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An isolated region of energetic electron precipitation observed near local noon in the auroral zone has been investigated using imaging riometer (IRIS) and incoherent-scatter radar (EISCAT) techniques. IRIS revealed that the absorption event was essentially co-rotating with the Earth for about 2 h. The spatial and temporal variations in D-region electron density seen by EISCAT were able to be interpreted within a proper context when compared with the IRIS data. EISCAT detected significant increases in electron density at altitudes as low as 65 km as the event drifted through the radar beam. The altitude distribution of incremental radio absorption revealed that more than half of the absorption occurred below 75 km, with a maximum of 67 km. The energy spectrum of the precipitating electrons was highly uniform throughout the event, and could be described analytically by the sum of three exponential distributions with characteristic energies of 6, 70 and 250 keV. A profile of effective recombination coefficient that resulted in self-consistent agreement between observed electron desities and those inferred from an inversion procedure has been deduced. The observations suggest a co-rotating magnetospheric source region on closed dayside field lines. However, a mechanism is required that can sustain such hard precipitation for the relatively long duration of the event.
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We briefly overview the radar observations that have been made for 30 years at Syowa Station, Antarctica for studying small-scale electron-density irregularities in the southern high-latitude <i>E</i>- and <i>F</i>-region ionosphere. Some observational results (i.e., long-term variations of radio aurora, Doppler spectra with narrow spectral widths and low Doppler velocities, and simultaneous observations of radar and optical auroras) from VHF radars capable of detecting 1.3- to 3-m scale irregularities are presented. A new 50-MHz radar system equipped with phased-antenna arrays began operation in February 1995 to observe two-dimensional behaviours of <i>E</i>-region irregularities. An HF radar experiment also began in February 1995 to explore decameter-scale <i>E</i>- and <i>F</i>-region irregularities in the auroral zone and polar cap. These two radars will contribute to a better understanding of the ionospheric irregularities and ionospheric physics at southern high latitudes.
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Observations from the special UK EISCAT program UFIS are presented. UFIS is a joint UHF-VHF experiment, designed to make simultaneous measurements of enhanced vertical plasma flows in the F-region and topside ionospheres. Three distinct intervals of upward ion flow were observed. During the first event, upward ion fluxes in excess of 10<sup>13</sup> m<sup>–2</sup> s<sup>–1</sup> were detected, with vertical ion velocities reaching 300 m s<sup>–1</sup> at 800 km. The upflow was associated with the passage of an auroral arc through the radar field of view. In the F-region, an enhanced and sheared convection electric field on the leading edge of the arc resulted in heating of the ions, whilst at higher altitudes, above the precipitation region, strongly enhanced electron temperatures were observed; such features are commonly associated with the generation of plasma upflows. These observations demonstrate some of the acceleration mechanisms which can exist within the small-scale structure of an auroral arc. A later upflow event was associated with enhanced electron temperatures and only a moderate convection electric field, with no indication of significantly elevated ion tem- peratures. There was again some evidence of F-region particle precipitation at the time of the upflow, which exhibited vertical ion velocities of similar magnitude to the earlier upflow, suggesting that the behaviour of the electrons might be the dominant factor in this type of event. A third upflow was detected at altitudes above the observing range of the UHF radar, but which was evident in the VHF data from 600 km upwards. Smaller vertical velocities were observed in this event, which was apparently uncorrelated with any features observed at lower altitudes. Limitations imposed by the experimental conditions inhibit the interpretation of this event, although the upflow was again likely related to topside plasma heating.
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The aim of this paper is to show the gain of the global fit procedure compared to the classical gate-by-gate analysis in the simultaneous determination of the temperatures and composition profiles in the lower F region. A method for the evaluation of the transition altitude and the width of the transition region between molecular and atomic ions is described in the case of the EISCAT CP1 experiment; it is validated using a simulated experiment. It is shown that alternating-code gates have to be processed together with the long-pulse gates. Our new method is applied on six days of actual data. The results obtained during quiet periods are compared with independent estimations.
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We present results of the first plasma-line measurement of the incoherent spectrum using the alternating-code technique with the EISCAT VHF radar. This technique, which has earlier mostly been used to measure high-resolution E-region ion-line spectra, turned out to be a very good alternative to other techniques for plasma-line measurements. The experiment provides simultaneous measurement of the ion line and downshifted and upshifted plasma-line spectra with an altitude resolution of 3 km and a temporal resolution of 10 s. The measurements are taken around the peak of the F region, but not necessarily at the peak itself, as is the case with the long-pulse technique. The condition for success is that the scale height should be large enough such that the backscattered signal from the range extent of one gate falls inside the receiver filter. The data are analysed and the results are combined with the results of the ion-line data analysis to estimate electron mean drift velocity and thereafter electric currents along the line of sight of the radar using both the standard dispersion relation assuming a Maxwellian electron velocity distribution and the more recent model including a heat-flow correction term.
