Excitation of whistler mode signals via injection of polarized VLF waves with the Siple transmitter

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Radio Science; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91RS02457· OSTI ID:5399263

Mielke, T A; Elkins, C J; Helliwell, R A; Inan, U S ^[1]

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1. Stanford University, CA (United States)

Whistler mode waves of various polarizations were transmitted by the Siple Station, Antarctica, VLF transmitter and received near the geomagnetic conjugate point at Lake Mistissini, Quebec. Crossed 21-km horizontal dipole antennas on top of the 2-km-thick ice sheet were used to transmit 2- to 4-kHz waves alternately with right-hand circular, left-hand circular, and linear polarizations. Excitation of a multiplicity of magnetospheric propagation paths and the received signal strength were observed to depend on the transmitter antenna polarization. Where whistler mode growth and emission triggering occurred, saturated peak values of received signals were independent of antenna polarization and initial injected power levels, in agreement with previous findings. Propagation paths of ducted Siple signals observed at Lake Mistissini were identified with propagation paths deduced from natural whistlers, from which the L shell values and equatorial number densities for the paths were calculated. A combination of L shell data and models of antenna coupling into the whistler mode may aid in the location of ducts. Dynamics Explorer I satellite recordings of unducted Siple signals showed trends similar to the ground data on ducted signals. The observations are discussed in the context of a simplified model of the coupling from the Siple antenna into the ionosphere, which provides reasonable agreement with observations. 14 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5399263
• Journal Information: Radio Science; (United States), Journal Name: Radio Science; (United States) Vol. 27; ISSN RASCA; ISSN 0048-6604
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANTENNAS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NOISE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
POLARIZATION
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
WAVE PROPAGATION
WHISTLERS