Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes Research Articles

PMSE strength during enhanced D region electron densities: Faraday rotation and absorption effects at VHF frequencies

In this paper we study the effects of absorption and Faraday rotation on measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE). We found that such effects can produce significant reduction of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) when the D region electron densities (Ne) are enhanced, and VHF radar systems with linearly polarized antennas are used. In particular we study the expected effects during the strong solar proton event (SPE) of July 2000, also known as the Bastille day flare event. During this event, a strong anti-correlation between the PMSE SNR and the D-region Ne was found over three VHF radar sites at high latitudes: Andøya, Kiruna, and Svalbard. This anti-correlation has been explained (a) in terms of transport effects due to strong electric fields associated to the SPE and (b) due to a limited amount of aerosol particles as compared to the amount of D-region electrons. Our calculations using the Ne profiles used by previous researchers explain most, if not all, of the observed SNR reduction in both time (around the SPE peak) and altitude. This systematic effect, particularly the Faraday rotation, should be recognized and tested, and possibly avoided (e.g., using circular polarization), in future observations during the incoming solar maximum period, to contribute to the understanding of PMSE during enhanced D region Ne.

Occurrence frequencies of polar mesosphere summer echoes observed at 69° N during a full solar cycle

Abstract. Polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE) are strong enhancements of received signal power at very high radar frequencies occurring at altitudes between about 80 and 95 km at polar latitudes during summer. PMSE are caused by inhomogeneities in the electron density of the radar Bragg scale within the plasma of the cold summer mesopause region in the presence of negatively charged ice particles. Thus the occurrence of PMSE contains information about mesospheric temperature and water vapour content but also depends on the ionisation due to solar wave radiation and precipitating high energetic particles. Continuous and homogeneous observations of PMSE have been done on the North-Norwegian island Andøya (69.3° N, 16.0° E) from 1999 until 2008 using the ALWIN VHF radar at 53.5 MHz. In 2009 the Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Kühlungsborn, Germany (IAP) started the installation of the Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System (MAARSY) at the same location. The observation of mesospheric echoes could be continued in spring 2010 starting with an initial stage of expansion of MAARSY and is carried out with the completed installation of the radar since May 2011. Since both the ALWIN radar and MAARSY are calibrated, the received echo strength of PMSE from 14 yr of mesospheric observations could be converted to absolute signal power. Occurrence frequencies based on different common thresholds of PMSE echo strength were used for investigations of the solar and geomagnetic control of the PMSE as well as of possible long-term changes. The PMSE are positively correlated with the solar Lyman α radiation and the geomagnetic activity. The occurrence frequencies of the PMSE show slightly positive trends but with marginal significance levels.

Response of polar mesosphere summer echoes to geomagnetic disturbances in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres: the importance of nitric oxide

Abstract. The relationship between polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE) and geomagnetic disturbances (represented by magnetic K indices) is examined. Calibrated PMSE reflectivities for the period May 2006–February 2012 are used from two 52.0/54.5 MHz radars located in Arctic Sweden (68° N, geomagnetic latitude 65°) and at two different sites in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica (73°/72° S, geomagnetic latitudes 62°/63°). In both the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and the Southern Hemisphere (SH) there is a strong increase in mean PMSE reflectivity between quiet and disturbed geomagnetic conditions. Mean volume reflectivities are slightly lower at the SH locations compared to the NH, but the position of the peak in the lognormal distribution of PMSE reflectivities is close to the same at both NH and SH locations, and varies only slightly with magnetic disturbance level. Differences between the sites, and between geomagnetic disturbance levels, are primarily due to differences in the high-reflectivity tail of the distribution. PMSE occurrence rates are essentially the same at both NH and SH locations during most of the PMSE season when a sufficiently low detection threshold is used so that the peak in the lognormal distribution is included. When the local-time dependence of the PMSE response to geomagnetic disturbance level is considered, the response in the NH is found to be immediate at most local times, but delayed by several hours in the afternoon sector and absent in the early evening. At the SH sites, at lower magnetic latitude, there is a delayed response (by several hours) at almost all local times. At the NH (auroral zone) site, the dependence on magnetic disturbance is highest during evening-to-morning hours. At the SH (sub-auroral) sites the response to magnetic disturbance is weaker but persists throughout the day. While the immediate response to magnetic activity can be qualitatively explained by changes in electron density resulting from energetic particle precipitation, the delayed response can largely be explained by changes in nitric oxide concentrations. Observations of nitric oxide concentration at PMSE heights by the Odin satellite support this hypothesis. Sensitivity to geomagnetic disturbances, including nitric oxide produced during these disturbances, can explain previously reported differences between sites in the auroral zone and those at higher or lower magnetic latitudes. The several-day lifetime of nitric oxide can also explain earlier reported discrepancies between high correlations for average conditions (year-by-year PMSE reflectivities and K indices) and low correlations for minute-to-day timescales.

