ANTARCTIC RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS. AN ELECTRON BOMBARDMENT THEORY OF HIGHLATITUDE SPORADIC-E.

• Main Authors: Bennett,S. M., Noel,T. M.
• Other Authors: AVCO CORP WILMINGTON MASS RESEARCH AND ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT DIV
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1964
• Subjects: (*ELECTRON DENSITY; POLAR REGIONS); ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY; IONOSPHERE; GEOPHYSICS; Antarctic; Byrd; Mirror Point; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0608126; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0608126

On the basis of a power spectrum analysis of the foEs time series at the Antarctic stations Wilkes and Byrd, periodic tendencies of the order of hours were uncovered. The principal (and secondary) periods in hours are: Wilkes 1.7 (2.4) Byrd 2.2 (1.1). It is possible to derive a model of quasi-periodic variations which is related to the loss of electrons from the Van Allen radiation belt. Thin-layer sporadic-E results from the magnetospheric time-of-flight spectrometer effect when the source is longitudinally small. The periodicity of the resultant variation in electron density at a point longitudinally removed from the disturbance source (but on the same Lshell) is dependent upon the particle source spectrum and the Coulomb-scattering loss-coefficient and these factors are, at present, poorly understood. The longitude effect in high-latitude sporadic-E occurrence is ascribed to the longitudinal dependence of the effective loss coefficient for a particle whose mirror point drifts on a surface of constant magnetic field strength. (Author)