The BEAN experiment - An EISCAT study of ion temperature anisotropies

Details The BEAN experiment - An EISCAT study of ion temperature anisotropies The BEAN experiment - An EISCAT study of ion temperature anisotropies

Feb 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995angeo..13..177m&link_type=abstract

Annales Geophysicae (ISSN 0992-7689), vol. 13, no. 2, p. 177-188

Physics

7

Anisotropy, Distribution, Electron Energy, F Region, Ion Temperature, Velocity, Eiscat Radar System (Europe), Estimates, Molecular Ions, Plasmas (Physics), Radar Measurement

Scientific paper

Results are presented from a novel European Incoherent Scatter Radar (EISCAT) special program, SP-UK-BEAN, intended for the direct measurement of the ion temperature anisotropy during ion frictional heating events in the high-latitude F-region. The experiment employs a geometry which provides three simultaneous estimates of the ion temperature in a single F-region observing volume at a range of aspect angles from 0 deg to 36 deg. In contrast to most previous EISCAT exoperiments to study ion temperature anisotropies, field-aligned observations are made using the Sodankyla radar, while the Kiruna radar measures at an aspect angle of the order of 30 deg. Anisotropic effects can thus be studied within a small common volume whose size and altitude range is limited by the radar beamwidth, rather than in volumes which overlap but cover different altitudes. The derivation of line-of-sight ion temperature is made more complex by the presence of an unknown percentage of atomic and molecular ions at the observing altitude and the possibility of non-Maxwellian distortion of the ion thermal velocity distribution. The first problem has been partly accounted for by insisting that a constant value of electron temperature be maintained. This enables an estimate of the ion composition to be made, and facilitates the derivation of more realistic line-of-sight ion temperature anisotropies.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The BEAN experiment - An EISCAT study of ion temperature anisotropies does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The BEAN experiment - An EISCAT study of ion temperature anisotropies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The BEAN experiment - An EISCAT study of ion temperature anisotropies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1629947