Abstract
An oblique‐sounding coherent HF radar of the SuperDARN (Super Dual Auroral Radar Network) at about 11 MHz sometimes receives peculiar backscatter returns, which are suspected as Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE), from ranges very close to the radar site. To disclose their statistical features, we looked for such echoes that were observed, under quiet geomagnetic conditions, during 46 months from 1997 until 2000 with the SuperDARN radar at Syowa Station, Antarctica (69.0°S, 38.6°E). With some strict criteria for echo selection, we identified 22 events in summer months and 2 events in August and September. Their distinct seasonal variation evidences that these near range echoes in summer months are indeed the Antarctic PMSE. Origin of the two spring echoes is not clear at the moment. The occurrence probability of the summer echoes seems to increase with year. We, however, need more data accumulation to confirm this trend. These results indicate that the SuperDARN radars can be used to routinely monitor the activity of PMSE in a wide area of the polar mesosphere in both hemispheres.
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