Drift motions of small-scale irregularities in the high-latitude F region: An experimental comparison with plasma drift motions

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA05p04553· OSTI ID:5398754

Ruohoniemi, J M; Greenwald, R A; Baker, K B; Villain, J P ^[1]; McCready, M A ^[2]

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1. Johns Hopkins Univ., Laurel, MD (United States)
2. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

On the evening of January 6, 1986, coordinated observations were carried out with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory HF coherent scatter radar at Goose Bay, Labrador, and the SRI International incoherent scatter radar at Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland. The common field of view comprised a section of high-latitude F region ionosphere centered on the great circle plane between the radar sites. Over a 40-min period, the HF radar observed strong backscatter from small-scale (13.9 m) field-aligned irregularities. The bulk line-of-sight drift velocity of the irregularities is deduced from the backscatter data. The returns collected simultaneously with the incoherent scatter radar are processed for estimates of the mean line-of-sight ion velocity. Approximately 100 distinct comparisons are possible between the two sets of velocity estimates. Reversals exceeding 1,000 m/s are present in both. In this paper, the authors demonstrate a correspondence between the measured irregularity and ion drifts that is consistent with the supposition that the motion of the irregularities is dominated by convective drift of the ambient plasma. This indicates that the small-scale irregularities detected by HF radars in the high-latitude F region can serve as tracers of ionospheric convective drift.

• OSTI ID: 5398754
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 92:A5; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BACKSCATTERING
CONVECTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY TRANSFER
F REGION
HEAT TRANSFER
ION DRIFT
IONOSPHERE
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DRIFT
RADAR
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
RANGE FINDERS
SCATTERING
SHORT WAVE RADIATION
VELOCITY
WAVE PROPAGATION