Remote sensing of ionosphere by using ultraviolet and visible emissions

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6267801

Meng, C I; Huffman, R E; Skrivanek, R A; Strickland, D J; Daniell, R E

The ability to remotely sense ionospheric conditions for improved operation of communications and radar systems has been a long term goal of some DOD programs. This capability now appears to be possible through improvements in computer models of the ionosphere and in UV remote-sensing methods. The approach is to use passive ultraviolet optical measurements and in-situ ion-density measurements as inputs to a comprehensive ionospheric model, which will calculate the electron-density measurements as inputs to a comprehensive ionospheric model which will calculate the electron-density profile. A novel feature of this approach is the use of naturally occurring airglow and auroral ultraviolet radiation. This method can be used for the mid-latitude day ionosphere (90 to 800 km) and the night auroral E layer. Eventually, extensions of the technique will cover the night mid-latitude as well. The remote-sensing measurement can also be used to locate regions of ionospheric irregularity, and hence probable phase scintillation, in both equatorial and polar-cap regions and to locate the real-time position of the auroral-oval particle precipitation.

• Research Organization: Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6267801
• Report Number(s): AD-A-181730/3/XAB; AFGL-TR-87-0166
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AIRGLOW
AURORAL OVAL
CHARGED-PARTICLE PRECIPITATION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
E REGION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
EMISSION
ION DENSITY
IONOSPHERE
OPERATION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
POLAR REGIONS
PROBABILITY
RADIATIONS
REMOTE SENSING
SIMULATION
SPECTRA
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE SPECTRA