Backscatter measurements of 11-cm equatorial spread-F irregularities

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL007i010p00848· OSTI ID:7054388

Tsunoda, R T

In the equatorial F-region ionosphere, a turbulent cascade process has been found to exist that extends from irregularity spatial wavelengths longer than tens of kilometers down to wavelengths as short as 36 cm. To investigate the small-scale regime of wavelengths less than 36 cm, an equatorial radar experiment was conducted using a frequency of 1320 MHz that corresponds to an irregularity wavelength of 11 cm. The first observations of radar backscatter from 11-cm field-aligned irregularities (FAI) are described. These measurements extend the spatial wavelength regime of F-region FAI to lengths that approach both electron gyroradius and the Debye length. Agreement of these results with the theory of high-frequency drift waves suggests that these observations may be unique to the equatorial ionosphere. That is, the requirement of low electron densities for which the theroy calls may preclude the existence of 11-cm FAI elsewhere in the F-region ionosphere, except in equatorial plasma bubbles.

• Research Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, California 94025
• OSTI ID: 7054388
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 7:10; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BACKSCATTERING
DRIFT INSTABILITY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUATOR
F REGION
FERMIONS
INSTABILITY
IONOSPHERE
LARMOR RADIUS
LEPTONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA WAVES
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SCATTERING
SPREAD F
TURBULENCE