Walter, Deborah J. | Search NASA

NASA NTRS1997

Charged aerosols and electrical structure of the polar summer mesopause region

The results of observations carried out in the framework of two programs, the middle atmosphere electrodynamics campaign and the noctilucent cloud (NLC) campaign, are reported. The measurements performed during overhead NLC and polar mesosphere summer echo (PMSE) conditions revealed a number of aerosol-related layering effects on the region's electrical structure. It was found that both polar components of electrical conductivity can be affected in NLC regions.

Mitchell, John D.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Electrical structure and E-fields in the high-latitude mesosphere

A description of the electric structure as observed during a rocket sounding noctilucent cloud (NLC) observation program in the summer of 1991, is presented. Both NLC and polar mesosphere summer echo (PMSE) conditions were determined. The observable effects on ions and electrons were measured in the NLC and PMSE regions and associated electric field (E-fields) measurements indicated small alternating current vertical fields. The following findings are reported: small and large scale electron density structure is noticeable in the NLC regions; above 82 km, the occurrence of very low-mobility positive ions directly demonstrates the existence of charged aerosols, and small alternating current vertical electric fields were observed in the NLC and PMSE region.

Mitchell, John D.↗