Ionospheric Heating Experiments Research Articles

Observations of HF-induced instability in the auroral E region

Abstract. Enhancements were observed in backscattered radar power during an ionospheric heating experiment from two distinct altitude regions in the auroral E region above Tromsø. For the experiment the EISCAT Tromsø heater was operated with O mode and X mode alternated at 4.04 MHz, close to the 3rd electron gyroharmonic. Ion-line data recorded with the EISCAT UHF radar reveal different temporal evolutions as well as different ion-line characteristics for the enhancements from the two altitude regions. The upper layer is dominated by a strong central feature, whereas the lower layer has three peaks corresponding to the central feature and the two ion lines. The altitude region of the two closely spaced (altitude separation ~ 5 km) but distinct enhancements is close to the critical altitude for the heater wave.

First observations of minority ion (H+) structuring in stimulated radiation during second electron gyroharmonic heating experiments

This work presents the first observations of unique narrowband emissions ordered near the hydrogen ion (H+) gyrofrequency (fcH) in the stimulated electromagnetic emission spectrum when the transmitter is tuned near the second electron gyroharmonic frequency (2fce) during ionospheric modification experiments. The frequency structuring of these newly discovered emission lines is quite unexpected since H+ is known to be a minor constituent in the interaction region which is near 160 km altitude. The spectral lines are typically shifted from the pump wave frequency by harmonics of a frequency about 10% less than fcH (≈ 800 Hz) and have a bandwidth of less than 50 Hz which is near the O+ gyrofrequency fcO. A theory is proposed to explain these emissions in terms of a parametric decay instability in a multi‐ion species plasma due to possible proton precipitation associated with the disturbed conditions during the heating experiment. The observations can be explained by including several percent H+ ions into the background plasma. The implications are new possibilities for characterizing proton precipitation events during ionospheric heating experiments.

Utilizing nonlinear ELF generation in modulated ionospheric heating experiments for communications applications

Modulated high‐frequency heating of the D region ionosphere near the auroral electrojet can generate extremely low frequency (ELF; 3 Hz–3 kHz) radio waves. The modulated heating process is nonlinear and generates harmonics at integer multiples of the ELF modulation frequency. Quaternary phase shift keying, a digital modulation technique is applied to ELF waves to demonstrate transmission of digital data. Data were successfully decoded at a nearby receiver and the bit error rate computed. Square wave modulation of the high‐frequency heater results in stronger signals and hence a smaller bit error rate. Simulations of the communication system using ELF waveforms and noise signals derived from ELF observations are also conducted. These simulations show that using higher harmonics of the ELF signal to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio can reduce the bit error rate, although only when these harmonics are below ~4.5 kHz because of radio atmospherics (sferics) generating strong impulsive noise at higher frequencies.

On ion gyro-harmonic structuring in the stimulated electromagnetic emission spectrum during second electron gyro-harmonic heating

Abstract. Recent observations show that, during ionospheric heating experiments at frequencies near the second electron gyro-harmonic, discrete spectral lines separated by harmonics of the ion-gyro frequency appear in the stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) spectrum within 1 kHz of the pump frequency. In addition to the ion gyro-harmonic structures, on occasion, a broadband downshifted emission is observed simultaneously with these spectral lines. Parametric decay of the pump field into upper hybrid/electron Bernstein (UH/EB) and low-frequency ion Bernstein (IB) and oblique ion acoustic (IA) modes is considered responsible for generation of these spectral features. Guided by predictions of an analytical model, a two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) computational model is employed to study the nonlinear processes during such heating experiments. The critical parameters that affect the spectrum, such as whether discrete gyro-harmonic on broadband structures is observed, include angle of the pump field relative to the background magnetic field, pump field strength, and proximity of the pump frequency to the gyro-harmonic. Significant electron heating along the magnetic field is observed in the parameter regimes considered.

Progress in polar upper atmospheric physics research in China

The Chinese Antarctic Great Wall, Zhongshan, Kunlun and Arctic Yellow River stations have unique geographical locations, well suited to carry out polar upper atmospheric observations. This paper reviews the tremendous history of nearly 30 years of Chinese polar expeditions and major progress in polar upper atmospheric physics research. This includes the polar upper atmospheric physics conjugate observation system at Zhongshan Station in the Antarctic and Yellow River Station in the Arctic, and original research achievements in polar ionospheric fields, aurora and particle precipitation, the polar current system, polar plasma convection, geomagnetic pulsations and space plasma waves, inter-hemispheric comparisons of the space environment, space weather in polar regions, power spectrum of the incoherent scatter radar, ionospheric heating experiments and polar mesospheric summer echoes, polar ionosphere-magnetosphere numerical simulation and others. Finally, prospects for Chinese polar upper atmospheric physics research are outlined.