Dusty plasma processes in Earth's polar summer mesosphere

AbstractA self-consistent model for the description of dusty plasma structures, such as noctilucent clouds (NLC) and polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE), which are frequently grouped together under the common term polar mesospheric clouds, is presented. The model takes into account the processes of condensation of water vapor, ionization, recombination, action of solar radiation, sedimentation, dust particle growth, dust particle charging, electric fields, etc. Using the model, we explain the basic data of observations on the behavior of charged component in polar summer mesosphere. Furthermore, we show the influence of initial distributions of fine particles as well as that of the processes of condensation and water molecule absorption by fine particles on the formation of NLC and PMSE. We also illustrate the possibility of the formation of layered structure and sharp boundaries of NLC.

On the signature of positively charged dust particles on plasma irregularities in the mesosphere

Recent rocket payloads have studied the properties of aerosol particles within the ambient plasma environment in the polar mesopause region and measured the signature of the positively charged particles with number densities of (2000cm−3) for particles of 0.5–1nm in radius. The measurement of significant numbers of positively charged aerosol particles is unexpected from the standard theory of aerosol charging in plasma. Nucleation on the cluster ions is one of the most probable hypotheses for the positive charge on the smallest particles. This work attempts to study the correlation and anti-correlation of fluctuations in the electron and ion densities in the background plasma by adopting the proposed hypothesis of positive dust particle formation. The utility being that it may provide a test for determining the presence of positive dust particles. The results of the model described show good agreement with observed rocket data. As an application, the model is also applied to investigate the electron irregularity behavior during radiowave heating assuming the presence of positive dust particles. It is shown that the positive dust produces important changes in the behavior during Polar Mesospheric Summer Echo PMSE heating experiments that can be described by the fluctuation correlation and anti-correlation properties.

Horizontally resolved structures of radar backscatter from polar mesospheric layers

Abstract. The Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Kühlungsborn, Germany (IAP) installed a new powerful VHF radar on the North-Norwegian island Andøya (69.30° N, 16.04° E) from 2009 to 2011. The new Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System (MAARSY) replaces the existing ALWIN radar which has been in continuous operation on Andøya for more than 10 yr. MAARSY is a monostatic radar operated at 53.5 MHz with an active phased array antenna consisting of 433 Yagi antennas each connected to its own transceiver with independent control of frequency, phase and power of the transmitted signal. This arrangement provides a very high flexibility of beam forming and beam steering. It allows classical beam swinging operation as well as experiments with simultaneous multiple beams and the use of modern interferometric applications for improved studies of the Arctic atmosphere from the troposphere up to the lower thermosphere with high spatial-temporal resolution. The installation of the antenna was completed in August 2009. An initial expansion stage of 196 transceiver modules was installed in spring 2010, upgraded to 343 transceiver modules in December 2010 and the installation of the radar was completed in spring 2011. Beside standard observations of tropospheric winds and Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes, multi-beam experiments using up to 91 beams quasi-simultaneously in the mesosphere have been carried out using the different expansion stages of the system during campaigns in 2010 and 2011. These results provided a first insight into the horizontal variability of Polar Mesosphere Summer and Winter Echoes in an area of about 80 km by 80 km with time resolutions between 3 and 9 min.

MAARSY – the new MST radar on Andøya: first results of spaced antenna and Doppler measurements of atmospheric winds in the troposphere and mesosphere using a partial array

Abstract. MST radars have been used to study the troposphere, stratosphere and mesosphere over decades. These radars have proven to be a valuable tool to investigate atmospheric dynamics. MAARSY, the new MST radar at the island of Andøya uses a phased array antenna and is able to perform spaced antenna and Doppler measurements at the same time with high temporal and spatial resolution. Here we present first wind observations using the initial expansion stage during summer 2010. The tropospheric spaced antenna and Doppler beam swinging experiments are compared to radiosonde measurements, which were launched at the nearby Andøya Rocket Range (ARR). The mesospheric wind observations are evaluated versus common volume meteor radar wind measurements. The beam steering capabilities of MAARSY are demonstrated by performing systematic scans of polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) using 25 and 91 beam directions. These wind observations permit to evaluate the new radar against independent measurements from radiosondes and meteor radar measurements to demonstrate its capabilities to provide reliable wind data from the troposphere up to the mesosphere.

