Abstract
Early results are presented from high power ionospheric modification experiments with the SPEAR (Space Plasma Exploration by Active Radar) HF facility, which is used to generate artificial field-aligned irregularities (AFAI) in the polar cap ionosphere. These AFAIs are detected both through HF coherent backscatter radar and bistatic HF Doppler experiments. The AFAIs created with SPEAR are demonstrated to provide an important geophysical diagnostic of the polar cap ionospheric electric field, and may also scatter radio waves out of the ionospheric waveguide, even when they have propagated over very considerable distances.
Highlights
High power radio wave facilities such as the EISCAT Heating facility at Tromsø, Norway (Rietveld et al, 1993) provide a highly flexible tool for investigating fundamental plasma physics and geophysical phenomena
The Doppler shift imposed on the artificial field aligned irregularities (AFAI) by oscillations in the background convection electric field in which the AFAI are imbedded provide a valuable diagnostic of geophysical phenomena
The results presented here illustrate the capability of the SPEAR high-power beam to generate artificial field-aligned irregularities (AFAI)
Summary
High power radio wave facilities such as the EISCAT Heating facility at Tromsø, Norway (Rietveld et al, 1993) provide a highly flexible tool for investigating fundamental plasma physics and geophysical phenomena. Hedberg et al, 1983; Djuth et al, 1985; Blagoveshchenskaya and Troshichev, 1996; Yampolski et al, 1997; Blagoveshchenskaya et al, 1998; Eglitis et al, 1998; Robinson, 1989; Rietveld et al, 2003) These irregularities are detectable by both incoherent and coherent scatter radars (e.g. Robinson et al, 1997). The Doppler shift imposed on the AFAI by oscillations in the background convection electric field in which the AFAI are imbedded provide a valuable diagnostic of geophysical phenomena. Such Doppler-shifted signals may be detected by both HF backscatter systems The results presented here illustrate the capability of the SPEAR high-power beam to generate artificial field-aligned irregularities (AFAI)
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