%0 Journal Article
%4 sid.inpe.br/mtc-m21b/2017/04.19.15.38
%2 sid.inpe.br/mtc-m21b/2017/04.19.15.38.15
%@doi 10.5194/angeo-35-413-2017
%@issn 0992-7689
%T Rocket in situ observation of equatorial plasma irregularities in the region between e and F layers over Brazil
%D 2017
%8 Mar.
%9 journal article
%A Odriozola, Simoel Savio,
%A Meneses Júnior, Francisco Carlos de,
%A Muralikrishna, Polinaya,
%A Pimenta, Alexandre Alvares,
%A Kherani, Esfhan Alam,
%@affiliation Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
%@affiliation Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
%@affiliation Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
%@affiliation Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
%@affiliation Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
%@electronicmailaddress siomel.savio@inpe.br
%@electronicmailaddress francisco.meneses@inpe.br
%@electronicmailaddress polinaya.muralikrishna@inpe.br
%@electronicmailaddress alexandre.pimenta@inpe.br
%@electronicmailaddress esfhan.kherani@inpe.br
%B Annales Geophysicae
%V 35
%N 3
%P 413-422
%K Ionosphere (equatorial ionosphere, plasma temperature and density, plasma waves and instabilities).
%X A two-stage VS-30 Orion rocket was launched from the equatorial rocket launching station in Alcântara, Brazil, on 8 December 2012 soon after sunset (19:00ĝLT), carrying a Langmuir probe operating alternately in swept and constant bias modes. At the time of launch, ground equipment operated at equatorial stations showed rapid rise in the base of the F layer, indicating the pre-reversal enhancement of the F region vertical drift and creating ionospheric conditions favorable for the generation of plasma bubbles. Vertical profiles of electron density estimated from Langmuir probe data showed wave patterns and small- and medium-scale plasma irregularities in the valley region (100-300ĝkm) during the rocket upleg and downleg. These irregularities resemble those detected by the very high frequency (VHF) radar installed at Jicamarca and so-called equatorial quasi-periodic echoes. We present evidence suggesting that these observations could be the first detection of this type of irregularity made by instruments onboard a rocket.
%@language en
%3 odriozola_rocket.pdf