Excitation of zero-frequency magnetic field-aligned currents by ionospheric heating

Abstract. Time-dependent, three-dimensional numerical simulations of the reduced MHD model describing shear Alfvén waves in the magnetosphere provide an interesting prediction superficially similar to results of several ionospheric heating experiments conducted at high altitudes. In these experiments, heating of the ionospheric F-region with a constant/zero-frequency beam of HF waves causes luminous structures in the ionosphere in the form of a ring or a solid spot with a characteristic size comparable to the size of the heated spot. Simulations suggest that spots/rings or similar optical appearance might be associated with a magnetic field-aligned current system produced by the ionospheric heating. Two of the most interesting features of this current system are (1) strong localization across the ambient magnetic field and (2) distinctive non-symmetrical luminous signatures (ring/spot) in magnetically conjugate locations in the ionosphere.

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.

Ionospheric feedback instability and substorm development

We report on ground magnetic and optical observations performed during an ionospheric heating experiment at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility in Alaska on 29 October 2008. The experiment was aimed at generation of large‐amplitude ULF electromagnetic waves by triggering and facilitating development of the ionospheric feedback instability (IFI) in the region adjacent to a bright auroral arc. In this region the downward/return magnetic field‐aligned current decreases plasma density and enhances the electric field in the ionosphere. A combination of these two effects creates favorable conditions for the instability. The experiment occurred during a period of substorm activity, but effects from the HAARP transmitter were not sufficiently intense to be detected against the background of strong natural oscillations occurring farther north from the HAARP site. Thus the experiment did not provide concrete evidence that heating of the ionosphere with powerful HF transmitters can affect IFI development or generate intense ULF electromagnetic waves. However, during the experiment ground‐based magnetometers in Alaska and Canada detected large‐amplitude ULF waves in regions where the substorm onset auroral arcs interacted with the ionosphere. The frequencies of these waves closely matched frequencies predicted by simulations of IFI for these particular geophysical conditions. These observations support the hypothesis that geomagnetic substorms, the corresponding dynamics of discrete auroral arcs, and the ionospheric feedback instability are closely connected phenomena.

Laboratory studies of spectral features of stimulated electromagnetic emission during the ionospheric heating experiments

We present the results of laboratory studies of the formation of a number of spectral components of stimulated electromagnetic emission, which are related to the excitation of small-scale irregularities in the heated ionosphere. In the laboratory experiment, the small-scale irregularity was formed as a result of thermal self-channeling of short-wavelength quasielectrostatic oscillations in a magnetoplasma. Using the method of probing waves, it is experimentally shown that the trapping and waveguide propagation in a small-scale plasma irregularity are exclusively due to Langmuir waves, whereas the upper-hybrid waves with anomalous dispersion are not trapped into the irregularity. It is found that satellites shifted by about 1–2 MHz from the carrier frequency (700 MHz under the experimental conditions) are formed in the Langmuir wave spectrum during the thermal self-channeling. Two mechanisms of generation of spectral satellites have been detected. The first (dynamic) mechanism is observed during the formation of a small-scale irregularity with rapidly increasing longitudinal size. In this case, one low-frequency satellite is excited in the trapped-wave spectrum. The mechanism of the formation of this satellite is apparently related to the Doppler shift of the frequency of the Langmuir waves trapped inside the irregularity. The second (stationary) mechanism is observed in the case of a developed irregularity where its shape is close to cylindrical. In this regime, the trapped-wave spectrum has two symmetric spectral satellites, namely, high- and low-frequency ones. It may be hypothesized that the generation of these satellites is due to scattering of trapped Langmuir waves from drift oscillations of the irregularity.

