the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Measurement report: Rocket-borne measurements of heavy ions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere – Detection of meteor smoke particles
Abstract. We present data from flights of two improved ion mass spectrometers in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region. The instruments were optimized to detect large ion masses of up to m/z 2000 and 20000 respectively, for analysis of meteor smoke particles. The flights were performed in the frame of the PMWE campaign, initiated and coordinated by IAP/Kühlungsborn, to investigate polar mesospheric winter radar echoes in Andøya/Norway in 2018 and 2021. Both flights were successful and allow to investigate the mass number and chemical composition of charged meteor smoke particles. We found a complex and divers composition of positively and negatively charged molecules and particles. While at altitudes below 85 km we observed negatively charged particles of up to several thousands of atomic mass units, above this altitude we found possible building blocks of these large particles that form right after their ablation from the parent meteorite material. While in the first flight we detected no positively charged molecules and ion clusters above m/z 100, we measured positive and negative ions with masses up to around m/z 400 in the second flight. Due to the very large mass range of m/z 20000 used in the second flight and the subsequent lower mass resolution, unambiguous mass identification is not possible. Comparing our findings to proposed meteor smoke particle compounds by other authors, our observations would be consistent with Magnetite, Fayalite and Forsterite. However, other possible compounds cannot be excluded.
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Status: open (until 23 Jul 2024)
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RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1631', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Jun 2024
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This paper on mass spectrometric measurements of heavy ions in the meteor ablation zone adds considerably to the little that is known. On of the authors discovered these many years ago and this builds on that legacy. The paper is well written and applicable to a variety of atmospheric questions and should be published after minor revision. I have two points that will improve the paper slightly and a few grammar type corrections.
The altitude vs mass graphs include a lot of dark blue points. These seem to be ignored in some of the description. I am guessing because they are thought to be noise in the multiplier but I didn’t see this description. The authors should be addressed by a short description of what is signal and what is noise.
These types of particles have been proposed to be part of a cycle that leads to meteor radio afterglows. A sentence or so mentioning this important is probably appropriate. Association between Meteor Radio Afterglows and Optical Persistent Trains, K.S. Obenberger, J.M. Holmes, S.G. Ard, J., Dowell,, N.S. Shuman, G.B. Taylor, S.S. Varghese, and A.A. Viggiano J. Geophys. Res. 125 10.1029/2020JA028053 (Sep 2020).
Page 5. Define PFTBA
Page 5, Table 2, RF Voltage maximum, not RF voltage since it is variable.
Page 9, beginning of rocket launches. I don’t know what a mesospheric winter echo is, so it should be defined.
Page 17, line 19 line 247, smoother not more smooth
First paragraph of summary. Divers is twice mentioned – should be diverse.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1631-RC1
Data sets
PMWE1F-ROMARA Joan Stude, Heinfried Aufmhoff, and Markus Rapp https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11470114
PMWE2F-ROMARA Joan Stude, Heinfried Aufmhoff, and Markus Rapp https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11469720
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