Incoherent Scatter Spectra Research Articles

Particle-in-cell simulation of incoherent scatter radar spectral distortions related to beam-plasma interactions in the auroral ionosphere

[1] An electrostatic parallel particle-in-cell (EPPIC) code that allows for particle beam injections and multiple boundary conditions is used to investigate the beam-plasma interaction and its manifestations in the incoherent scatter (IS) spectrum. Specifically, the code is used to investigate anomalous enhancements in the ion acoustic line through the destabilization of the plasma by injection (or precipitation) of low-energy electron beams. This enhancement of the ion acoustic line is a form of IS distortion commonly observed in the vicinity of auroral arcs called the naturally enhanced ion-acoustic line (NEIAL). Simulations confirm the parametric decay of Langmuir waves as a plausible mechanism, assuming a mechanism for the formation of dense low-energy (<10 eV) electron beams in the ionosphere. The spectral distortions are similar at aspect angles as large as ±15° from the beam direction. Simulations also show that the first Langmuir harmonic can have a power intensity higher than that of the ion acoustic line of a thermal plasma. Conditions which would allow the detection of Langmuir harmonics with existing incoherent scatter radars are discussed.

Analysis of beam plasma instability effects on incoherent scatter spectra

Abstract. Naturally Enhanced Ion Acoustic Lines (NEIALs) detected with Incoherent Scatter Radars (ISRs) can be produced by a Langmuir decay mechanism, triggered by a bump on tail instability. A recent model of the beam-plasma instability suggests that weak-warm beams, such those associated with NEIAL events, might produce Langmuir harmonics which could be detected by a properly configured ISR. The analysis performed in this work shows that such a beam-driven wave may be simultaneously detected with NEIALs within the baseband signal of a single ISR. The analysis shows that simultaneous detection of NEIALs and the first Langmuir harmonic is more likely than simultaneous detection of NEIALs and enhanced plasma line. This detection not only would help to discriminate between current NEIAL models, but could also aid in the parameter estimation of soft precipitating electrons.

A method for improving plasma temperature estimates from incoherent scatter analysis during artificial ionospheric modification experiments

[1] Spectral features in incoherent scatter data, such as those caused by the purely growing mode (PGM), can often be strongly enhanced during the first few seconds of artificial ionospheric heating experiments, such as those carried out using the high-power European Incoherent Scatter HF at Tromso. These features, often referred to as effects, are indicators of turbulent non-Maxwellian plasma, and the analysis of these spectra using standard incoherent scatter data analysis software leads to a poor estimation of the plasma parameters (particularly electron and ion temperature) during RF heating experiments. In this study, a procedure is developed to derive a more reliable estimate of plasma temperature during periods when the incoherent scatter spectrum is affected by contamination from the PGM. This is achieved by removing the PGM from the measured spectrum and then analyzing the modified spectrum using standard software. The results are compared to those obtained from the analysis of the original, contaminated spectra. It is found that the differences between the results obtained from the corrected and uncorrected spectra are strongly proportional to the magnitude of the PGM feature. We also show that the bulk temperatures during the remainder of the heater on period after the overshoot can generally be estimated reliably by the standard analysis software, though with some important exceptions. These results are important since the plasma temperatures play a crucial role in governing thermal conduction processes, and their correct estimation is thus very important to understanding the underlying physical processes which occur during ionospheric heating.

