EXCITATION OF CYCLOTRON SPIKES IN THE IONOSPHERIC PLASMA

Abstract

The occurrence of resonances in the ionosphere at frequencies which are harmonics of the gyrofrequency have been detected by the topside-sounder satellite, Alouette I. It has been observed that the occurrence of cyclotron spikes on ionograms is a function of the angle between the antenna and the earth's magnetic field. The number of cyclotron spikes observed is a maximum when the appropriate antenna is parallel to the earth's magnetic field.