LOFAR as an ionospheric probe

Abstract

At the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR)(Planet. Space Sci. (2004) these proceedings) frequencies (HF/VHF), extraterrestrial radiation experiences substantial propagation delay as it passes through the ionosphere. The adaptive calibration technique to be employed by LOFAR will use signals from many known bright radio sources in the sky to estimate and remove the effects of this delay. This technique will operate along many simultaneous lines of sight for each of the stations. Measurements will be made on time scales of seconds or shorter, and with accuracies corresponding to path length variations of 1 cm or less. Tomographic techniques can be used to invert the thousands of changing and independent total electron content (TEC) measurements produced by LOFAR into three-dimensional electron density specifications above the array. These specifications will measure spatial and time scales significantly smaller and faster than anything currently available. These specifications will be used to investigate small-scale ionospheric irregularities, equatorial plasma structures, and ionospheric waves. In addition, LOFAR will improve the understanding of the solar drivers of the ionosphere by simultaneously measuring the solar radio bursts and the TEC. Finally, LOFAR, which will be situated to observed the galactic plane, will make continuous, high-resolution observations of the low-latitude ionosphere, an important but under-observed region. This paper will look at LOFAR as an ionospheric probe including comparisons to other ionospheric probes as well as possible methods of operation to optimize ionospheric measurements.