MEASUREMENTS OF ELECTRON TEMPERATURES EN THE LOWER IONOSPHERE BY DETECTING THE SPACE POTENTIAL ON THE LANGMUIR PROBE CHARACTERISTIC

摘要

Electron temperatures were determined at Thumba on Nike Apache flight 10.11 (12 March 1967, 1857 hrs. IST) by the usual retarding potential analysis and by using an ac modulation technique for detecting the space potential on the Langmuir probe characteristic. Simultaneous measurements of Te with the two techniques show that the space potential technique gives temperatures which are related to the temperatures obtained from the retarding potential analysis in a manner remarkably similar to the relations obtained between radar temperatures and dc probe temperatures. Since radar temperatures were found to be in good agreement with the temperatures obtained by ac modulation techniques on satellite borne probes and with theoretical predictions on electron temperatures, it is suggested that the space potential technique may prove to be very useful in determining electron temperatures. The technique is simple, requires limited additional electronics, does not make stringent demands on telemetry, and can be easily adopted for rocket borne Langmuir probes. (Author)