Effect of photoelectric emission on blunt probe conductivity measurements in the stratosphere

Abstract

Two identical planar blunt probes of stainless steel material, biased with a bipolar ramp voltage, are used to measure the stratospheric polar conductivities to altitudes of 34 km. One probe (DP) is mounted closer to the gondola, looking downwards and shielded from sunlight, while the other (SP) is mounted looking sideways, away from the gondola. The daytime observations of positive ions in the 29–34 km altitude range with SP, and of negative ions at 34 km with DP, show photoelectric contaminations induced by solar UV radiations in the 190–230 nm band. These contaminations are found to be due to photoemissions from the SP probe steel surface and from the carbon paint that coats the surface of the gondola, respectively. It is found that, a segment of the photocurrent contaminated I– V curve, recorded with SP at higher negative probe potentials, is linear, and it can give the ambient positive polar conductivity.