CIV Experiments on ATLAS‐1

J. A. Marshall, J. L. Burch, E. Y. Choueiri, N. Kawashima

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

A test of the Critical Ionization Velocity (CIV) theory was made with neutral xenon releases from the Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) hollow cathode plasma contactor onboard the Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis during the ATLAS‐1 mission. The gas velocity perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic field was essentially the orbital velocity (7.5 km/s), and thus it exceeded the CIV for xenon. The releases were observed with onboard instrumentation. A factor of 60 enhancement was seen in the Langmuir probe current. Calculations confirmed that release conditions generally satisfied criteria for CIV and predicted a maximum factor of 20 increase in plasma density. Thus, CIV effects were likely to have occurred during the ATLAS‐1 experiments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)499-502
Number of pages4
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume20
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 19 1993

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geophysics
  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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