Artificial Injection of Energy Electrons from the Earth’s Radiation Belt: A New Channel for Modifying Ionized and Neutral Atmospheric Components

The results of studying the characteristics of the artificial injection of energetic electrons from the Earth’s radiation belt into the ionosphere when it is heated by high-power HF radio waves are presented. The experiments were carried out at the SURA midlatitude heating facility. It is shown that such an injection has a high energy and can be considered as a new channel for the modification of the neutral and ionized components of the Earth’s atmosphere. The experimental data on the effect of energetic electrons additional ionization of the low ionosphere, on the generation of microwave radiation at ionospheric heights, and on the ozone content at mesosphere heights are analyzed. An interpretation is given of the phenomena observed in this case and their possible influence on the properties of the surface layer of the atmosphere.