A possible identification of very-low-frequency wave-induced precipitation in high-frequency sounding radar measurements

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States)

OSTI ID:5370600

Berkey, F T ^[1]; Jarvis, M J ^[2]

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1. Utah State Univ., Logan (USA)
2. British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge (England)

Active experimentation on very-low-frequency (VLF) wave-particle interactions (Helliwell and Katsufrakis 1979) has been the primary purpose of research at Siple Station and many important new VLF wave phenomena have been discovered as a result of research. While ionospheric precipitation effects due to triggered emissions and whistlers have been observed, precipitation effects directly attributable to the Siple VLF transmitter have not. The range of particle energies expected to be precipitated by the Siple transmitter extends from approximately 300 electronvolts to 20 electronvolts (Helliwell 1983). The high-frequency sounding radar installed at Siple Station can effectively monitor the whole ionosphere from approximately 80 to 500 kilometers, therefore offering the potential for detecting wave-induced precipitation effects over the same range of energies. The mechanism causing particle precipitation in the lower ionosphere is a gyroresonant interaction between radiation belt particles and electromagnetic waves, which results in pitch angle scattering of the energetic particles (Kennel and Petschek 1966). A variety of sources for the electromagnetic waves exists, such as whistlers, triggered VLF emissions, or signals from such manmade sources as VLF transmitters or the 50-60 hertz-frequencies radiated by electric power grids. Energetic electrons precipitated by this mechanism can cause secondary ionization, optical emissions, X-ray bursts, and heating in the ionosphere over the altitude range 80-200 kilometers.

• OSTI ID: 5370600
• Journal Information: Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States), Journal Name: Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States) Vol. 22:5; ISSN 0003-5335; ISSN AJUSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HEATING
INTERACTIONS
IONIZATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IONOSPHERE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
NOISE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DENSITY
RADAR
RADIATION BELTS
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
RANGE FINDERS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SCATTERING
WHISTLERS
X RADIATION