A method for improving plasma temperature estimates from incoherent scatter analysis during artificial ionospheric modification experiments

Spectral features in incoherent scatter data, such as those caused by the purely growing mode (PGM), can often be strongly enhanced during the first few seconds of artificial ionospheric heating experiments, such as those carried out using the high‐power European Incoherent Scatter HF heater at Tromsø. These features, often referred to as “overshoot” effects, are indicators of turbulent non‐Maxwellian plasma, and the analysis of these spectra using standard incoherent scatter data analysis software leads to a poor estimation of the plasma parameters (particularly electron and ion temperature) during RF heating experiments. In this study, a procedure is developed to derive a more reliable estimate of plasma temperature during periods when the incoherent scatter spectrum is affected by contamination from the PGM. This is achieved by removing the PGM from the measured spectrum and then analyzing the modified spectrum using standard software. The results are compared to those obtained from the analysis of the original, contaminated spectra. It is found that the differences between the results obtained from the corrected and uncorrected spectra are strongly proportional to the magnitude of the PGM feature. We also show that the bulk temperatures during the remainder of the “heater on” period after the overshoot can generally be estimated reliably by the standard analysis software, though with some important exceptions. These results are important since the plasma temperatures play a crucial role in governing thermal conduction processes, and their correct estimation is thus very important to understanding the underlying physical processes which occur during ionospheric heating.

The inversion of incoherent scatter spectra with a non-Maxwellian electron distribution

With the action of powerful, high-frequency (HF) radio waves, the ionosphere plasma will depart from the equilibrium state and the non-Maxwellian distribution function can be produced. An artificial field-aligned irregularities (AFAI) model is introduced to describe the distortion from the normal shape, and the measured data are analyzed with this model during ionosphere heating at a 186-km height on August 15th, 2006. The electron temperature and density deduced from the AFAI model are compared with the results obtained from a standard procedure. The inversion of the electron temperature is evidently affected, and the overestimation is up to 22.9%. Owing to the introduction of the AFAI model, the new irregularities’ parameters can be obtained, which implies that incoherent scatter radar is feasible as a ground-based instrument to diagnose information on irregularities.

16-Moment Approximation for Ion Velocity Distribution and its Application in Calculations of Incoherent Scatter Spectra

A sixteen moment approximation based on a bi-Maxwellian that contains the stress tensor and the heat flow vector is applied to describe the ion velocity distribution which influences the incoherent scatter spectra. A discussion is made about the effects on the incoherent scatter spectra caused by different values of the normalized perpendicular drift velocity D, aspect angle ϕ between the magnetic field and the line-of-sight direction, and the ratio α of the ion-neutral collision to ion cyclotron frequency. Numerical results show that the shifting and asymmetry of incoherent scatter spectra appear parallel to E × B and E as the normalized perpendicular drift velocity D increases due to the ion drift velocity, the stress tensor and the heat flow vector respectively. However, the spectrum is always typically double-humped Maxwellian parallel to B. The ion velocity distribution is more distorted from the Maxwellian as the aspect angle ϕ increases from 0° to 90°, and consequently the incoherent scatter spectra is no longer typically double-humped Maxwellian. As α increases, the ion velocity distribution becomes Maxwellian and the incoherent scatter spectra become typically double-humped Maxwellian even with a large value of the normalized perpendicular drift velocity D. It is reasonable to use the sixteen-moment approximation to describe the non-Maxwellian plasma characterized by the large temperature anisotropy.

Naturally enhanced ion-line spectra around the equatorial 150-km region

Abstract. For many years strong radar echoes coming from 140–170 km altitudes at low latitudes have been associated to the existence of field-aligned irregularities (FAIs) (the so called 150-km echoes). In this work, we present frequency spectra as well as angular distribution of 150-km echoes. When the 150-km region is observed with beams perpendicular to the magnetic field (B) the observed radar spectra are very narrow with spectral widths between 3–12 m/s. On the other hand, when few-degrees off-perpendicular beams are used, the radar spectra are wide with spectral widths comparable to those expected from ion-acoustic waves at these altitudes (&gt;1000 m/s). Moreover the off-perpendicular spectral width increases with increasing altitude. The strength of the received echoes is one to two orders of magnitude stronger than the expected level of waves in thermal equilibrium at these altitudes. Such enhancement is not due to an increase in electron density. Except for the enhancement in power, the spectra characteristics of off-perpendicular and perpendicular echoes are in reasonable agreement with expected incoherent scatter spectra at these angles and altitudes. 150-km echoes are usually observed in narrow layers (2 to 5). Bistatic common volume observations as well as observations made few kilometers apart show that, for most of the layers, there is very high correlation on power fluctuations without a noticeable time separation between simultaneous echoes observed with Off-perpendicular and Perpendicular beams. However, in one of the central layers, the echoes are the strongest in the perpendicular beam and absent or very weak in the off-perpendicular beams, suggesting that they are generated by a plasma instability. Our results indicate that most echoes around 150-km region are not as aspect sensitive as originally thought, and they come from waves that have been enhanced above waves in thermal equilibrium.

