Rocket-borne Probes for Aerosol Particles in the Polar Mesosphere

Computer Science – Sound

Scientific paper

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0305 Aerosols And Particles (0345, 4801, 4906), 0340 Middle Atmosphere: Composition And Chemistry, 0394 Instruments And Techniques

Scientific paper

Two instruments have been developed to detect charged aerosol particles in the mesosphere. The first is a flat charge-collecting graphite surface on the skin of the rocket that has returned data in several sounding rocket campaigns. The collection surfaces have permanent magnets behind them to provide shielding from electrons, and have a positive voltage bias that repels light ions. Probes with and without an electric bias were launched in January 2005 from Esrange, Sweden, as a part of the MAGIC campaign. The probes detected a distinct layer of positive aerosols at around 82 km altitude. A second instrument has been developed to detect charged, sub-visible aerosol particles in the upper atmosphere. This instrument has a 30 square centimeter entrance slit that admits a continuous flow of air. Venting ports are placed lower on the detector in order to let the air out and reduce pressure buildup. The air sample flows between four pairs of graphite electrodes biased symmetrically with increasing bias potentials. Electrons, light ions, cluster ions and heavy charged aerosol particles of both polarities are collected mass-selectively on the electrodes that are connected to sensitive electrometers. Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) codes have been used to optimize the supersonic airflow within and around the instrument. A laboratory prototype of the instrument has been fabricated and calibrated using low energy ion beams. Two of these instruments are scheduled for launch in the summer of 2007 from Andoya, Norway. These in-situ measurements are planned to coincide with measurements by the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite.

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