Improved accuracy in in-situ probe measurements of ionospheric ne and Te, using techniques requiring only low bandwidth telemetry channels

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a recent rocket firing through a quiet, mid-day E-region in which measurements of ionospheric electron densities and electron temperatures were made using improved diagnostic techniques. Excellent agreement was found to exist between the in-situ measurements of electron density and those deduced from ionograms obtained during the flight using ground based equipment. Measurements of the contact potential difference existing between the two graphite coated grids forming the electron temperature probe demonstrated that serious errors can be introduced into the electron temperature measurements if not taken into account and showed further that appreciable changes in the contact potential difference can occur during a short flight. The results of the flight indicate that the modifications made to both experiments represent significant improvements and demonstrate that the data outputs of each experiment are in a convenient form to be electronically stored, read at a subsequent time compatible with the telemetry sampling and telemetred to ground using only a small number of low bandwidth channels.