(b) Transionospheric communication may be adversely affected by the formation of irregularities at the large density gradients associated with the edges of ionospheric holes. (U/H, H). (See Section 3.2.7.) 2. Increase in Airglow, Reflectivity (due to Ice Crystals), and IR Emissivity of the thermosphere reduce the effectiveness of satellite-borne systems for surveillance and remote sensing. (H, U) 3. An increased thermospheric density (by heating or increase in flat om density) alters the satellite drag, (fl, U/L) 3.6 ATMOSPHERIC EXPERIMENTS 3.6.1 Rocket Experiments (Pongratz) The questions at issue are: What can be learned from planned rocket launches, such as Atlas-Centaur? and, Can any dedicated launches or experiments be justified? Among outstanding questions vis-a-vis B-Domain depletions are the dissociative recombination branching ratios, ice crystal sublimation and chemistry, and the generation of ionospheric irregularities. Many experimenters (L. Duncan, LASL; M. Mendillo, B.U.; among others) plan to measure electron density and neutral winds with the Arecibo radar, airglow, and amateur (HAM) radio signals during the upcoming HEAO-C/Atlas- Centaur launch. A prime result of these observations is likely to be code verification. The TEM experiments (McIntyre, 1978) could be used to study ice crystal sublimation. The Space Shuttle and deorbit burns beginning in 1980 should shed light on whether or not ionospheric irregularities are produced following depletion; sounding rocket launches from India may be able to diagnose the phenomenology resulting from these burns. Dedicated launches may involve diagnostic sounding rockets following larger target of opportunity rocket launches, non-operational Space Shuttle burns, and dedicated depletion experiments. The most likely significant impacts of depletions would be the generation of irregularities and that the models of depletion should be tested against these sources. Planned depletion experiments conducted from Kwajalein seem to provide a feasible method to test the models. Kwajalein has three key features regarding the issue of irregularities resulting from ionization depletion: 1. incoherent scatter radar: to diagnose plasma irregularities. 2. sounding rocket launch capabilitites: according to Anderson and Bernhardt, (1978), small sounding rockets may be capable of carrying payloads that could produce depletion in ionization and in turn cause irregularities; and 3. correct magnetic field geometry for the gravitational Rayleigh- Taylor instability.
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