Dynamics of artificial plasma clouds in “Spolokh” experiments: Movement pattern

Abstract The data on space location and movement of the high-density ( n c ⪢ n b ) barium clouds injected at midlatitudes during the “Spolokh-1” and “Spolokh-2” shaped-charge experiments in the ionosphere are presented. At the initial stage, the neutral and ionized components move together at a speed of the neutral wind. An outflow of ions in the form of a stratified tail was also observed. Its movement is interpreted as a drift in [ E 0 × B ] fields. The evolution pattern of artificial plasma clouds agrees with the qualitative scheme described in the paper.