Tools for VLF natural radio noise investigation in Yakutsk

Abstract

A parallel VLF radio noise spectrometer has been used at a testing ground of the ShICRA SB RAS for recording ionospheric-magnetospheric radio emissions since 1972. The site located at a distance of 30 km from Yakutsk (62 N, 129.72 E). A one-point lightning discharge recorder was also installed at the site, which consists of a whip and two crossed loop antennas, an amplifier, an ADC, and a PC with a special program. The same direction finder with a change in gain and a special program can work as a narrow-sector direction finder for fluctuating radio noise. To investigate the function of propagation of VLF signals, narrowband radio noise, and their dependence on the space weather parameters, a VLF signal recorder that has been operating continuously in Yakutsk since 2009 is used. The World Wide Lightning Location Network (wwlln.net) data have been used for lightning discharge location since 2009. One of the WWLLN receivers was installed in Yakutsk. One-point lightning guides called “LD-250” and “Storm Tracker” for recording the coordinates of a lightning discharge and its type have been used for discharge registration within a territory of 400 km in radius around Yakutsk since 2006.