Remote Oxygen Sensing by Ionospheric Excitation (ROSIE)

Abstract. The principal optical observable emission resulting from ionospheric modification (IM) experiments is the atomic oxygen red line at 630 nm, originating from the O(1D–3P) transition. Because the O(1D) atom has a long radiative lifetime, it is sensitive to collisional relaxation and an observed decay faster than the radiative rate can be attributed to collisions with atmospheric species. In contrast to the common practice of ignoring O-atoms in interpreting such observations in the past, recent experimental studies on the relaxation of O(1D) by O(3P) have revealed the dominant role of oxygen atoms in controlling the lifetime of O(1D) at altitudes relevant to IM experiments. Using the most up-to-date rate coefficients for collisional relaxation of O(1D) by O, N2, and O2, it is now possible to analyze the red line decays observed in IM experiments and thus probe the local ionospheric composition. In this manner, we can demonstrate an approach to remotely detect O-atoms at the altitudes relevant to IM experiments, which we call remote oxygen sensing by ionospheric excitation (ROSIE). The results can be compared with atmospheric models and used to study the temporal, seasonal, altitude and spatial variation of ionospheric O-atom density in the vicinity of heating facilities. We discuss the relevance to atmospheric observations and ionospheric heating experiments and report an analysis of representative IM data.

Excitation and diagnosis of cascading Langmuir waves in ionospheric plasmas at Gakona, Alaska

Ionospheric plasma heating experiments were conducted at Gakona, Alaska to investigate cascading spectra of Langmuir wave turbulence, excited by parametric instabilities diagnosed by Modular UHF Ionospheric Radar (MUIR). This work is aimed at testing the recent theory of Kuo and Lee (2005 J. Geophys. Res. 110 A01309) that addresses how the cascade of Langmuir waves can distribute spatially via the resonant and non-resonant decay processes. The non-resonant cascade proceeds at the location where parametric decay instability (PDI) or oscillating two-stream instability (OTSI) is excited and severely hampered by the frequency mismatch effect. By contrast, the resonant cascade, which takes place at lower matching heights, has to overcome the propagation loss of the Langmuir pump waves in each cascade step. Our experimental results have corroborated these predictions about the generation of cascading Langmuir waves by the HAARP heater.

Previously unreported optical emissions generated during ionospheric heating

Several radio‐induced optical emissions were generated during an ionospheric heating experiment performed at the High Power Auroral Stimulation (HIPAS) facility near Two Rivers, Alaska. The O+ 732–733 nm and O(3Do) 799.0 nm emissions, previously unreported from ionospheric heating experiments, were detected, in addition to the already documented O(3P) 844.6 nm and O(5P) 777.4 nm emissions. Maximum emission intensity was observed in the magnetic zenith, when the heater was transmitting continuous wave O‐mode, at a frequency of 2.85 MHz. A modified Czerny‐Turner grating spectrometer was used to acquire high resolution optical spectra of the induced emissions, which were synchronized to the heater duty cycle. Candidate mechanisms for the production of the radio‐induced emissions, which occurred before the “double resonance” condition, are presented.

Three-dimensional instability of two nonlinearly coupled electromagnetic waves in a plasma

AbstractThe three-dimensional instability of two coupled electromagnetic waves in an unmagnetized plasma is investigated theoretically and numerically. In the regime of two-plasmon decay, where one pump wave frequency is approximately twice the electron plasma frequency, we find that the coupled pump waves give rise to enhanced instability with wavevectors between those of the two beams. In the case of ion parametric decay instability, where the pump wave decays into one Langmuir wave and one ion acoustic wave, the instability regions are added with no distinct amplification. Our investigation can be useful in interpreting laser-plasma as well as ionospheric heating experiments.

Full‐scale simulation study of the generation of topside ionospheric turbulence using a generalized Zakharov model

We present a full‐scale simulation study of the generation of topside electrostatic turbulence observed near the F region peak during ground based ionospheric heating experiments. The study is performed using a generalized Zakharov model. The nonlinear tunneling of electromagnetic waves through the ionospheric layer is attributed to multiple‐stage parametric decay and mode‐conversion processes. At the bottomside of the F region, electrostatic turbulence excited by the parametric instability results in the conversion of the ordinary (O mode) wave into a large amplitude extraordinary (Z mode) wave propagating through the F peak. At the topside interaction region, the Z mode undergoes parametric decay process that results in the generation of the topside electrostatic turbulence and then conversion process yielding O waves that escape the plasma. This study may explain the observed topside ionospheric turbulence during ground based low duty cycle ionospheric heating experiments where the heater beam is directed far away from the Spitze region.

Nonlinear trapping and self-guiding of magnetized Langmuir waves due to thermal plasma filamentation

Nonlinear interaction of Langmuir waves with a laboratory magnetoplasma has been studied under the conditions relevant to the ionospheric heating experiments. Self-guiding of magnetized Langmuir waves is observed at critical plasma density (ω=ωp): Langmuir waves are trapped inside a narrow, magnetic-field-aligned plasma density depletion region, which is formed by trapped waves due to thermal plasma nonlinearity, i.e., due to local plasma heating and consequent thermodiffusion. Magnetized Langmuir waves are trapped inside the depletion region through their specific dispersion properties; this fact has been shown using the kinetically modified dispersion relation. The threshold of the nonlinear wave trapping exhibits significant growth in the vicinity of harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency.

