European Incoherent Scatter Research Articles

First Observations of Recurring HF‐Enhanced Topside Ion Line Spectra Near the Fourth Gyroharmonic

AbstractWe present first incoherent scatter radar observations of systematically recurring, high‐frequency (HF)‐enhanced ion line spectra at the topside F‐region ionosphere, during magnetic field aligned HF pumping in an O‐mode polarization. The European Incoherent Scatter UHF radar was directed in magnetic zenith on 9–11 March 2016 while stepping the pump frequency across the double resonance of the fourth harmonic of the electron gyrofrequency and the local upper hybrid frequency, in a 3‐min‐on, 3‐min‐off pump cycle. Topside and bottomside enhancements occur at the respective plasma resonance altitude and seem to be asymmetrically conditioned by the relative proximity of the pump frequency to the double resonance frequency. Further, the topside HF‐induced ion line enhancements predominantly appear while the pump frequency is just below the double resonance frequency and only simultaneous to strong bottomside enhancements. A powerful, HF radio wave in O‐mode, transmitted in the direction of magnetic zenith is reflected a few kilometers below the plasma resonance altitude, where the pump frequency is equal to the local plasma frequency, on the bottomside F‐region in the ionosphere. Transionospheric propagation of the pump wave outside the radio window can be facilitated by density striations in the plasma, and we consider, in detail, the possible mechanisms proposed for propagation outside the standard radio window.

Systematic variation in observing altitude of enhanced ion line by the pump near fifth gyroharmonic

The observation of ultra high frequency radar during an ionospheric experiment carrying out at the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association, demonstrates a systematic variation in the altitude of the pump enhanced ion line, which is quite remarkably dependent on the pump frequency, that is, when the pump frequency sweeps above the fifth gyroharmonic, the altitude of the enhanced ion line is ∼3 to ∼6 km lower than that at the pump frequency very close to the fifth gyroharmonic. The analysis shows that the systematic variation in the altitude of the pump enhanced ion line is principally dependent on the enhanced electron temperature, although the changes in the profile of the electron density brought about by the ionospheric heating are not independent of those systematic altitude variations.

Dusty Space Plasma Diagnosis Using the Behavior of Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes During Electron Precipitation Events

AbstractThe behavior of polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSEs) during an electron precipitation event is investigated by including dusty plasma effects for the first time. The observational data recorded with the very high frequency (224 MHz) and ultrahigh frequency (930 MHz) radars at the European Incoherent SCATter Scientific Association on 10 and 11 July 2012 are presented. The observed radar echoes show that the PMSEs are both correlated and anticorrelated with the increased electron density associated with electron precipitation events on the two consecutive days. The experimental observations are compared with numerical simulations of the temporal evolution of PMSE with different background dusty plasma parameters during the electron precipitation event. Specifically, the effect of dust radius, dust density, recombination/photoionization rates, photo‐detachment current, and electron density enhancement ratio on the behavior of a PMSE layer and the associated dust charging process in the course of electron precipitation events is studied. It is observed that the ratio of electron density fluctuation amplitude δne to the plasma density (ne) plays a critical role in the appearance/disappearance of the layer. The simulation results revealed that the existence of PMSE is mainly determined by dust radius and dust density. The dusty plasma parameters associated with each event are estimated. The condensation nuclei of the ice particles such as proton hydrate clusters (H+(H2O)n) or meteoric smoke particles can be determined by employing the microphysical models along with the dusty plasma simulations. This can resolve any discrepancy in the description of the observed phenomena.

The polarization characteristics of ELF/VLF waves generated via HF heating experiments of the ionosphere by EISCAT

This paper presents the experimental results of modulation and heating of the ionosphere using the European Incoherent Scatter facility in Troms ϕ, Norway, heating facility. The frequency characteristics of the excited extremely low frequency (ELF)/very low frequency (VLF) radiation sources in the amplitude modulated (AM) and dual-beam beat-wave (BW) modes are compared, and the polarization of the horizontal ELF/VLF magnetic field received at 15 km from the heating facility is studied. The results show that in the AM mode, the amplitude of the ELF/VLF signal decreases as the radiation frequency increases when the amplitude of the ELF/VLF signal reaches the maximum at 2017 Hz. In the BW mode, the maximum appears at 2017 Hz, but the overall amplitude of the ELF/VLF signal increases as the radiation frequency increases. The AM and BW modes have different frequency characteristics on ELF/VLF radiation sources formed by modulation and heating of the ionosphere. When the frequency is low, the amplitude of the ELF/VLF signal excited by the AM mode is greater than that excited by the BW mode, but as the frequency increases, the BW mode performs better than the AM mode. Under the same background conditions, the polarization characteristics of the ELF/VLF radiation signals excited by the AM and BW modes are different. The former tends to produce circularly polarized waves, while the latter produces linearly polarized waves.