Application of 20‐Moment Approximation for Ion Velocity Distribution Function in Calculations of Incoherent Scatter Spectra

AbstractAccording to Grad's theory, the ion velocity distribution function is expanded to a 20‐moment approximation based on the Maxwellian distribution. The effects of the stress tensor and the heat flow vector on the ion velocity distributions are discussed. When the electric field is weak, it is reasonable to neglect the heat flow vector and the stress tensor parallel to E × B and E, respectively. The ion temperature anisotropy and asymmetry in the distribution function are caused by the stress tensor and the heat flow terms. Then using Sheffield's theory and the 20‐moment approximation, normalized spectrum is calculated. Finally the incoherent scatter spectra calculated by the 13‐moment approximation and the 20‐moment approximation are compared. When the electric field is weak, the 13‐moment is nearly consistent with the 20‐moment approximation. However it is unreasonable to neglect the heat flow tensor, and the temperature anisotropic is distinct in the case of a large electric field. It this condition using the 20‐moment approximation is able to describe more accurately the non‐Maxwellian plasma characterized by the temperature anisotropy.

Incoherent scatter spectra due to HF heating in the low ionosphere region

The electron velocity distribution function and the incoherent scatter spectra during ionospheric heating in low ionosphere region are presented with consideration of the elastic collision between electrons and neural particles and the excitation of rotation energy level. The effects of pump frequency and electric fields on the spectra are discussed. With the increase of electric field, the non-Maxwellian feature is enhanced, and with the increase of heating frequency, the non-Maxwellian feature is weakened. The non-Maxwellian factor will bring a large error in ionosphere parameters, which must be considered in the inversion.

Incoherent scatter spectrum of a collisional plasma

Incoherent scattering spectrum of a collisional plasma with an arbitrary velocity distribution function is presented in this paper. Two integrals with complex singular points have been solved in order to obtain the results. The incoherent scatter spectrum during HF heating in low ionosphere region is computed. The effect of collision frequency, non-Maxwellian index, electron density, electron temperature and ion temperature on power spectrum is discussed. Under the action of collision frequency and non-Maxwellian factor, the original relationship between ionospheric parameters and the characteristics of spectral shape is invalid, which will bring about a large error in the inversion of ionosphere parameters, thus the original theoretical model must be revised.

The Ion Distribution Function From Maxwell Molecule Collision Model and Calculations of Incoherent Scatter Spectra

采用麦克斯韦分子碰撞模型描述玻耳兹曼方程的碰撞项, 基于双麦克斯韦分布函数得到的输运方程包含了粘滞和热流的影响, 通过求解输运方程得到了离子漂移速度, 平行和垂直磁场的离子温度, 应力张量以及平行和垂直能量的热流矢量的表达式. 进而得到了麦克斯韦分子碰撞模型下离子分布函数的16矩近似. 利用非相干散射理论, 计算得到了非相干散射谱. 相对于简单的驰豫碰撞模型, 麦克斯韦分子碰撞模型能更准确地描述非麦克斯韦分布的电离层E 层的碰撞过程.

