Plasma-wave discharge in the earth's ionosphere

Results of rocket experiments on the excitation of a plasma-wave discharge in the ionosphere are presented. With a relatively simple excitation technique, the discharge can easily be excited in the lower layers of the ionosphere; the discharge can also be achieved at higher altitudes when the gas-injection technique is used. In this case, intense local disturbances of the ambient plasma can arise which can be used to stimulate certain geomagnetic disturbances (especially in the polar ionosphere) in the capacity of an ionospheric diagnostics technique.