EISCAT as a tristatic auroral radar

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA02p01430· OSTI ID:5832684

Schlegel, K ^[1]; Moorcroft, D R ^[2]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Aeronomie, Katlenburg-Lindau (West Germany)
2. Univ. of Western Ontario, London (Canada)

The authors have used the European Incoherent Scatter radar (EISCAT) in a mode which allows them to use it as a tristatic auroral radar. Observing at an elevation of less than 10{degree} with the Tromsoe beam, they achieved magnetic aspect angles between 4{degree} and 6{degree} at 105 km altitude and recorded coherent echoes simultaneously from all three sites. The backscattered power for these echoes is up to 3 orders of magnitude higher than typical incoherent scatter echoes. Contrary to most existing auroral radars, they can calibrate the coherent echo strength and thus determine absolute values of the coherent backscatter cross section. Moreover, switching the common volume in short time intervals from E to F region heights, permits the determination of the E {times} B drift vector almost simultaneously with the E region coherent scattering measurements. This opens unique possibilities to study the E region plasma instabilities and their driving force. The main aim of this paper is to describe the capabilities of EISCAT as an auroral radar and to present and discuss results in terms of coherent backscatter cross sections, coherent spectra shape, irregularity phase velocities, and aspect angle dependence. In forthcoming papers several of these topics will be explored in more detail.

• OSTI ID: 5832684
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A2; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL ZONES
BACKSCATTERING
CALIBRATION
E REGION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
F REGION
GEOMETRY
INSTABILITY
IONOSPHERE
MATHEMATICS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SCATTERING