Radar observations of structured plasma in high-latitude F region. Final report, 14 January 1980 - 31 March 1981

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5475787

Vickrey, J F

Coordinated measuremens between the Chatanika radar and the TRIAD satellite were investigated and the production mechanisms responsible for localized high latitude scintillation was examined. The radar measured that latitudinal variations of plasma density and electric field while the satellite measured the latitudinal variation of field aligned current. Field aligned ionization enhancements or plasma blobs with steep poleward and equatorward edges were a common feature of the midnight sector auroral F-region. The plasma blobs are unstable to the current convective instability with growth rate of several millihertz. Field aligned currents have a further destabilizing influence. The presence of plasma density irregularities associated with the blobs were verified by observing scintillation on the TRIAD satellite telemetry signal at 150 MHz. The F-region irregularities exist despite the presence of a highly conducting auroral E-region to which the F-region plasma is connected by the geomagnetic field lines.

• Research Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5475787
• Report Number(s): AD-A-103110
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
F REGION
IONOSPHERE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DENSITY
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
STABILITY
WAVE PROPAGATION