Floating potential and return current measurements in a rocket‐borne electron beam experiment

Nobuki Kawashima, Susumu Sasaki, Koichiro Oyama, Kazunori Akai, Yutaka Nakai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The floating potential of a rocket and the return current distribution were measured simultaneously in the S‐520‐2 electron beam experiment in the ionosphere. When an electron beam is emitted perpendicular to the geomagnetic field, it returns back to the rocket surface azimuthally opposite (180°) to the electron gun and this results in a suppression of the floating potential. An apparent spurious increase of the floating potential of the rocket when the electron beam directly hits the floating probes causing the charge‐up of those probes is also pointed out.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1061-1063
Number of pages3
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume9
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1982 Sept

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geophysics
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)

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