Waves and electric fields associated with the first AMPTE artificial comet

Abstract

The solar-wind Ba release experiment with the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers is discussed. The explosion of the two Ba-containing canisters produced a rapidly expanding cloud of neutral Ba, which was rapidly ionized by the UV radiation from the sun. A static electric field of about 1-2 mV/m was detected inside the diamagnetic cavity created by the ion cloud. This field is in the same direction as the solar-wind electric field, suggesting that this field may be able to penetrate into the cloud. Electrostatic emissions were observed inside the diamagnetic cavity at the Ba ion plasma frequency.