Wave influence on polar mesosphere summer echoes above Wasa: experimental and model studies

Abstract. Comprehensive analysis of the wave activity in the Antarctic summer mesopause is performed using polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) measurements for December 2010–January 2011. The 2-day planetary wave is a statistically significant periodic oscillation in the power spectrum density of PMSE power. The strongest periodic oscillation in the power spectrum belongs to the diurnal solar tide; the semi-diurnal solar tide is found to be a highly significant harmonic oscillation as well. The inertial-gravity waves are extensively studied by means of PMSE power and wind components. The strongest gravity waves are observed at periods of about 1, 1.4, 2.5 and 4 h, with characteristic horizontal wavelengths of 28, 36, 157 and 252 km, respectively. The gravity waves propagate approximately in the west-east direction over Wasa (Antarctica). A detailed comparison between theoretical and experimental volume reflectivity of PMSE, measured at Wasa, is made. It is demonstrated that a new expression for PMSE reflectivity derived by Varney et al. (2011) is able to adequately describe PMSE profiles both in the magnitude and in height variations. The best agreement, within 30%, is achieved when mean values of neutral atmospheric parameters are utilized. The largest contribution to the formation and variability of the PMSE layer is explained by the ice number density and its height gradient, followed by wave-induced perturbations in buoyancy period and the turbulent energy dissipation rate.

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.

Aspect sensitivity of polar mesosphere summer echoes based on ESRAD MST radar measurements in Kiruna, Sweden in 1997–2010

Abstract. Aspect sensitivities of polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE) measured with the ESRAD 50 MHz radar in 1997–2010 are studied using the full correlation analysis technique. Half of PMSE detected each year are found to be highly aspect sensitive. Yearly median values of the aspect sensitivity parameter θs, characterising the half-width of the scatterers' polar diagram, are 2.9–3.7° depending on the year. The other half of the PMSE have θs values larger than 9–11° and cannot be evaluated using the ESRAD vertical beam only. PMSE aspect sensitivity reveals an altitude dependence, namely, the scatter becomes more isotropic with increasing height. This result is consistent with that reported in other studies. No dependence of PMSE aspect sensitivity on backscattered power for any year was identified. In the paper the limitations of the in-beam and off-vertical beam methods for estimation of PMSE aspect sensitivity are discussed. We conclude that both methods should be combined in order to get complete information about PMSE aspect sensitivity and to estimate correctly PMSE absolute strength.

Non-equilibrium modeling of the PMSE Overshoot Effect revisited: A comprehensive study

AbstractNumerical investigations of the Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) Overshoot Effect have to date been undertaken under the premise of plasma neutrality and current equilibrium at any time. We find it necessary to revisit the calculations without these restrictions, since electrons and ions are attached to and absorbed by mesospheric dust particles at vastly different rates under PMSE conditions. We find that differences to earlier modeling might be so significant as to warrant further investigation. Furthermore, we conduct comprehensive studies of the PMSE Overshoot Effect and put the results in the context of experimental realities.

MAARSY: The new MST radar on Andøya—System description and first results

The Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System (MAARSY) on the North‐Norwegian island Andøya is a 53.5 MHz monostatic radar with an active phased array antenna consisting of 433 Yagi antennas. The 3‐element Yagi antennas are arranged in an equilateral triangle grid forming a circular aperture of approximately 6300 m2. Each individual antenna is connected to its own transceiver with independent phase control and a scalable power output up to 2 kW. This arrangement provides a very high flexibility of beam forming and beam steering with a symmetric radar beam of a minimum beam width of 3.6° allowing classical beam swinging operation as well as experiments with simultaneous multiple beams and the use of interferometric applications for improved studies of the Arctic atmosphere from the troposphere up to the lower thermosphere with high spatio‐temporal resolution. The installation of the antenna array was completed in August 2009. The radar control and data acquisition hardware as well as an initial expansion stage of 196 transceiver modules was installed in spring 2010 and upgraded to 343 transceiver modules in November 2010. The final extension to 433 transceiver modules has recently been completed in May 2011. Beside standard observations of tropospheric winds and Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes, the first multi‐beam experiments using up to 97 quasi‐simultaneous beams in the mesosphere have been carried out in 2010 and 2011. These results provide a first insight into the horizontal variability of polar mesosphere summer and winter echoes with time resolutions between 3 and 9 minutes. In addition, first meteor head echo observations were conducted during the Geminid meteor shower in December 2010.

