Negative ion composition of the D and E regions during a PCA
Document ID: 312
Narcisi, R. S.1
Sherman, C1
Philbrick, C. Russell1
Thomas, D M1
Bailey, A. D.1
Wodyka, L. E.1
Wlodyka, Raymond A.1
Baker, D W1
Federico, G1
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
Rocket-borne, cryopumped, quadrupole mass spectrometers were used to measure the negative ions in the lower ionosphere during the November 1969 PCA event. Measurements were made near midday (1147 LT) and midnight (0029 LT) on 3 November. The PCA day flight showed very large concentrations of ions of 32 amu, probably O2-, between 72 and 94 km. In two earlier flights into nighttime quiescent conditions, O2-, was either undetectable or in extremely small concentrations over this altitude range. The PCA night flight also showed O2- present below 80 km but ions of mass 16 amu, probably O-, were generally the predominant ions between 74 and 94 km. In contrast, O- ions were found only in very small concentrations in the flights during quiet conditions. (The mass range of the PCA day spectrometer did not include 16 amu.) In both PCA flights, heavy negative ions, similar to those measured previously and normally found predominant, were found below 85 km. These ions have been tentatively identified as NO3-(H2O)n, n = 0 to 5, with some possible admixture of CO3-(H2O)n, n = 0 to 5. Ions of mass 76 amu, perhaps CO4-, were present below 78 km. In the E-region, Cl-(35 amu) and NO2- {46 amu) ions were measured, but these species may have resulted from contamination.
| Citation: | "Negative ion composition of the D and E regions during a PCA", Narcisi, R. S., C. Sherman, C. R. Philbrick, D. M. Thomas, A. D. Bailey, L. E. Wodyka, R. A. Wlodyka, D. W. Baker, G. Federico, Proceedings of COSPAR Symposium on Solar Proton Event, COSPAR (Committee on Space Research), August 1972, pp. 411 - 420, AFCRL-72-0474 |