Ionospheric electron-content measurements during the second space-plasma negative-ion experiment (SPINEX-2)

Abstract

The second space-plasma negative-ion experiment (SPINEX-2), a chemical-release active experiment to investigate negative-ion effects in the ionospheric F region, is described by Mendillo et al. This paper describes the electron-content measurements in somewhat more detail than would be appropriate there. The circumstances of the experiment, particularly the use of a vehicle with a very high spin rate, presented some unusual challenges during interpretation of the electron-content data. These are described. The resulting profiles show clearly that the chemical release caused a very significant "hole" in the ionosphere. Under certain fairly realistic assumptions, the actual number of free electrons removed from the region of the peak of the ionospheric F layer is estimated to be about 4 × 1025. The same assumptions lead to a simple radial distribution of the depleted region about the rocket trajectory in the neighborhood of the release.