Journal of Plasma Physics

Table of Contents - June 2012 - Volume 78, Issue 03  

Papers

Non-equilibrium modeling of the PMSE Overshoot Effect revisited: A comprehensive study

ALEXANDER BIEBRICHERa1 p1 and OVE HAVNESa1a2

a1 Department of Physics and Technology, University of Tromsø, Nordlysobservatoriet, 9037 Tromsø, Norway (alexander@rocketrange.no)

a2 University Centre at Svalbard (UNIS), Pb. 156, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway

Abstract

Numerical investigations of the Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) Overshoot Effect have to date been undertaken under the premise of plasma neutrality and current equilibrium at any time. We find it necessary to revisit the calculations without these restrictions, since electrons and ions are attached to and absorbed by mesospheric dust particles at vastly different rates under PMSE conditions. We find that differences to earlier modeling might be so significant as to warrant further investigation. Furthermore, we conduct comprehensive studies of the PMSE Overshoot Effect and put the results in the context of experimental realities.

(Received June 09 2011)

(Revised January 12 2012)

(Accepted January 13 2012)

(Online publication February 16 2012)

Correspondence:

p1 Present address: Norwegian Centre for Space-related Education, P.O. Box 64, N-8483 Andenes, Norway