Momentum and Energy Transfer in an Ionospheric Critical Ionization Velocity Experiment

We present new data from the subpayload of the GRIT II ionospheric active injection experiment. The analysis made possible by these data provides a good understanding of the momentum transfer between the injected ions and the ambient ionosphere. It resolves the conflict between the two competing models for the energy transfer from the newly created ions to hot electrons, while also giving a natural coupling between the energy and momentum transfer processes.