Sheath capacitance observed by impedance probes onboard sounding rockets: Its application to ionospheric plasma diagnostics

Ion sheath which is formed around an electrode significantly affects the impedance of the probe immersed in a plasma. The sheath capacitances obtained from impedance probe measurements were examined for application to plasma diagnoses. We compared analytical calculations of the sheath capacitance with measurements from impedance probes onboard ionospheric sounding rockets. The S-520-23 sounding rocket experiment, which was carried out in mid-latitude, demonstrated that the observed sheath capacitances agreed well with those of the calculations. We concluded that the sheath capacitance measurements allow for estimation of the electron temperature and the electron density of a Maxwellian plasma. On the other hand, the sheath capacitances obtained from the S-310-35 rocket experiment in the auroral ionosphere showed lower values than expected. Auroral particles precipitations should modify the probe potential.

[1]  S. Watanabe,et al.  Impact of lithium releases on ionospheric electron density observed by impedance probe during WIND campaign , 2010 .

[2]  A. Kumamoto,et al.  Characteristics of the Cyclotron Harmonic Resonances found by Impedance Probe Experiments in a Laboratory Plasma , 2009 .

[3]  C. Swenson,et al.  Electron density and electron neutral collision frequency in the ionosphere using plasma impedance probe measurements , 2008 .

[4]  Y. Omura,et al.  Electromagnetic Particle‐In‐Cell simulation on the impedance of a dipole antenna surrounded by an ion sheath , 2008 .

[5]  W. Amatucci,et al.  Antenna impedance measurements in a magnetized plasma. II. Dipole antenna , 2007 .

[6]  Francis F. Chen,et al.  Time-varying impedance of the sheath on a probe in an RF plasma , 2006 .

[7]  C. Swenson,et al.  Observations of Triboelectric Charging Effects on Langmuir-Type Probes in Dusty Plasma , 2006 .

[8]  T. Ono,et al.  Electron density measurement under the influence of auroral precipitation and electron beam injection during the DELTA campaign , 2006 .

[9]  T. Abe,et al.  Electron temperature variation associated with the auroral energy input during the DELTA campaign , 2006 .

[10]  K. Asamura,et al.  Rocket observation of energetic electrons in the low-altitude auroral ionosphere during the DELTA campaign , 2006 .

[11]  Junichi Kurihara,et al.  Observations of the lower thermospheric neutral temperature and density in the DELTA campaign , 2006 .

[12]  H. Hayakawa,et al.  Dynamics and Energetics of the Lower Thermosphere in Aurora (DELTA)—Japanese sounding rocket campaign— , 2005 .

[13]  B. Lefebvre,et al.  Modeling of Cluster's electric antennas in space: Application to plasma diagnostics , 2005 .

[14]  P. Bernhardt,et al.  Electron density and plasma waves in mid-latitude sporadic- E layer observed during the SEEK-2 campaign , 2005 .

[15]  C. Swenson,et al.  The impedance of a short dipole antenna in a magnetized plasma via a finite difference time domain model , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[16]  A. Kiraga.  Equivalent circuit simulation of cylindrical monopole impedance measurements in ionospheric electron plasma , 2003 .

[17]  Yuzo Watanabe.  Charging of the impedance-probe by the auroral energetic electrons , 2000 .

[18]  J. Grygorczuk,et al.  Development of a fast impedance probe for absolute electron density measurements in the ionosphere , 2000 .

[19]  M. Yamamoto,et al.  Structures in sporadic‐E observed with an impedance probe during the SEEK Campaign: Comparisons with neutral‐wind and radar‐echo observations , 1998 .

[20]  H. Matsumoto,et al.  Measurements and analysis of antenna impedance aboard the Geotail spacecraft , 1997 .

[21]  R. Schunk,et al.  An “in situ” investigation of early time multi‐ion expansion processes in an F region chemical release , 1996 .

[22]  Hiroshi Oya,et al.  Occurrence Characteristics of Low Latitude Ionosphere Irregularities Observed by Impedance Probe on Board the Hinotori Satellite , 1986 .

[23]  S. Watanabe,et al.  Observation of Electron Density by the Impedance Probe on Board the Ohzora (EXOS-C) Satellite , 1985 .

[24]  H. Maassberg,et al.  Symmetric theory of probe-plasma interactions , 1981 .

[25]  H. Oya,et al.  Instrumentation and Observations of Gyro-Plasma Probe Installed on TAIYO for Measurement of Ionospheric Plasma Parameters and Low Energetic Particle Effects , 1975 .

[26]  H. Oya,et al.  The Gyro-Plasma Probe onboard the REXS-DENPA Satellite : Technical Report of IPS Research Group , 1973 .

[27]  T. Aso.  A Sheath Resonance Observed by a High Frequency Impedance Probe , 1973 .

[28]  H. Oya,et al.  IONOSPHERIC ELECTRON TEMPERATURE MEASURED BY A GYRO-PLASMA PROBE. , 1969 .

[29]  H. Oya,et al.  A MODIFIED PLASMA RESONANCE OBSERVED BY A ROCKET-BORNE GYRO-PLASMA PROBE. , 1968 .

[30]  T. Obayashi,et al.  MEASUREMENT OF IONOSPHERIC ELECTRON DENSITY BY A GYRO-PLASMA PROBE: A ROCKET EXPERIMENT BY A NEW IMPEDANCE PROBE , 1966 .

[31]  H. Oya.  EFFECT OF RESONANCES ON THE ADMITTANCE OF AN R-F PLASMA PROBE SURROUNDED BY AN ION SHEATH , 1965 .

[32]  K. Balmain,et al.  The impedance of a short dipole antenna in a magnetoplasma , 1963 .

[33]  J. Jackson,et al.  Measurement of ionospheric electron densities using an RF probe technique , 1959 .

[34]  R. Jastrow,et al.  Atmospheric drag on the satellite , 1957 .