ALTERING THE IONOSPHERE BY PULSED PLASMA SOURCES (IMPULS STAGE 1),
THREE INVESTIGATIONS
Research Area: Near-Earth Space Environment
Expedition(s): 18- 26
Principal Investigator(s): ● Yuriy Ya. Ruzhin, PhD, NV Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial
Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the
Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Altering the Ionosphere by Pulsed Plasma Sources (Impuls Stage 1) investigation obtains
data on the ionospheric disturbances and sources of
low-frequency waves generated in the ionosphere
upon injection of pulsed plasma streams from an
orbital station, as well as data on the effect of
artificially stimulated ionosphere heterogeneity
regions and artificial plasma generations on the
propagation of high- and low-frequency radio waves.
DISTURBANCE
Studies the feasibility of using pulsed plasma injectors
as sources of ionospheric disturbances and low-
frequency electromagnetic waves.
INJECTOR
Studies the space environment disturbances caused by artificial plasma streams from the ISS.
GENERATION OF ARTIFICIAL PLASMA
Studies the impact of artificial plasma formations on the propagation of high- and low-
frequency radio waves.
EARTH BENEFITS
Impuls Stage 1 results will be used in the fields of applied geophysics, ecology, and radio
communications.
SPACE BENEFITS
Supporting the background electro-physical parameters monitoring and investigation in the ISS
near-surface areas under various station flight conditions and attitudes and in the ISS near-
surface areas during various active experiments on the station.
RESULTS
The experiment has produced the electro-physical parameters measurements obtained in the
ISS RS SM near-surface areas on different days and in different orbits, including the period of
flying from the equator point in one orbit to the equator point in the next orbit.
General View of the Pulsed Plasma Injector
with Electro-physical Parameter Monitoring
System Sensors on the ISS. Roscosmos
image.