A Simulation of Artificial Neutral Gas‐Dust Plasma in the Ionosphere

Abstract

AbstractDusty plasma is generally defined as a plasma system containing a large number of nano‐ or micron‐sized dust particles. Its plasma properties and propagation properties of wave travel through it is of great scientific significance to the understanding of many fundamental problems in space physics and astrophysics. Based on previous studies on rocket exhaust and Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes, fluid mechanics and dust microphysics are combined to simulate the ionospheric plasma structure generated by neutral gases and charged aerosols using fluid theory and kinetic theory. The Total Electron Content of the in‐situ detection beacon is simulated and compared with the experimental phenomenon given in Charged Aerosol Release Experiment by Bernhardt et al. The ray tracing algorithm is used to simulate the path deflection of the radio wave when it passes through the artificial disturbance area generated by the gas‐solid mixture, and the simulation results of ionosonde and analysis are given. Since the neutral gas expands substantially isotropically after being released, the resulting depleted structure is an approximately isotropic sphere, or an acorn‐like structure. The solid particles are constrained by the nozzle, and particles will distribute within a spray angle, and the depletion structure will appear as a “broom‐like” or “cone‐like” structure. If the size of dust particles is small enough, the particle movement will be restricted by the geomagnetic field, resulting in a “squid‐like” ionospheric structure. Because of the fishtail‐like sharp boundary, radio waves passing through it are deflected in a specific path, which is markedly different from the effect of pure neutral gas injected into the ionosphere.