Laboratory Study of Nonlinear Trapping of Magnetized Langmuir Waves Inside a Density Depletion

The formation of a small-scale plasma density depletion region extended along the ambient magnetic field and caused by the nonlinear interaction of the upper-hybrid plasma waves with a magnetoplasma has been observed under laboratory conditions modeling the ionospheric heating experiments. Plasma waves are trapped inside the depletion due to their specific dispersion properties. The threshold of the nonlinear wave trapping significantly increases in the vicinity of the harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency.

Laboratory modeling of nonlinear trapping of Langmuir waves inside a small-scale magnetoplasma irregularity

Laboratory studies modeling the small-scale plasma filamentation under the conditions relevant to the ionospheric heating experiments are presented. Filamentation is caused by nonlinear interaction of the short-wavelength quasi-electrostatic waves of the Z-mode with the plasma. This interaction occurs due to thermal plasma nonlinearity, i.e. due to local plasma heating and consequent thermodiffusion, which results in the formation of a narrow magnetic-field-aligned density depletion. The quasi-electrostatic plasma waves, in their turn, are trapped inside the depletion due to their specific dispersion properties. Such nonlinear wave trapping have been observed only at the critical plasma density ( ω = ω p). The trapped eigenmode has been associated with magnetized Langmuir waves, whose dispersion properties are analyzed using the kinetically modified plasma dispersion relation. Threshold of the nonlinear wave trapping exhibits significant growth in the vicinity of harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency.

Different kλD regimes for nonlinear effects on Langmuir waves

As Langmuir waves (LWs) are driven to large amplitude in plasma, they are affected by nonlinear mechanisms. A global understanding, based on simulations and experiments, has emerged that identifies various nonlinear regimes depending on the dimensionless parameter kλD, where k is the Langmuir wave number and λD is the electron Debye length. The nonlinear phenomena arise due to wave-wave and wave-particle coupling mechanisms, and this basic separation between fluid-like nonlinearities and kinetic nonlinearities depends on the degree to which electron and ion Landau damping, as well as electron trapping, play a role. Previous ionospheric heating experiments [Cheung et al. Phys. Plasmas 8, 802 (2001)] identified cavitation/collapse and Langmuir decay instability (LDI), predominantly wave-wave mechanisms, to be the principal nonlinear effects for driven LWs with kλD<0.1, in agreement with fluid simulations [DuBois et al. Phys. Plasmas 8, 791 (2001)]. In the present research, collective Thomson scattering measurements of LWs driven by stimulated Raman scattering in laser-plasma experiments are used to study both wave-wave and wave-particle nonlinearities [Kline et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 175003 (2005)]. For kλD<0.29, multiple LWs are detected and are attributed to LDI, a wave-wave nonlinear regime. For kλD>0.29, a single-wave, frequency-broadened spectrum is observed associated with electron trapping, a wave-particle nonlinear regime. The transition from wave-wave to wave-particle nonlinear behavior is qualitatively consistent with particle-in-cell simulations and with the crossing of the LDI threshold above that for LW self-focusing. The fact that LDI is observed in both ionospheric and laser-plasma experiments for similar values of kλD, though vastly differing in plasma conditions and scales, and that simulations predict the various observed nonlinear regimes over a large range of kλD, supports our global view of LW nonlinear behavior.

Generation of energetic electrons at second harmonic cyclotron resonance in ionospheric HF heating experiments

The theory of electron acceleration by upper hybrid waves at second harmonic cyclotron resonance is presented. The results show that the meter‐scale upper hybrid waves can incorporate the finite Larmour radius effect to make a second harmonic cyclotron resonance interaction effective. The finite Larmour radius effect provides a positive feedback to the interaction, thus the energies of the accelerated electrons increase in time exponentially, rather than linearly as in the case of fundamental cyclotron resonance. Consequently, energetic electrons (having energies larger than 10.7 eV) can be generated even at very low upper hybrid wave intensities. The threshold field for parametric excitation of meter‐scale upper hybrid waves by O‐mode HF heating wave is shown to be very low. The theory can be a reasonable basis for explaining the enhancement of airglow at 777.4 nm observed in recent low‐heating‐power experiment at HAARP.