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Heating at 430-MHz in the lower ionosphere at Arecibo

Journal Article · · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)
The 430-MHz radar ar Arecibo has been used both to produce and to measure electron temperature increases in the lower ionosphere. The 430-MHz transmitter produced heating pulses from 0.2 to 6.0 ms in length having a maximum power flux of 12 W/m/sup 2/ at 100 km. For the first time, both the spectrum and the total power of the incoherent scatter signals wee used to measure the electron temperature increases in the 65 to 110-km altitude region. When the measured electron temperature increases are compared to the results of an ohmic heating model, measured increases are found to be significantly smaller than the predicted increases. Possible explanations for this lack of agreement, such as a non-Maxwellian electron temperature distribution or increased electron cooling rates, are discussed.
Research Organization:
Space Physics and Astronomy Department, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77001
OSTI ID:
6573958
Journal Information:
J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 87:A9; ISSN JGREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English