Analysis of ionospheric winds and turbulence over Puerto Rico with a correlation method—I

Abstract

Measurements of drift motions in the ionosphere have been made at Puerto Rico using the three spaced antenna technique. The fading records from this experiment were analyzed by a correlation method that assured the best overall fit to the data. This method which was based upon a modification of the Briggs, Phillips and Shinn technique made the data satisfy more closely the assumption of concentric correlation ellipsoids in the groundtime space. From a statistical analysis of the results, the drift direction and speed were obtained as well as the characteristic velocity, the orientation of the correlation ellipses in the ground plane, their ellipticity and size. The results indicate a steady wind toward the east during the summer and toward the west during the winter. The median drift speed is 75 m/sec during the day and 45 m/sec during the night. The correlation ellipses are strongly oriented around 240° E of N. The same data were reduced by methods developed by Yerg, Harnischmacher and Wiewall all of which require less computer time than the method of best overall fit. Comparisons of these different methods were made.