GPS Scintillations and Losses of Signal Lock at High Latitudes During the 2015 St. Patrick's Day Storm

AbstractWe investigate the Global Positioning System (GPS) amplitude and phase scintillations during a severe geomagnetic storm on 17 March 2015. The auroral oval expanded significantly due to a strongly southward interplanetary magnetic field (Bz was −25 nT). When the auroral oval was over Skibotn in northern Norway, significant enhancements in total electron content (TEC) fluctuations, amplitude, and phase scintillation were observed. The strongest amplitude and phase scintillations were observed when a TEC blob propagated across the field of view. Strong amplitude and phase scintillations were observed near the edges of the TEC blob. The European Incoherent SCATter ultrahigh frequency radar observed significant enhancement of electron density (from 0.8 × 1011 to 1.6 × 1011 m−3) near the edge of the TEC blob in the F2 region, while the E region was only slightly enhanced. This indicates that the plasma processes and instability modes, which accounted for the strong GPS scintillations, should involve the F2 region ionosphere. We also analyzed the tracking performance of the GPS receiver during strong ionospheric scintillation condition. While the receiver maintained tracking of the GPS L1 signal, the strong amplitude scintillation resulted in a power fade up to 12 dB‐Hz. Losses of lock occurred in the GPS L2 band. Both the power fade and rapid phase fluctuation should contribute to losses of lock.

IPIM Modeling of the Ionospheric F2 Layer Depletion at High Latitudes During a High‐Speed Stream Event

AbstractOur aim is to understand the effect of high‐speed stream events on the high‐latitude ionosphere and more specifically the decrease of the foF2 frequency during the entire day following the impact. First, we have selected one summertime event, for which a large data set was available: Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) and European Incoherent SCATter (EISCAT) radars, Tromsø and Sodankylä ionosondes, and the CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite. We modeled with the IPIM model (IRAP Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model) the dynamics of the ionosphere at Tromsø and Sodankylä using inputs derived from the data. The simulations nicely match the measurements made by the EISCAT radar and the ionosondes, and we showed that the decrease of foF2 is associated with a transition from F2 to F1 layer resulting from a decrease of neutral atomic oxygen concentration. Modeling showed that electrodynamics can explain short‐term behavior on the scale of a few hours, but long‐term behavior on the scale of a few days results from the perturbation induced in the atmosphere. Enhancement of convection is responsible for a sharp increase of the ion temperature by Joule heating, leading through chemistry to an immediate reduction of the F2 layer. Then, ion drag on neutrals is responsible for a rapid heating and expansion of the thermosphere. This expansion affects atomic oxygen through nonthermal upward flow, which results in a decrease of its concentration and amplifies the decrease of [O]/[N2] ratio. This thermospheric change explains long‐term extinction of the F2 layer.

Seasonal and Solar Cycle Variations of Thermally Excited 630.0 nm Emissions in the Polar Ionosphere

AbstractSolar cycle and seasonal variations have been found in the occurrence of strong thermally excited 630.0 nm emissions in the polar ionosphere. Measurements from the European Incoherent Scatter Svalbard Radar have been used to derive the thermal emission intensity. Thermally excited emissions have been found to maximize at solar maximum with peak occurrence rate of ∼40% compared to ∼2% at solar minimum. These emissions also have the highest occurrence in equinox and the lowest occurrence rate in summer and winter. There is an equinoctial asymmetry in the occurrence rate which reverses with the solar cycle. This equinoctial asymmetry is attributed to variations of the solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling arising from the Russell‐McPherron effect. The occurrence rate of thermal excitation emission on the dayside, at Svalbard, has been found to be higher in autumn than spring at solar maximum and the reverse at solar minimum. Enhanced electron temperatures characterize the strong thermal component for solar minimum and winter, whereas enhanced electron densities characterize the thermal component for solar maximum. The results point to solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling as the dominant controlling process.

