Layer Structure in the Electron Temperature Profile in the Ionosphere

Abstract

Electron temperature profile in the ionosphere has been measured with the K-10S-1 sounding rocket in both up and down legs. The electron temperature probe was installed on the top of payload with perpedicular to the spin axis, and the measurement of the electron temperature was so free from the interference with the attitude that the measured electron temperature has vey small dispersion and is quite reliable. The probe was flown up to the maximum altitude of about 720km in Aug. 28, 1965, from the Kagoshima Space Center. The measured electron temperture profile covers both bottom and top-sides of ionosphere. The result shows apparently a quite different profile between the up-leg and the downteg ones, especially at tae height of about 200km. However, a remarkablr similar profile among these two profiles can be found when the altitude scales are shifted about 60km each other, being such in up-leg at the lower level than in down-leg. Therefore, there seems to be a layer structure which inclines upward towards south-east direction. And the temperature decreases about 200°K from north-west to south-west. It seems that the layer structure of electron temperature is caused by that of the atmospheric constituent in the ionosphere, and the temperature difference between both legs is by the general tendency of latiudinal electron temperature distribution.