Energetic particles impacting the upper atmosphere in connection with transient luminous event phenomena: Russian space experiment programs

Abstract

In Russia several space missions are now planned to study transient luminous events in the atmosphere and high energy charged particles at satellite altitudes. The experimental goal is to investigate the origin of the high energy electrons and gamma-ray quanta for specific transient luminous events (TLEs) and their role in the ionosphere-magnetosphere system. Simultaneous measurements of electrons at the orbit of the satellite and TLE atmospheric radiation in many wavelength bands will be performed in two missions, Tatiana-2 and RELEC. In the TUS mission UV transient event detection will be accompanied by measurements of the weak UV emission from the "seed" electrons of extensive air showers of extremely high primary energies. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.