Recombination Effects on Ion Velocity Distribution Function
Research Fig.18a:
Demonstration of the effect of recombination on the ion velocity distribution function in an inhomogeneous one-dimensional medium (dashed curves) for a force free plasma diffusion in a column of length 300 km. The initial ionization rate corresponds to the situation in the ionospheric F-region between a height of 200-500 km whereas the recombination coefficient has been taken one order of magnitude higher than the actual value (i.e. =5*10-8cm3/sec) in order to exaggerate the recombination effect. fI is plotted at height intervals of 30 km with the length of the dashes increasing from the lower to the upper boundary (the thick solid curve gives a Maxwellian for comparison).
(See FIG.18b for the related height profiles of the total density and flux asymmetry).
