Radar observations of artificial ionospheric turbulence during a magnetic storm

Abstract

We present the results of radar observations of artificial ionospheric turbulence (AIT) created due to modification of the ionosphere by high-power radio emission from the “Sura” heating facility (Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia). Measurements were carried out in August 18–22, 2003 in the evening time (16:00–20:00 UT) with the use of over-the-horizon chirp HF radars on the Khabarovsk-Rostov-on-Don, Irkutsk-Rostov-on-Don, Inskip (England)-Rostov-on-Don paths, and also on the Moscow-Rostov-on-Don path for which reference signals of the standard-time RVM station were received. It is found that conditions for propagation of HF signals through the upper ionosphere at frequencies exceeding the maximum usable frequency for standard hop propagation through the F region were realized on the Irkutsk-“Sura” path in the presence of the powerful sporadic Es layer. The presence of such signals was revealed at the Rostov-on-Don station by receiving radio waves which escape from the altitudes of the ionospheric F region due to scattering by artificial small-scale magnetic-field-aligned irregularities. We studied the ionospheric effects of a magnetic storm occurring during the experiment by using the measurement data of the Doppler frequency shift of signals scattered by artificial ionospheric turbulence. It is shown that during a magnetic storm, the electric field and the drift velocity of irregularities at the altitudes of the F layer over the “Sura” facility reach values of ∼ 8.6 mV/m and 186 m/s, respectively, which are typical of the high-latitude ionosphere. We consider the relation between quasi-periodic oscillations of the Doppler frequency shift of the scattered signal and propagation of magnetohydrodynamic waves excited during the magnetospheric storm.