Temperature enhancement induced by ionosphere heating in low altitude region

The assumption that the electron temperature is approximately equal to the ion temperature is not rational during the high frequency (HF) heating in low ionosphere region. Thus, using the theoretical formula of incoherent scatter spectra with collisional plasma, the incoherent scatter data are analyzed during ionosphere heating at 91.7 km height on August 15th 2006. The enhancements of electron temperature are obtained, and the incremental percent is up to 37% and 46% at the universal time of 10:22 and 10:30, respectively. By using the same initialization value, the ionosphere heating process is simulated by Ohmic theory and the experimental results are basically consistent with the simulation.

Incoherent scatter spectra from plasma of a 13-moment approximation distribution function

The function and physical mechanism of heat flow and the viscous stress in the velocity distribution function expanded by Maxwellian distribution are presented. With the introduction of effective temperature Tf, incoherent scatter spectra from plasma for electromagnetic wave in arbitrary line of sight are given. The effect of asymmetry and anisotropy provided by heat flow and the viscous stress on power spectra is discussed. Radar spectra are calculated for different cases of electric field, direction, collision frequency and temperature. The effect of heat flow and the viscous stress on inversion results is analyzed. With a large electric field, the character of non-Maxwellian must be considered.

Observations of Plasma Line Splitting in the Ionospheric Incoherent Scatter Spectrum

Wide-bandwidth ionospheric incoherent scatter (IS) spectra obtained using the Arecibo IS radar show the occurrence of a split in the plasma line (i.e., two plasma lines) when the plasma frequency is close to the second harmonic of the electron gyrofrequency. This split is predicted in the IS theory for a magnetized plasma, but observations have never been reported. Here we present the experimental results and theoretical calculations supporting the observations. These results may assist in understanding the behavior of Langmuir waves in the magnetized plasma and are a validation of what historically was a somewhat controversial aspect of the IS theory.

Plasma wave heating during extreme electric fields in the high‐latitude E region

This article presents measurements of electron heating in the high‐latitude E region during rare, extreme convection electric fields (up to 160 mV/m). As inferred from the merged Sondrestrom incoherent scatter spectra measurements, the electron temperature monotonically increases with the electric field reaching 4000+ K, without any indication of saturation, and the radar backscatter power monotonically decreases.

Particle precipitations during NEIAL events: simultaneous ground based observations at Svalbard

Abstract. In this paper we present Naturally Enhanced Ion Acoustic Lines (NEIALs) observed with the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR). For the first time, long sequences of NEIALs are recorded, with more than 50 events within an hour, ranging from 6.4 to 140 s in duration. The events took place from ~08:45 to 10:00 UT, 22 January 2004. We combine ESR data with observations of optical aurora by a meridian scanning photometer at wavelengths 557.7, 630.0, 427.8, and 844.6 nm, as well as records from a magnetometer and an imaging riometer. The large numbers of observed NEIALs together with these additional observations, enable us to characterise the particle precipitation during the NEIAL events. We find that the intensities in all optical lines studied must be above a certain level for the NEIALs to appear. We also find that the soft particle precipitation is associated with the down-shifted shoulder in the incoherent scatter spectrum, and that harder precipitation may play a role in the enhancement of the up-shifted shoulder. The minimum energy flux during NEIAL events found in this study was ~3.5 mW/m2 and minimum characteristic energy around 50 eV.

Diurnal variability of the gyro resonance line observed with the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar at E‐ and F1‐region altitudes

In this paper, we report on observations of the diurnal variation of a resonance line that occurs near the gyro frequency as seen with the incoherent scatter radar (ISR) at the Arecibo Observatory. This gyro resonance line has rarely been observed in ISR data, but recent results, exemplified by the observations of Bhatt et al. (2006), have implied that the gyro line is a common ionospheric feature. The observations presented here were made with much better altitude resolution in comparison with previous results and represent full 24 hour coverage for several days. The data indicate that an increase in the gyro line intensity near sunrise and sunset is an everyday occurrence. As the increase in intensity is occurring at sunset, the gyro line frequency drops from the expected frequency to one near zero frequency. As the increase in intensity is occurring at sunrise, the gyro line frequency increases from near zero frequency to one near the expected gyro line frequency. This behavior of the gyro line frequency and intensity has not been observed before. We explain these results using normal Maxwellian incoherent scatter theory together with the diurnal variation of the density in the E and F1 regions. These results may explain previous observations of the gyro line made at Arecibo and suggest avenues of future research for studying this exciting feature of the incoherent scatter spectrum.

