Polar 5—an electron accelerator experiment within an aurora. 4. Measurements of the 391.4 nm light produced by an artificial electron beam in the upper atmosphere

摘要: Abstract The POLAR 5 sounding rocket, launched from Andoya, Norway, on February 1, 1976, was of the “mother-daughter” configuration. A rocket-borne electron accelerator, mounted “daughter,” produced a pulsed beam with maximum current 130 mA and energies up to 10 kev. Using photometer luminescence at 391.4nm by electrons colliding ambient nitrogen molecules studied. observed light 391.4 nm consisted low background, occasional flashes due natural auroral excitations, intense sparkles when emitted. Below km during injection can be explained excitations N 2 high energy electrons. In altitude range 150 apogee 220 km, level emission is fairly constant much larger than that possible source this excitation an enhanced population electrons, created presence plasma discharge in vicinity “daughter” payload.