On the necessary complexity of modeling of the Polar Mesosphere Summer Echo Overshoot Effect

AbstractRecent numerical studies of the Polar Mesosphere Summer Echo (PMSE) Overshoot Effect predict the basic shape of the Overshoot Characteristic Curve (OCC) to undergo dramatic changes as the frequency of the radar decreases. Principally, this may render earlier modeling, which assumed near-instantaneous diffusion of electrons and ions, moot and exacerbate algebraic analysis of OCC obtained in the future with, e.g. the MORRO-radar (56 MHz) and a synchronized radio wave emitter, both at or near the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Scientific Association's site in Ramfjordmoen near Tromsø, Norway. Since, however, by far the most observational results on the PMSE Overshoot Effect have been assembled with the help of the Very High Frequency (VHF, 224 MHz) radar and the an Ultra High Frequency (UHF, 929 MHz) radar, both at the EISCAT site, we examine more closely whether near-instantaneous diffusion is a valid assumption for these particular frequencies. We show that, indeed, the earlier less complex and analytically more accessible model can still be considered sufficient for most, if not all, existing experimental data.

Dusty space plasma diagnosis using temporal behavior of polar mesospheric summer echoes during active modification

Abstract. The objective of this paper is to study the effect of different plasma and dust parameters on Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes (PMSE) temporal behavior after turn-on and turn-off of radio wave heating and to use these responses to diagnose the properties of the dust layer. The threshold radar frequency and dust parameters for the enhancement or suppression of radar echoes after radio wave heating turn-on are investigated for measured mesospheric plasma parameters. The effect of parameters such as the electron temperature enhancement during heating, dust density, dust charge polarity, ion-neutral collision frequency, electron density and dust radius on the temporal evolution of electron irregularities associated with PMSE are investigated. The possible diagnostic information for various charged dust and background plasma quantities using the temporal behavior of backscattered radar power in active experiments is discussed. The computational results are used to make predictions for PMSE active modification experiments at 7.9, 56, 139, 224 and 930 MHz corresponding to existing radar facilities. Data from a 2009 VHF (224 MHz) experiment at EISCAT is compared with the computational model to obtain dust parameters in the PMSE.

Evolution of Small Scale Density Perturbations of Plasma and Charged Aerosol Particles in Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes (PMSE) Layers

Time evolution of ionospheric D-region plasmas including the perturbations of electrons and charged aerosol particles is investigated under the conditions of polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE). It is shown that the time scale of decay of the electron density is in the order of an hour under typical PMSE conditions, in the majority of cases, the electron density is anticor-related to the ion density, except that the radius of aerosol particles is greater than 50 nm. Also, the evolutions under varied parameters, such as the amplitude and width of perturbation, the aerosol particle radius, and the altitude of the PMSE occurrence are investigated. The obtained results are useful for interpreting the experimental observations.

Kinetics of polar mesospheric plasma layers: Comparison of theoretical results with observations

This paper presents an analytical model for the physical understanding of the charge distribution on ice dust particles in plasma layers of polar mesospheric clouds PMCs (Noctilucent clouds and polar mesospheric summer echoes). For the case of pure ice dust (with high work function), the charging of the particles occurs only because of the accretion of electronic and ionic species on the surface of ice grains. The analysis is based on the number and energy balance of constituents and allows the charge to be only an integral multiple (positive or negative) of the electronic charge. Amongst other interesting results, the theory explains the observed charge distribution on pure ice particles and corresponding reduction of electron density (viz., Bite out) in the PMCs.

Processes accompanying the charging of dust grains in the ionospheric plasma

The influence of the neutral component of the dusty ionospheric plasma on the process of dust grain charging is analyzed. Microscopic ion fluxes onto a dust grain are calculated with allowance for the interaction with the neutral components of the ionospheric plasma for both negatively and positively charged dust grains. For the latter case, which takes place in the presence of intense UV or X-ray solar radiation, the electron heating caused by the photoelectric effect is also investigated. It is found that the efficiency of electron heating depends on the density of neutral particles. The altitudes at which these effects appreciably influence the charging of different types of nano- and microscale dust grains are determined. It is shown that these effects should be taken into account in describing noctilucent clouds, polar mesosphere summer echoes, and physical phenomena involving grains of meteoric origin.

