Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993georl..20.2763h&link_type=abstract
Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276), vol. 20, no. 23, p. 2763-2766
Physics
2
Electron Density (Concentration), Electron Energy, Night, Planetary Ionospheres, Plasma Density, Plasmas (Physics), Venus (Planet), Electron Probes, Pioneer Venus 1 Spacecraft, Variations, Wavelengths
Scientific paper
Quasi-sinusoidal density waves were frequently observed during the end of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) mission when the orbiter was at low periapsis. These waves occur at altitudes approx. 145 - 155 km and have wavelengths approx. 1 km. It is suggested that a radial, ambipolar electric field E0, directed downward, is established in the Venus ionosphere during electron pressure enhancements above approx. 160 km. This field generates an electron E x B drift VE; the ions move radially and do not E x B drift because they are unmagnetized (i.e, nuin much greater than Omegai). This drift is shown to drive a collisional drift wave instability for sufficiently large values of VE, nominally, VE greater than nui where nui is the ion thermal velocity. For parameters typical of the nightside Venus ionosphere, this instability generates plasma fluctuations with wavelengths approx. 1 km, consistent with observations.
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