scholarly journals Statistical characteristics of low-latitude ionospheric field-aligned irregularities obtained with the Piura VHF radar

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 1203-1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Chau ◽  
R. F. Woodman ◽  
L. A. Flores
Keyword(s):  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Equatorial Electrojet ◽  
Meridional Wind ◽  
Statistical Characteristics ◽  
Doppler Velocity ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
F Region ◽  
Seasonal Characteristics ◽  
E Region ◽  
Field Aligned Irregularities

Abstract. We present a summary of the statistical characteristics of echoes from ionospheric (E- and F-region) field-aligned irregularities obtained with the Piura VHF radar. This radar is located at ~ 7.0° dip latitude, just outside the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) region. Our results are based on (1) intermittent observations made between 1991 and 1999 just few days a year, and (2) continuous observations made between January 2000 and June 2001. During most of the intermittent observations, simultaneous measurements of EEJ and equatorial spread F (ESF) irregularities were performed with the Jicamarca VHF radar. From the continuous measurements, we have obtained the diurnal and seasonal characteristics of a variety of parameters (percentage of occurrence, signal-to-noise ratio and/or Doppler velocities) from the lower and upper E-region irregularities and also from F-region irregularities over Piura. For example, we have found that (1) the E-region echoes are stronger and occur more frequently during local summer (i.e. between December and March); (2) between May and June, the E-region echoes are weaker and occur less frequently; moreover, during these months, a semidiurnal wave with large amplitudes is observed in the meridional wind (> 100 ms- 1); (3) there is vertical wavelength of about 20 km in the Doppler velocity, particularly after midnight; (4) the lower (upper) E-region Doppler velocities are influenced mainly by meridional winds (equatorial F-region vertical drifts). In addition, we have observed that the seasonal and daily occurrences of Piura F-region irregularities are similar to the occurrence of topside ESF irregularities over Jicamarca. The likelihood of occurrence of F-region irregularities over Piura and, therefore, topside ESF over Jicamarca is greater when there are no E-region irregularities over Piura. On the other hand, there is more probability of observing bottomtype/bottomside ESF irregularities over Jicamarca when E-region irregularities are observed over Piura.Key words. Ionosphere (ionospheric irregularities; equatorial ionosphere; instruments and techniques)

scholarly journals VHF radar observations of the dip equatorial E-region during sunset in the Brazilian sector

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1617-1623 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Denardini ◽  
M. A. Abdu ◽  
E. R. de Paula ◽  
C. M. Wrasse ◽  
J. H. A. Sobral
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Equatorial Electrojet ◽  
Magnetic Activity ◽  
Maximum Intensity ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
F Region ◽  
Vertical Electric Field ◽  
Tentative Explanation ◽  
E Region ◽  
Activity Condition

Abstract. Using the RESCO 50 MHz backscatter radar (2.33° S, 44.2° W, DIP: –0.5), at São Luís, Brazil, we obtained Range Time Intensity (RTI) maps covering the equatorial electrojet heights during daytime and evening. These maps revealed a scattering region at an altitude of about 108 km during the sunset period. The type of 3-m irregularity region we present here has not been reported before in the literature, to our knowledge. It was mainly observed around the Southern Hemisphere summer-solstice period, under quiet magnetic activity condition. The occurrence of this echo region coincides in local time with the maximum intensity of an evening pre-reversal eastward electric field of the ionospheric F-region. A tentative explanation is proposed here in terms of the theory of the divergence of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current in the evening ionosphere presented by Haerendel and Eccles (1992), to explain the partial contribution of the divergence to the development of the pre-reversal electric field. The theory predicts an enhanced zonal electric field and hence a vertical electric field below 300 km as a consequence of the EEJ divergence in the evening. The experimental results of the enhanced echoes from the higher heights of the EEJ region seem to provide evidence that the divergence of the EEJ current can indeed be the driver of the observed scattering region.

scholarly journals Simultaneous VHF radar backscatter and ionosonde observations of low-latitude E region

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 773-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Patra ◽  
S. Sripathi ◽  
P. B. Rao ◽  
K. S. V. Subbarao
Keyword(s):  
Low Latitude ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
Radar Echoes ◽  
First Results ◽  
E Region ◽  
Gradient Drift ◽  
Drift Instability ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Field Aligned Irregularities

Abstract. The first results of simultaneous observations made on the low-latitude field-aligned irregularities (FAI) using the MST radar located at Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E, dip 12.5°) and the Es parameters using an ionosonde at a nearby station Sriharikota (13.7° N, 80.1° E, dip 12.6°) are presented. The observations show that while the height of the most intense radar echoes is below the virtual height of Es (h'Es) during daytime, it is found to be either below or above during nighttime. The strength of the FAI is better correlated with the top penetration frequency (ftEs) and the blanketing frequency (fbEs) during the night (r=0.4 in both cases) as compared to the day (r=0.35 and -0.04, respectively). Furthermore, the signal strength of FAI is reasonably correlated with (ftEs-fbEs) during daytime (r=0.59) while very poorly correlated during nighttime (r=0.18). While the radar observations in general appear to have characteristics close to that of mid-latitudes, the relationship of these with the Es parameters are poorer than that of mid-latitudes. The observations reported here, nevertheless, are quite consistent with the expectations based on the gradient drift instability mechanism.

