Influence of the multimission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) on the local atmospheric environment

Abstract A survey around a recently-fueled MMRTG in the terrestrial atmosphere finds a warm air plume with a characteristic updraft velocity of ∼1  m/s and a temperature rise of ∼4 K. Additionally, a roughly hundredfold enhancement in ion density to ∼70,000/cm3 in the vicinity (