scholarly journals Variations of topside ionospheric scale heights over Millstone Hill during the 30-day incoherent scatter radar experiment

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 2019-2027 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Liu ◽  
W. Wan ◽  
M.-L. Zhang ◽  
B. Ning ◽  
S.-R. Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Thermal Structure ◽  
Plasma Temperature ◽  
Scale Height ◽  
Incoherent Scatter Radar ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Incoherent Scatter ◽  
Scatter Radar ◽  
Vertical Scale ◽  
Electron Density Profiles

Abstract. A 30-day incoherent scatter radar (ISR) experiment was conducted at Millstone Hill (288.5° E, 42.6° N) from 4 October to 4 November 2002. The altitude profiles of electron density Ne, ion and electron temperature (Ti and Te), and line-of-sight velocity during this experiment were processed to deduce the topside plasma scale height Hp, vertical scale height VSH, Chapman scale height Hm, ion velocity, and the relative altitude gradient of plasma temperature (dTp/dh)/Tp, as well as the F2 layer electron density (NmF2) and height (hmF2). These data are analyzed to explore the variations of the ionosphere over Millstone Hill under geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. Results show that ionospheric parameters generally follow their median behavior under geomagnetically quiet conditions, while the main feature of the scale heights, as well as other parameters, deviated significantly from their median behaviors under disturbed conditions. The enhanced variability of ionospheric scale heights during the storm-times suggests that the geomagnetic activity has a major impact on the behavior of ionospheric scale heights, as well as the shape of the topside electron density profiles. Over Millstone Hill, the diurnal behaviors of the median VSH and Hm are very similar to each other and are not so tightly correlated with that of the plasma scale height Hp or the plasma temperature. The present study confirms the sensitivity of the ionospheric scale heights over Millstone Hill to thermal structure and dynamics. The values of VSH/Hp tend to decrease as (dTp/dh)/Tp becomes larger or the dynamic processes become enhanced.

scholarly journals Comparison of COSMIC occultation-based electron density profiles and TIP observations with Arecibo incoherent scatter radar data

Radio Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Kelley ◽  
V. K. Wong ◽  
Nestor Aponte ◽  
Clayton Coker ◽  
A. J. Mannucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Incoherent Scatter Radar ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Incoherent Scatter ◽  
Scatter Radar ◽  
Electron Density Profiles

scholarly journals A comparison of EISCAT and Dynasonde measurements of the auroral ionosphere

1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 1403-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. F. Sedgemore ◽  
P. J. S. Williams ◽  
G. O. L. Jones ◽  
J. W. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Auroral Ionosphere ◽  
Incoherent Scatter Radar ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Incoherent Scatter ◽  
Scatter Radar ◽  
Complementary Techniques ◽  
Electron Density Profiles ◽  
Ionospheric Sounding ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. Incoherent-scatter radar and ionospheric sounding are powerful and complementary techniques in the study of the Earth's ionosphere. The work presented here involves the use of the Tromsø Dynasonde as a correlative diagnostic with the EISCAT incoherent-scatter radar. A comparison of electron-density profiles shows how a Dynasonde can be used to calibrate an incoherent-scatter radar and to monitor changes in the system. Skymaps of the direction of Dynasonde echoes are compared with EISCAT-derived density profiles to illustrate how a Dynasonde can be used to measure the drift velocity of auroral features. Vector velocities fitted to Dynasonde echoes are compared with EISCAT-derived plasma velocities. The results show good agreement when the data are taken during quiet to moderately active conditions and averaged over time scales of 30 min or more.

scholarly journals Ionospheric climatology and variability from long-term and multiple incoherent scatter radar observations: variability

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1525-1537 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.-R. Zhang ◽  
J. M. Holt
Keyword(s):  
Solar Activity ◽  
Electron Density ◽  
Geomagnetic Activity ◽  
Plasma Temperature ◽  
High Electron ◽  
High Electron Density ◽  
Incoherent Scatter Radar ◽  
Incoherent Scatter ◽  
Scatter Radar

Abstract. Long-term incoherent scatter radar (ISR) observations are used to study ionospheric variability for two midlatitude sites, Millstone Hill and St. Santin. This work is based on our prior efforts which resulted in an empirical model system, ISR Ionospheric Model (ISRIM), of climatology (and now variability) of the ionosphere. We assume that the variability can be expressed in three terms, the background, solar activity and geomagnetic activity components, each of which is a function of local time, season and height. So the background variability is ascribed mostly to the day-to-day variability arising from non solar and geomagnetic activity sources. (1) The background variability shows clear differences between the bottomside and the topside and changes with season. The Ne variability is low in the bottomside in summer, and high in the topside in winter and spring. The plasma temperature variability increases with height, and reaches a minimum in summer. Ti variability has a marked maximum in spring; at Millstone Hill it is twice as high as at St. Santin. (2) For enhanced solar activity conditions, the overall variability in Ne is reduced in the bottomside of the ionosphere and increases in the topside. For Te, the solar activity enhancement reduces the variability in seasons of high electron density (winter and equinox) at altitudes of high electron density (near the F2-peak). For Ti, however, while the variability tends to decrease at Millstone Hill (except for altitudes near 200 km), it increases at St. Santin for altitudes up to 350 km; the solar flux influence on the variability tends to be stronger at St. Santin than at Millstone Hill.

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