scholarly journals Simultaneous HF measurements of E- and F-region Doppler velocities at large flow angles

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1177-1185 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Makarevitch ◽  
F. Honary ◽  
A. V. Koustov
Keyword(s):  
Hf Radar ◽  
Doppler Velocity ◽  
Plasma Convection ◽  
Aspect Angle ◽  
F Region ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
E Region ◽  
The Difference ◽  
New Feature ◽  
Large Flow

Abstract. Data collected by the CUTLASS Finland HF radar are used to illustrate the significant difference between the cosine component of the plasma convection in the F-region and the Doppler velocity of the E-region coherent echoes observed at large flow angles. We show that the E-region velocity is ~5 times smaller in magnitude and rotated by ~30° clockwise with respect to convection in the F-region. Also, measurements at flow angles larger than 90° exhibit a completely new feature: Doppler velocity increase with the expected aspect angle and spatial anticorrelation with the backscatter power. By considering DMSP drift-meter measurements we argue that the difference between F- and E-region velocities cannot be interpreted in terms of the convection change with latitude. The observed features in the velocity of the E-region echoes can be explained by taking into account the ion drift contribution to the irregularity phase velocity as predicted by the linear fluid theory. Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities; plasma convection)

scholarly journals Morphological study of the field-aligned E-layer irregularities observed by the Gadanki VHF radar

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 3799-3804 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Pan ◽  
P. B. Rao
Keyword(s):  
Geomagnetic Latitude ◽  
Spectral Width ◽  
Statistical Characteristics ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
Lower Altitude ◽  
Radar Echoes ◽  
E Region ◽  
Sporadic E ◽  
Total Observation

Abstract. We report on the field-aligned irregularities observed in the low-latitude sporadic E-layer (Es) with the Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E; geomagnetic latitude 6.3° N) VHF radar. The radar was operated intermittently for 15 days during the summer months in 1998 and 1999, for both daytime and nighttime observation. The total observation periods are 161h for the nighttime and 68h for the daytime. The observations were used to study the percentage of occurrence of the E-region echoes for both daytime and nighttime. The statistical characteristics of the mean radial velocity and spectral width are presented for three cases based on the echo occurrence characteristics and the altitude of observations (from 90 to 140km ranges), namely, the lower E-region daytime (90-110km), the lower E-region nighttime (90-105km) and the upper E-region nighttime (105-140km) echoes. The results are compared with that of Piura, a low-latitude station located at about the same geomagnetic latitude, but to the south of the equator. By comparing the behaviors of the lower E-region radar echoes of the summer months between Gadanki and Piura, we find that the lower altitude echoes below about 100km are rarely reported in Piura but commonly seen in Gadanki. Features of the nighttime echoes observed by these two radars are quite similar but daytime FAI echoes are again seldom detected by Piura.

First VHF radar observations of tropical latitude E-region field aligned irregularities

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (25) ◽  
pp. 3683-3686 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. K. Choudhary ◽  
K. K. Mahajan ◽  
Sachchidanand Singh ◽  
Keshav Kumar ◽  
V. K. Anandan
Keyword(s):  
Vhf Radar ◽  
Radar Observations ◽  
Tropical Latitude ◽  
E Region ◽  
Field Aligned Irregularities

scholarly journals Alternating-code experiment for plasma-line studies

1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 1473-1479
Author(s):  
P. Guio ◽  
N. Bjørnå ◽  
W. Kofman
Keyword(s):  
Correction Term ◽  
Good Alternative ◽  
Electron Velocity ◽  
Electron Velocity Distribution ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
Pulse Technique ◽  
F Region ◽  
Plasma Line ◽  
E Region ◽  
Long Pulse

Abstract. We present results of the first plasma-line measurement of the incoherent spectrum using the alternating-code technique with the EISCAT VHF radar. This technique, which has earlier mostly been used to measure high-resolution E-region ion-line spectra, turned out to be a very good alternative to other techniques for plasma-line measurements. The experiment provides simultaneous measurement of the ion line and downshifted and upshifted plasma-line spectra with an altitude resolution of 3 km and a temporal resolution of 10 s. The measurements are taken around the peak of the F region, but not necessarily at the peak itself, as is the case with the long-pulse technique. The condition for success is that the scale height should be large enough such that the backscattered signal from the range extent of one gate falls inside the receiver filter. The data are analysed and the results are combined with the results of the ion-line data analysis to estimate electron mean drift velocity and thereafter electric currents along the line of sight of the radar using both the standard dispersion relation assuming a Maxwellian electron velocity distribution and the more recent model including a heat-flow correction term.

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