Signal absorption effects on HF radio paths near Sodankyla observatory (Finland)

Abstract

Studies were performed on three oblique ionospheric sounding (OIS) paths: Gor’kovskaya-Lovozero (St. Petersburg) with a length of 890 km, Sodankyla-Gor’kovskaya (800 km), and Sodankyla-Lovozero (360 km). The data for March 17 and April 14, 2012, the days during the recovery phase of the corresponding magnetic storms, have been analyzed. According to the observations performed at Sodankyla, riometer absorption in the morning-daytime hours was high against a background of very weak magnetic disturbances registered with a magnetometer; a high absorption level was also typical of the second day but during a substantial magnetic disturbance. The signal propagation mode structure and intensity on different paths were compared for the indicated days. The main results achieved are as follows. The OIS signal mode structure at weak (for April 14, 2012) and strong (for March 17, 2012) absorption substantially differed when magnetic disturbances were weak at the same instant. Diffuse reflections from the F2 layer were observed on the first two paths during a magnetic disturbance at night of April 14, 2012. At the same time, diffusivity was absent on the same paths under quiet magnetic conditions in the morning and daytime hours on March 17, 2012. A short-term abrupt increase in the maximum observed frequency of the Es layer (MOF Es) by 30–80% was registered half an hour before a substantial absorption burst on the first path. Signal reflections from the sporadic Es layer were observed only on the first path on March 17, 2012, and April 14, 2012, during the absorption maximum (A = 6 dB) according to the Sodankyla data, and the signal characteristics differed on those days.