A comparison of EISCAT and Dynasonde measurements of the auroral ionosphere

• Main Authors: Sedgemore, K. J. F., Williams, P. J. S., Jones, G. O. L., Wright, J. W.
• Other Authors: Adran Ffiseg, Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 1996
• Subjects: [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean; Atmosphere; [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences; Tromsø; EISCAT
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00316264; https://hal.science/hal-00316264/document; https://hal.science/hal-00316264/file/angeo-14-1403-1996.pdf

International audience Incoherent-scatter radar and ionospheric sounding are powerful and complementary techniques in the study of the Earth's ionosphere. The work presented here involves the use of the Tromsø Dynasonde as a correlative diagnostic with the EISCAT incoherent-scatter radar. A comparison of electron-density profiles shows how a Dynasonde can be used to calibrate an incoherent-scatter radar and to monitor changes in the system. Skymaps of the direction of Dynasonde echoes are compared with EISCAT-derived density profiles to illustrate how a Dynasonde can be used to measure the drift velocity of auroral features. Vector velocities fitted to Dynasonde echoes are compared with EISCAT-derived plasma velocities. The results show good agreement when the data are taken during quiet to moderately active conditions and averaged over time scales of 30 min or more.