Ion composition of the arctic ionosphere

Abstract

This is a brief summary of the preliminary ion composition results obtained from the IGY air and ion composition experiments flown at Fort Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Three Aerobee-Hi rockets, identically instrumented with Bennett radio-frequency ion-mass spectrometers, were launched on 20 November 1956,1 21 February 1958, and 23 March 1958, their peak altitudes being 251, 225,* and 202* km, respectively. The November 1956 flight was at night, into an overcast which prevented observations of the overhead sky. The February 1958 flight was at night and entered an auroral display. The March 1958 flight was at noontime.