Tristatic observation of polar mesosphere winter echoes with the EISCAT VHF radar on 8 January 2014: a case study

Polar mesosphere winter echoes (PMWE) were observed at 70 km over Tromsø, Norway, on 8 January 2014 using the tristatic configuration of the European incoherent scatter VHF radar. For the interval 11:00–13:00 UT where the strongest patch of PMWE of about 6-min duration was detected, the spectra of the received signal were analysed for the Tromsø site and altitude profiles of spectral parameters were derived. For the remote sites Kiruna and Sodankylä, the Doppler velocities and their vertical shear were determined by using the measured autocorrelation functions. Ducted gravity waves with periods of 5–10 min were found in the vertical wind velocity between 66 and 81 km altitudes. The duct might be formed around 70 and 77 km altitude where horizontal wind maxima were observed with the Kiruna receiver. However, we did not find any close relation between wind shear at 70 km altitude and PMWE at the same height: the wind shear was present for 2 h, but PMWE for only 6 min. Enhanced spectral width in the vertical Tromsø beam was observed for the PMWE patch. We discussed these experimental findings in relation to the winter echo generation mechanism. Our conclusion is that the presence of patchy negatively charged small-sized dust might explain the observations although a gravity wave breaking mechanism cannot be completely rejected.

EISCAT Observation of Wave‐Like Fluctuations in Vertical Velocity of Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes Associated With a Geomagnetic Disturbance

AbstractBy analyzing a data set from the European Incoherent SCATter (EISCAT) Very High Frequency (VHF) radar at Tromsø, we find that both radar reflectivity and upward ion velocity in a polar mesospheric summer echo (PMSE) layer simultaneously increased at the commencement of a local geomagnetic disturbance, which occurred at midnight on 9 July 2013. The onset of the upward velocity was followed by periodic repetition of ~5 min during the initial 30‐min stage, and then at later stage the vertical velocity oscillated with ~7‐ and ~20‐min periodicities at 85‐ to 90‐km altitudes. The ~5‐min periodicity is close to the buoyancy period, and the ~7‐ and ~20 min periodicities are consistent with gravity waves, thus suggesting that gravity waves can be generated by the effects of the geomagnetic disturbance. On the other hand, the variation of PMSE intensity (85–90 km) was in phase with fluctuations of electron densities (90–110 km) with ~12‐ and ~13‐min periodicities at the initial and later stages, respectively. The initial creation of PMSE can be attributed to both the sudden onset of particle precipitation and ice particles produced by adiabatic cooling during the rapid updraft, as detected by large upward velocity. Our periodogram analysis suggests that variations of PMSE intensity seem to follow the same periods with E region electron density, which is moduled by energetic electron precipitation, while vertical velocity oscillates at atmospheric gravity wave periods.

Propagation Directions of High‐Frequency Waves in the Ionosphere

AbstractThe direction of propagation of electromagnetic waves in the ionosphere from ground‐based transmitters can be measured in the ionosphere by crossed dipoles in a single cold‐plasma mode. In the Enhanced Polar Output Probe (e‐POP), 6‐m dipoles on the Radio Receiver Instrument connect to a high input impedance and act therefore as voltage probes from which the electric field of incoming waves can be simply computed. When combined with cold‐magnetoplasma electric‐field theory, the relationship of voltages on the two orthogonal dipoles is used to deduce the direction of arrival of an incoming wave in three dimensions. The technique is illustrated by application to e‐POP/Radio Receiver Instrument observations of 6.2‐MHz waves transmitted by the European Incoherent Scatter HF facility in Tromsø, Norway.

Evidence of <i>L</i>-mode electromagnetic wave pumping of ionospheric plasma near geomagnetic zenith

Abstract. The response of ionospheric plasma to pumping by powerful HF (high frequency) electromagnetic waves transmitted from the ground into the ionosphere is the strongest in the direction of geomagnetic zenith. We present experimental results from transmitting a left-handed circularly polarized HF beam from the EISCAT (European Incoherent SCATter association) Heating facility in magnetic zenith. The CASSIOPE (CAScade, Smallsat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer) spacecraft in the topside ionosphere above the F-region density peak detected transionospheric pump radiation, although the pump frequency was below the maximum ionospheric plasma frequency. The pump wave is deduced to arrive at CASSIOPE through L-mode propagation and associated double (O to Z, Z to O) conversion in pump-induced radio windows. L-mode propagation allows the pump wave to reach higher plasma densities and higher ionospheric altitudes than O-mode propagation so that a pump wave in the L-mode can facilitate excitation of upper hybrid phenomena localized in density depletions in a larger altitude range. L-mode propagation is therefore suggested to be important in explaining the magnetic zenith effect. Keywords. Space plasma physics (active perturbation experiments)

Electron density inversed by plasma lines induced by suprathermal electron in the ionospheric modification experiment

Incoherent scatter radar (ISR) is the most powerful ground-based measurement facility to study the ionosphere. The plasma lines are not routinely detected by the incoherent scatter radar due to the low intensity, which falls below the measured spectral noise level of the incoherent scatter radar. The plasma lines are occasionally enhanced by suprathermal electrons through the Landau damping process and detectable to the incoherent scatter radar. In this study, by using the European Incoherent Scatter Association (EISCAT) UHF incoherent scatter radar, the experiment observation presents that the enhanced plasma lines were observed. These plasma lines were considered as manifest of the suprathermal electrons generated by the high-frequency heating wave during the ionospheric modification. The electron density profile is also obtained from the enhanced plasma lines. This study can be a promising technique for obtaining the accurate electron density during ionospheric modification experiment.

