HR: 14:00h
AN: SA23B-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Measurements of Neutral Density During the EQUIS II Nighttime Electrodynamics Missions
AU: * Clemmons, J H
EM: james.clemmons@aero.org
AF: The Aerospace Corporation, P. O. Box 92957 Mail Station M2/260, Los Angeles, CA 90009 United States
AU: Bishop, R L
EM: rebecca.l.bishop@aero.org
AF: The Aerospace Corporation, P. O. Box 92957 Mail Station M2/260, Los Angeles, CA 90009 United States
AU: Pfaff, R F
EM: robert.f.pfaff@nasa.gov
AF: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 696, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Rowland, D E
EM: drowland@lepefi.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 696, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AB: Results from the 2004 EQUIS II low-latitude sounding rocket campaign are reported. The two nighttime electrodynamics instrumented rockets each carried multiple-sensor ionization gauges (IGs) to investigate the structure of the neutral atmosphere associated with an active, unstable nighttime E-region ionosphere. These measurements are used to understand the plasma-neutral interactions in this environment and their role in the production of irregularities. The primary goals of the IG instrumentation are to characterize the neutral density profile (and thus the temperature profile), the variations in neutral density, and wind shears. These measurements are used to understand the roles played by gravity waves, turbulence, wind shear, and atmospheric instability in the production of the ionospheric irregularities. Preliminary analysis shows the presence of wind shears near the layers of waves observed by the rocket-borne electric field experiment.
DE: 0350 Pressure, density, and temperature
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
DE: 2415 Equatorial ionosphere
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2439 Ionospheric irregularities
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly