Transverse motion of high‐speed barium clouds in the ionosphere

Abstract

Simulation results, based on a field‐line‐integrated, two‐dimensional, electrostatic model, are presented for the motion of a barium cloud injected transverse to the geomagnetic field in the ionosphere at high speeds. It is found that the gross evaluation of injected plasma clouds depends on the initial conditions, as well as the nature of the background coupling. For a massive ( M 0 ∼ 10 kg), orbital ( V 0 ∼ 5 km/s) release in the F region (350–450 km), we find that plasma clouds can drift tens of kilometers across the magnetic field in tens of seconds after ionization. This type of release is similar to those which are planned for the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) mission.