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During a run of the Common Programme Three of the EISCAT radar the splitting of an auroral arc was observed by high time-resolution, ground-based cameras when the UHF radar beam was close to the arc. The evening eastward electrojet situation with a large-scale northward ionospheric electric field was disturbed by the intrusion of a convection channel with southward electric field from the east. The interaction of the new convection channel with the auroral arc caused changes in arc brightness and arc splitting, i.e. the creation of a new arc parallel to the pre-existing auroral arc. The event is described as one possibility for the creation of parallel arcs during slightly disturbed magnetic conditions far from the Harang discontinuity.
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Detailed model calculations of auroral secondary and photoelectron distributions for varying conditions have been used to calculate the theoretical enhancement of incoherent scatter plasma lines. These calculations are compared with EISCAT UHF radar measurements of enhanced plasma lines from both the E and F regions, and published EISCAT VHF radar measurements. The agreement between the calculated and observed plasma line enhancements is good. The enhancement from the superthermal distribution can explain even the very strong enhancements observed in the auroral E region during aurora, as previously shown by Kirkwood <i>et al.</i> The model calculations are used to predict the range of conditions when enhanced plasma lines will be seen with the existing high-latitude incoherent scatter radars, including the new EISCAT Svalbard radar. It is found that the detailed structure, i.e. the gradients in the suprathermal distribution, are most important for the plasma line enhancement. The level of superthermal flux affects the enhancement only in the region of low phase energy where the number of thermal electrons is comparable to the number of suprathermal electrons and in the region of high phase energy where the suprathermal fluxes fall to such low levels that their effect becomes small compared to the collision term. To facilitate the use of the predictions for the different radars, the expected signal- to-noise ratios (SNRs) for typical plasma line enhancements have been calculated. It is found that the high-frequency radars (Søndre Strømfjord, EISCAT UHF) should observe the highest SNR, but only for rather high plasma frequencies. The VHF radars (EISCAT VHF and Svalbard) will detect enhanced plasma lines over a wider range of frequencies, but with lower SNR.
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Simultaneous observations of polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE) have been carried out during summer 1994 in northern Norway using three radars on different frequencies: the ALOMAR SOUSY radar at Andenes on 53.5 MHz, the EISCAT VHF radar at Tromsø on 224 MHz and the MF radar at Tromsø on 2.78 MHz. During the common measuring period in July/August 1994, PMSE could be detected at 224 and 53.5 MHz, and there are strong hints that PMSE also occur at 2.78 MHz. Reliable correlations between hourly backscattered power values indicate that the PMSE structures have zonal extensions of more than 130 km and can be detected at very different scales (half wavelength) between 0.67 (EISCAT VHF radar) and 54 m (MF radar). Using the wind values derived by the MF radar it can be shown that the mesospheric wind field influences the structure of PMSE. The diurnal variation of PMSE is strongly connected with tidal-wind components, whereas spatial differences of PMSE can partly be explained by the mean wind field.
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Several authors have published models of auroral conductances in the past. Some of them are based on theoretical approaches; others are the result of observations. The data bases for the latter models range from 8 h to 3 years of experiments. In this paper, we show the results of our own modeling, based on a coupled ki- netic/fluid approach. We compare these results to the sta- tistical model based on 3 years of experiment. We then model the auroral ionospheric conductances above EISCAT and the EISCAT-Svalbard Radar for different solar-activity indices. These modeled conductances are fitted with a simple law depending on the f<sub>10.7</sub> index and on the solar zenith angle.
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In this paper we summarize the theory behind full-profile analysis of IS measurements and report first practical experiences with the GUISDAP (Grand Unified Incoherent Scatter Design and Analysis Package) system designed to perform full-profile analysis of any IS measurements efficiently. By fitting whole plasma parameter profiles over the ionosphere, instead of point values of the parameters supposed to be approximately constant over small range intervals, full-profile analysis is free of underlying assumptions about the slow variation of the plasma parameters as a function of range. We define full-profile analysis as a mathematical inversion problem formalism and explain how it differs from the traditional gated analysis. Moreover, we study the bias introduced to traditional analysis results using realistic model ionospheres. By applying the full-profile method to data generated from the model ionospheres, we demonstrate that full-profile analysis is free from this kind of bias. Lastly, an example of analysis of real data by full-profile and gated analyses is shown.
