Modification of ionospheric electron density by dust suspension

Abstract

On the basis of a dynamic analysis the effectiveness of dust suspension for the reduction and enhancement of electron density in the E-layer of the ionosphere has been investigated in this paper. The analysis is based on the modelling of the E-layer as the Chapman α layer (validated earlier); the electron/ion production function, arrived at by Chapman and effective electron temperature-dependent electron–ion recombination coefficients in agreement with observations have been used. The balance of the charge on the particles and the number/energy balance of the constituents have been taken into account. The following is the physics of the change in electron density in the ionosphere by the suspension of dust. First, the dust provides a source (emission) and sink (accretion) of electrons. Second, the dust emits photoelectrons with energies much higher than those of ambient electrons, which enhances the electron temperature, leading to a reduced electron–ion recombination coefficient, and thus to a higher electron density. An interplay of these processes and the natural processes of electron production/annihilation determines the electron density and temperature in the dust suspension in the ionosphere. The numerical results, corresponding to suspension of dust of silicate (high work function) and Cs coated bronze (low work function) in the E-layer at are presented and discussed.