered population, while the escape fraction for H₂O produced by PSD is 30% of the total PSD population. Since the PSD exosphere is lower than the IS one, the major agent for Europa’s surface total net erosion is IS on both the non-illuminated and illuminated side. Lastly, the exospheric neutral density, estimated from the Galileo electron density measurements appears to be higher than that calculated for H₂O alone; this favors the scenario of the presence of O₂ produced by radiolysis and photolysis.     

Composition and temperatures of the topside ionosphere over Arecibo

Results of analysis of about 150 autocorrelation functions are presented for the period from about 2300 hr on 5 October to about 1200 hr on 7 October 1967. A large percentage concentration of helium ions are observed. It reaches a value as high as 50 per cent with a maximum at around 800 km. Downward heat fluxes deduced from the temperature variations yield a value of about 2–2.5 × 10⁹ eV cm^?2 sec^?1 during the period 1200–1600 hr and a value of about 1.5 × 10⁸ eV cm^?2 sec^?1 during the period 0100–0400 hr at night. These agree well with other measurements. The O⁺ ions are found not to be in diffusive equilibrium, and from the O⁺ fluxes and the electron density profiles, the O⁺ drift velocity has been estimated. It is found that the speed can be as high as 1–5 × 10³ cm sec^?1 even at altitudes as high as 700 km.     

The topside equatorial ionosphere during daytime: Elevated plasma temperatures,the transequatorial O+ breeze and the dynamics of minor ions

Steady-state calculations are performed for the daytime equatorial F2-region and topside ionosphere. Values are calculated of the electron and ion temperatures and the concentrations and field-aligned velocities of the ions O⁺, H⁺ and He⁺. Account is taken of upward $\text{E × B}$ drift, a summer-winter horizontal neutral air wind and heating of the electron gas by thermalization of fast photoelectrons.The calculated plasma temperatures are in accord with experiment: at the equator there is an isothermal region from about 400–550 km altitude, with temperatures of about 2400 K around 800 km altitude. The transequatorial O⁺ breeze flux from summer to winter in the topside ionosphere is not greatly affected by the elevated plasma temperatures. The field-aligned velocities of H⁺ and He⁺ depend strongly on the O⁺ field-aligned velocity and on the presence of large temperature gradients. For the minor ions, ion-ion drag with O⁺ cannot be neglected for the topside ionosphere.     

Pick-up Ion Measurements in the Heliosphere – A Review

Measurements of the composition and spatial distribution of pick-up ions inside the heliosphere are reviewed. The first interstellar ⁴He⁺pick-up ions were detected with the SULEICA instrument on the AMPTE spacecraft near Earth's orbit. Most data on pick-up ions were taken in the solar-wind and suprathermal energy range of SWICS on Ulysses while the spacecraft cruised from 1.4 to 5.4 AU and explored the high-latitude heliosphere and solar wind from the ecliptic to ± 80^° heliolatitude. This includes the discovery of H⁺, ⁴He⁺⁺, ³He⁺, N⁺,O⁺, and Ne⁺ pick-up ions that originate from the interstellar neutralgas penetrating the heliosphere. From their fluxes properties of the interaction region between the heliosphere and the Local Interstellar Cloud such as the limits on filtration and the strength of the interstellar magnetic field have been revealed. Detailed analysis of the velocity distributions of pick-up ions led to 1) the discovery of a new distinct source, the so-called Inner Source, consisting of atoms released from interstellar and interplanetary dust inside the heliosphere, 2) the determination of pick-up ion transport parameters such as the long mean free path for pitch-angle scattering of order1 AU, and 3) detailed knowledge on the very preferential injection and acceleration of pick-up ions during interplanetary energetic particle events such as Co-rotating Interaction Regions and Coronal Mass Ejections. SWICS measurements have fully confirmed the theory of Fisk, Koslovsky, and Ramaty that pick-up ions derived from the interstellar gas are the dominant source of the Anomalous Cosmic Rays; they are pre-accelerated inside the heliosphere and re-accelerated at the solar-wind Termination Shock according to Pesses, Eichler, and Jokipii. The data indicate that the Inner Source of pick-up ionsis largely responsible for the occurence of C⁺ in the Anomalous Cosmic Rays. The abundances of recently discovered Inner-Source Mg⁺ and Si⁺ are solar-wind like and consistent with their abundances in the energetic particles associated with Co-rotating Interaction Regions. Knowledge on the injection and acceleration processes in Co-rotating Interaction Regions is applied to discuss the current observational evidence for the Interplanetary Focusing Cone of the interstellar neutral gas due to the Sun's gravitational force. The 25–150 keV/amu suprathermal ⁴He⁺ pick-up ion fluxes measured by CELIAS/STOF on board SOHO over 360^° of ecliptic longitude represent a `local' ionization and acceleration of interstellar atoms at 1 AU or smaller heliocentric distances. Completing the first limited data set of SULEICA/AMPTE on ⁴He⁺ pick-up ions they indicate a density enhancement in the Interplanetary Focusing Cone which is confirmed by recent SWICS/ACE data. Clear evidence for signatures in ecliptic longitude are found in the data on energetic neutral H fluxes observed with the CELIAS/HSTOF sensor on board SOHO. These fluxes are enhanced in the upstream and downstream directions of the interstellar wind. Detection of energetic H atoms, which propagate unaffected by the Heliospheric Magnetic Field, provided for the first time a diagnostic tool for observations near Earth to analyze the structure in ecliptic longitude of the interface region between the heliosphere and the Local Interstellar Cloud. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Representative abundances of a few positive ions in the innermost coma of comet Halley

The production rate of H₂O molecules at a heliocentric distance of 1 AU for comet Halley and the abundance ratio with respect to water (H₂O) of parent molecules at the cometary nucleus from the paper of Yamamoto (1987) have been used to compute the number densities of positive ions viz. H₃O⁺, H₃S⁺, H₂CN⁺, H₃CO⁺, CH₃OH ₂ ⁺ and NH ₄ ⁺ at various cometocentric distances within 600 kms from the nucleus.The role of proton transfer reactions in producing major ionic species is discussed. A major finding of the present investigation is that NH ₄ ⁺ ion which may be produced through proton transfer reactions is the most abundant ion near the nucleus of a comet unless the abundance of NH₃ as a parent is abnormally low. Using the quoted value of Q(NH₃)/Q(H₂O) for comet Halley and the life times of NH₃ and H₂O molecules, the abundance ratio N(NH₃)/N(H₂O) is found to be one-third of that used in the present paper. The consequent proportionate decrease in the NH ₄ ⁺ ions does not, however, affect its superiority in number density over other ions near the nucleus.The number density of the next most abundant ion viz. H₃O⁺ is found to be 4 × 10⁴ cm^-3 at the nucleus of comet Halley and decreases by a factor of two only upto a distance of 600 K ms from the nucleus. The ionic mass peak recorded by VEGA and GIOTTO spacecrafts atm/q = 18 is most probably composite of the minor ionic species H₂O⁺, as its number density = 10² cm^-3 remains virtually constant in the inner coma and of NH ₄ ⁺ , the number density of which at large cometocentric distances may add to the recorded peak atmlq = 18. The number densities of other major ions produced through proton transfer from H₃O⁺ are also discussed in the region within 600 K ms from the nucleus of comet Halley.