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Between a few tons to several hundred tons of meteoric material enters the Earth׳s atmosphere each day, and most of this material is ablated and vaporized in the 70–120 km altitude region. The subsequent chemical conversion, re-condensation and coagulation of this evaporated material are thought to form nanometre sized meteoric smoke particles (MSPs). These smoke particles are then subject to further coagulation, sedimentation and global transport by the mesospheric circulation. MSPs have been proposed as a key player in the formation and evolution of ice particle layers around the mesopause region, i.e. noctilucent clouds (NLC) and polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE). MSPs have also been implicated in mesospheric heterogeneous chemistry to influence the mesospheric odd oxygen/odd hydrogen (Ox/HOx) chemistry, to play an important role in the mesospheric charge balance, and to be a significant component of stratospheric aerosol and enhance the depletion of O3.Despite their apparent importance, little is known about the properties of MSPs and none of the hypotheses can be verified without direct evidence of the existence, altitude and size distribution, shape and elemental composition. The aim of the MAGIC project (Mesospheric Aerosol – Genesis, Interaction and Composition) was to develop an instrument and analysis techniques to sample for the first time MSPs in the mesosphere and return them to the ground for detailed analysis in the laboratory. MAGIC meteoric smoke particle samplers have been flown on several sounding rocket payloads between 2005 and 2011. Several of these flights concerned non-summer mesosphere conditions when pure MSP populations can be expected. Other flights concerned high latitude summer conditions when MSPs are expected to be contained in ice particles in the upper mesosphere. In this paper we present the MAGIC project and describe the MAGIC MSP sampler, the measurement procedure and laboratory analysis. We also present the attempts to retrieve MSPs from these flights, the challenges inherent to the sampling of nanometre sized particles and the subsequent analysis of the sampled material, and thoughts for the future. Despite substantial experimental efforts, the MAGIC project has so far failed to provide conclusive results. While particles with elemental composition similar to what is to be expected from MSPs have been found, the analysis has been compromised by challenges with different types of contamination and uncertainties in the sticking efficiency of the particles on the sampling surfaces.

A statistical study of meteoroid fragmentation and differential ablation using the Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar

[1] There has been much interest in the meteor physics community recently regarding the detailed processes by which the meteoroid mass flux arrives in the upper atmosphere. Of particular interest are the relative roles of simple ablation, differential ablation, and fragmentation in interpretation of the meteor events observed by the high-power large-aperture (HPLA) radars. An understanding of the relative roles of these mechanisms is necessary to determine whether the considerable meteor mass flux arriving in the upper atmosphere arrives mostly in nanometer dust/smoke (via fragmentation) or atomic form (via ablation), which in turn has important consequences in understanding not only the aeronomy of the region but also the formation and evolution of various upper atmospheric phenomenon such as Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes. Using meteor observations from the newly operational Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR), we present the first statistical study showing the relative contribution of these mechanisms. We find that RISR head echoes exhibited ∼48% fragmentation, ∼32% simple ablation, and ∼20% differential ablation. We also report existence of compound meteor events exhibiting signatures of more than one mass loss mechanism. These results emphasize that the processes by which the meteoroid mass is deposited into the upper atmosphere are complex and involve all three mechanisms described here. This conclusion is unlike the previously reported results that stress the importance of one or the other of these mechanisms. These results will also contribute in improving current meteoroid disintegration/ablation models.

Polar mesosphere summer echo strength in relation to solar variability and geomagnetic activity during 1997–2009

Abstract. This paper is based on measurements of Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) with the 52 MHz radar ESRAD, located near Kiruna, in Northern Sweden, during the summers of 1997–2009. Here, a new independent calibration method allowing estimation of possible changes in antenna feed losses and transmitter output is described and implemented for accurate calculation of year-to-year variations of PMSE strength (expressed in absolute units – radar volume reflectivity η). The method is based on radar-radiosonde comparisons in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere region simultaneously with PMSE observations. Inter-annual variations of PMSE volume reflectivity are found to be strongly positively correlated with the local geomagnetic K-index, both when averaged over all times of the day, and when considering 3-h UT intervals separately. Increased electron density due to energetic particle precipitation from the magnetosphere is suggested as one of the possible reasons for such a correlation. Enhanced ionospheric electric field may be another reason but this requires further study. Multi-regression analysis of inter-annual variations of PMSE η shows also an anti-correlation with solar 10.7 cm flux and the absence of any statistically significant trend in PMSE strength over the interval considered (13-years). Variations related to solar flux and K-index account for 86% of the year-to-year variations in radar volume reflectivity.