Recent advances in stimulated radiation studies during radiowave heating the near earth space environment

Abstract

ABSTRACTInvestigation of stimulated radiation, commonly known as stimulated electromagnetic emissions (SEE), produced by the interaction of high-power, high-frequency HF radiowaves with the ionospheric plasma has been a vibrant area of research since the early 1980s. Substantial diagnostic information about ionospheric plasma characteristics, dynamics, and turbulence can be obtained from the frequency spectrum of the stimulated radiation. During the past several decades, so-called wideband SEE which exists in a frequency band of ±100 kHz or so of the transmit wave frequency (which is several MHz) has been investigated relatively thoroughly. Recent upgrades both in transmitter power and diagnostic receiver frequency sensitivity at major ionosphere interaction facilities in Alaska and Norway have allowed new breakthroughs in the ability to study a plethora of processes associated with the ionospheric plasma during these experiments. A primary advance is in observations of so-called narrowband SEE (NSEE) which exists roughly within ±1 kHz of the transmit wave frequency. An overview of several important new results associated with NSEE are discussed as well as implications to new diagnostics of space plasma physics occurring during ionospheric interaction experiments.