Zakharov simulations of Langmuir turbulence: Effects on the ion-acoustic waves in incoherent scattering

This paper presents a numerical study of the effect of Langmuir turbulence on incoherent scatter spectra. The Langmuir turbulence is driven by low energy beams of electrons in the Earth’s upper ionosphere above 300km. The nonlinear coupling between Langmuir waves and ion-acoustic waves is governed by the Zakharov system of equations. The model is enhanced with stochastic forcing in order to estimate by how much over the thermal level the spectrum seen by an incoherent scatter radar will be enhanced. This also allows us to directly compare the modeled spectra to the observed spectra collected by the incoherent scattering technique, as well as to statistically investigate the signature of the modeled spectra through an exploratory data analysis. Results for different beam energies are presented, covering the regimes of weak as well as strong turbulence. The incoherent scatter spectra signature is discussed in light of these regimes. It is shown that incoherent scatter radar observations of enhanced ion-acoustic and/or Langmuir waves compared to thermal level can provide good estimates of the beam parameters and of the type of turbulent regime. The cascade regime leads to strongly asymmetric spectra with enhancements over a limited range of wave numbers. The cavitation regime leads to marginally asymmetric spectra, with enhancement over a wide range of wave numbers, and features a central peak for a limited range of wave numbers. Finally, it is shown that the Langmuir turbulence should be preferentially observed for scattering wavelengths large compared to the Debye length.

High‐resolution electron temperature measurements using the plasma line asymmetry

In this paper, we present the first results of a new technique for measuring the electron temperature in the daytime ionosphere using the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar (ISR). The technique utilizes the plasma line component of the incoherent scatter spectrum. The difference in the up‐ and down‐shifted plasma line frequencies is related to the density and temperature of the ionosphere, as well as more minor effects resulting from photoelectrons, currents, and other sources. The shift is very small (the order of 1 kHz in a plasma line frequency of several MHz) but can be measured quite accurately with the coded long pulse plasma line technique. We compare the results to ion line measurements of the electron temperature, and the two independent techniques show good agreement. In addition to providing a measure of the electron temperature that is independent of the ion line, the approach allows for a sensitive test of kinetic plasma theory including a magnetic field, gives us the ability to study photoelectron populations and electron currents, and will allow us to constrain ion line fits in the bottomside (and possibly topside) regions to more accurately fit for composition.

First E- and D-region incoherent scatter spectra observed over Jicamarca

Abstract. We present here the first Jicamarca observations of incoherent scatter radar (ISR) spectra detected from E- and D-region altitudes. In the past such observations have not been possible at Jicamarca due a combined effect of strong equatorial electrojet (EEJ) clutter and hardware limitations in the receiving system. The observations presented here were made during weak EEJ conditions (i.e., almost zero zonal electric field) using an improved digital receiving system with a wide dynamic range and a high data throughput. The observed ISR spectra from E- and D-region altitudes are, as expected, narrow and get even narrower with decreasing altitude due to increasing ion-neutral collision frequencies. Therefore, it was possible to obtain accurate spectral measurements using a pulse-to-pulse data analysis. At lower altitudes in the D-region where signal correlation times are relatively long we used coherent integration to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the collected data samples. The spectral estimates were fitted using a standard incoherent scatter (IS) spectral model between 87 and 120 km, and a Lorentzian function below 110 km. Our preliminary estimates of temperature and ion-neutral collisions frequencies above 87 km are in good agreement with the MSISE-90 model. Below 87 km, the measured spectral widths are larger than expected, causing an overestimation of the temperatures, most likely due to spectral distortions caused by atmospheric turbulence.