Positive ion composition of the D and E regions during a PCA
Document ID: 313
Narcisi, R. S.1
Philbrick, C. Russell1
Thomas, D M1
Bailey, A. D.1
Wodyka, L. E.1
Baker, D W1
Federico, G1
Wlodyka, Raymond A.1
Gardner, M. E.1
1 USAF, Cambridge Research Laboratories, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA, U.S.A.
Presented: COSPAR Symposium on Solar Proton Event
Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, November 1969
Abstract
Positive ion composition measurements were obtained from three rocket flights in the D and E regions over Ft. Churchill, Canada during the 2-4 Nov 1969 PCA event. The rockets were launched at 0130 CST (0.4 dB) and 1130 CST (3 dB) [30 MHz riometer absorptions in parentheses] on 3 November and at 1650 CST (O.7 dB) on 4 November. Results from the nighttime measurements between 62 and 139 km showed that water cluster ions were predominant below 77 km and that NO+ and O2+ were the major ions from 77 to 139 km. A class II+ aurora was also in progress during the night flight as evidenced by the total ion density, which attained a maximum of 8 X 105 ions/cm3 at 122 km and exceeded 105 ions/cm3 between 105 and 127 km. Daytime and sunset measurements were made between 73 and 144 km and between 78 and 144 km, respectively. NO+ and O2+ were dominant ions down to the lower altitude measurement limits of both flights. The persistent broad meteoric ion 1ayer centered near 95 km, and submerged thin layers of meteoric species at higher altitudes were measured in all flights. Previous measurements obtained under more quiescent conditions are compared to the PCA measurements.
| Citation: | "Positive ion composition of the D and E regions during a PCA", Narcisi, R. S., C. R. Philbrick, D. M. Thomas, A. D. Bailey, L. E. Wodyka, D. W. Baker, G. Federico, R. A. Wlodyka, M. E. Gardner, Proceedings of COSPAR Symposium on Solar Proton Event, COSPAR (Committee on Space Research), August 1972, pp. 421 - 431, AFCRL-72-0474 |