The Extending of Observing Altitudes of Plasma and Ion Lines During Ionospheric Heating

AbstractThe ultrahigh‐frequency observation during an ionospheric heating experiment on 11 March 2014 at the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association Tromsø site illustrated a remarkable extension of observing altitudes of the enhanced plasma line and the ion line, implying that the enhanced ion acoustic wave and Langmuir wave should satisfy the Bragg condition within the extending altitude range. An analysis shows that the dependence of the wave number of the traveling ion acoustic wave on the profiles of enhanced electron temperature and ion mass, as are expected from the dispersion relation of the ion acoustic wave, leads to the extension of observing altitudes of the enhanced ion line. In addition, the altitude extension of the enhanced plasma line is dependent mainly on the profile of the electron density, although it is not independent of the profile of the electron temperature. Considering a small gradient profile of electron density, however, the enhanced electron temperature, as well as the thermal conduction along the magnetic field, may lead to the altitude extension of the enhanced plasma line.

How Often Do Thermally Excited 630.0 nm Emissions Occur in the Polar Ionosphere?

AbstractThis paper studies thermally excited emissions in the polar ionosphere derived from European Incoherent Scatter Svalbard radar measurements from the years 2000–2015. The peak occurrence is found around magnetic noon, where the radar observations show cusp‐like characteristics. The ionospheric, interplanetary magnetic field and solar wind conditions favor dayside magnetic reconnection as the dominant driving process. The thermal emissions occur 10 times more frequently on the dayside than on the nightside, with an average intensity of 1–5 kR. For typical electron densities in the polar ionosphere (2 × 1011 m−3), we find the peak occurrence rate to occur for extreme electron temperatures (>3000 K), which is consistent with assumptions in literature. However, for extreme electron densities (>5 × 1011 m−3), we can now report on a completely new population of thermal emissions that may occur at much lower electron temperatures (∼2300 K). The empirical atmospheric model (NRLMSISE‐00) suggests that the latter population is associated with enhanced neutral atomic oxygen densities.

Comment on “Parametric Instability Induced by X‐Mode Wave Heating at EISCAT” by Wang et al. (2016)

AbstractIn their recent article Wang et al. (2016) analyzed observations from EISCAT (European Incoherent Scatter) Scientific Association Russian X‐mode heating experiments and claimed to explain the potential mechanisms for the parametric decay instability (PDI) and oscillating two‐stream instability (OTSI). Wang et al. (2016) claim that they cannot separate the HF‐enhanced plasma and ion lines excited by O or X mode in the EISCAT UHF radar spectra. Because of this they distinguished the parametric instability excited by O‐/X‐mode heating waves according to their different excitation heights. Their reflection heights were determined from ionosonde records, which provide a rough measure of excitation altitudes and cannot be used for the separation of the O‐ and X‐mode effects. The serious limitation in their analysis is the use of a 30 s integration time of the UHF radar data. There are also serious disagreements between their analysis and the real observational facts. The fact is that it is the radical difference in the behavior of the X‐ and O‐mode plasma and ion line spectra derived with a 5 s resolution, which provides the correct separation of the X‐ and O‐mode effects. It is not discussed and explained how the parallel component of the electric field under X‐mode heating is generated. Apart from the leakage to the O mode, results by Wang et al. (2016) do not explain the potential mechanisms for PDI and OTSI and add nothing to understanding the physical factors accounting for the parametric instability generated by an X‐mode HF pump wave.

Altitude and intensity characteristics of parametric instability excited by an HF pump wave near the fifth electron harmonic

An ionospheric heating experiment involving an O mode pump wave was carried out at European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association site in Tromsø. The observation of the ultra high frequency radar illustrates the systematic variations of the enhanced ion line and plasma line in altitude and intensity as a function of the pump frequency. The analysis shows that those altitude variations are due to the thermal effect, and the intensity variations of the enhanced ion line are dependent on whether or not the enhanced ion acoustic wave satisfy the Bragg condition of radar. Moreover, a prediction that if the enhancement in electron temperature is suppressed, those systematic variations will be absent, is given.

