On a threshold electric field associated with the 398-MHz diffuse radar aurora

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · J. Geophys. Res., v. 81, no. 1, pp. 88-96

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA081i001p00088· OSTI ID:4007965

Tsunoda, R T; Presnell, R I

The question of whether auroral echoes are dependent on the ionospheric electric field is studied. This question naturally arises from the concept of a plasma instability as the source mechanism producing the electron density irregularities responsbile for the auroral echoes. Using the data from a backscatter radar located at Homer, Alaska, and the Chatanika incoherent scatter radar in a joint experiment, it is shown that there is a distinct dependence of the occurrence of diffuse auroral echoes on a threshold electric field strength. The threshold value for the 398-MHz radar aurora is shown to be approximately 30 mV/m. When the electric field strength is greater than 30 mV/m, the auroral echo strength is shown to be always positively correlated with the electric field strength, regardless of the mean electron density. On the other hand, the auroral echo strength is not always positively correlated with the electron density. The results are shown to be consistent with the quasi-linear plasma instability theory of Sudan et al.(1973) and Greenwald (1974). (AIP)

• Research Organization: Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, California 94025
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-33-027118
• OSTI ID: 4007965
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res., v. 81, no. 1, pp. 88-96, Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res., v. 81, no. 1, pp. 88-96; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*AURORAE-- ELECTRIC FIELDS
640201* --Physics Research--Atmospheric Physics--Auroral & Ionospheric Phenomena
CORRELATIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
IONOSPHERE
MHZ RANGE 100-1000
N58100* --Physics (Atmospheric)--Auroral & Ionospheric Phenomena
PLASMA INSTABILITY
RADAR
SCATTERING