Aspect dependence of Langmuir parametric instability excitation observed by EISCAT

AbstractRecent studies of X‐mode wave heating experiments observed by EISCAT (European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association UHF radar indicate that parametric instability (PI) can be excited unexpectedly. In this paper, we reinvestigate the ionospheric heating experiment on 21 and 22 October 2012 in details. The observed HF‐enhanced ion lines (HFILs) and HF‐enhanced plasma lines (HFPLs) observed during the experiments present dependence on the heating incidence angles. The observational evidence and numerical calculation that the parallel electric field of X‐mode heating wave can exceed the PI excitation threshold at certain angles indicate the decisive role of parallel electric field for the PI excitation. The excited HFPLs and HFILs during X‐mode heating cycles also present the evidence for the non‐Maxwellian distribution of the electrons in the heated region.

Statistical characteristics of the polar ionospheric scale height around the peak height of F2 layer with observations of the ESR radar: Disturbed days

In this paper, based on observations of the European Incoherent Scatter Svalbard Radar (ESR) between 1997 and 2008, we analyzed variations of HmF2, the ionospheric scale height around the peak height of F2 layer (hmF2) at high latitude with geomagnetic activities, as well as variations of the HmF2 with the local time (LT), season and solar activity under disturbed conditions (2<Kp≤5). We found that the HmF2 shows a significant increment with enhancements of geomagnetic activities. In addition, based on a linear regression, the correlation and fitting coefficients are shown, which quantitatively describe the correlations between polar HmF2 and geomagnetic activity index Kp. The HmF2 shows a diurnal variation with a maximum early in the morning and a minimum around noon in disturbed days (2<Kp≤5), which is more complex in comparison with that in quiet days. However, in summer and autumn, the HmF2 in disturbed days shows a bulge during 06:00–11:00 LT instead of the continuous decline under quiet condition. We consider that the ESR was under the cusp region during the period so that the bulge might be related to the high-energy particles precipitating into the ionosphere resulting in changes of the electron density profile. The HmF2 has the highest seasonal magnitude in summer and the lowest seasonal magnitude in winter generally. The seasonal magnitude of the HmF2 in autumn is lower than that in spring and larger than that in winter under low solar activity, while the HmF2 shows the same seasonal variations in spring and autumn under moderate and high solar activities.

Energetic electron precipitation and auroral morphology at the substorm recovery phase

AbstractIt is well known that auroral patterns at the substorm recovery phase are characterized by diffuse or patch structures with intensity pulsation. According to satellite measurements and simulation studies, the precipitating electrons associated with these aurorae can reach or exceed energies of a few hundreds of keV through resonant wave‐particle interactions in the magnetosphere. However, because of difficulty of simultaneous measurements, the dependency of energetic electron precipitation (EEP) on auroral morphological changes in the mesoscale has not been investigated to date. In order to study this dependency, we have analyzed data from the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radar, the Kilpisjärvi Atmospheric Imaging Receiver Array (KAIRA) riometer, collocated cameras, ground‐based magnetometers, the Van Allen Probe satellites, Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), and the Antarctic‐Arctic Radiation‐belt (Dynamic) Deposition‐VLF Atmospheric Research Konsortium (AARDDVARK). Here we undertake a detailed examination of two case studies. The selected two events suggest that the highest energy of EEP on those days occurred with auroral patch formation from postmidnight to dawn, coinciding with the substorm onset at local midnight. Measurements of the EISCAT radar showed ionization as low as 65 km altitude, corresponding to EEP with energies of about 500 keV.

Average field‐aligned ion velocity over the EISCAT radars

AbstractLong‐term measurements by the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radars at Tromsø (69.6°N, 19.2°E) and Svalbard (78.2°N, 16.0°E) are used to determine the climatology of the field‐aligned ion velocity in the F region ionosphere (175–475 km) at high latitudes. The average ion velocity is calculated at various altitudes and times of day. The magnitude of the average field‐aligned ion velocity is on the order of 10 m/s, similar to previous results at middle and low latitudes. The results obtained for the two radars are in good agreement. During daytime the direction of the average field‐aligned ion velocity changes from downward to upward around 350 km, while during nighttime it is upward at all heights. The reversal height of the daytime field‐aligned ion velocity depends on solar activity. It is elevated by more than 100 km during high solar flux periods compared to low solar flux periods. The Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model reproduces the main features of the field‐aligned ion velocity climatology. The simulation results suggest that the plasma pressure gradient force and gravity force play a dominant role for the daytime field‐aligned ion motion. The height pattern of the field‐aligned ion velocity tends to be preserved in different solar activity conditions at constant pressure surfaces, but not at constant altitudes, which explains the observed dependence on solar activity. During nighttime, the effect of the neutral wind dominates the field‐aligned ion velocity.