Characteristics of very large aspect angle E region coherent echoes at 933 MHz, Ann

• Main Authors: B J Jackel, D R Moorcroft, K Schlegel
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1997
• Subjects: Tromsø; EISCAT
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1082.9389; http://www.physics.uwo.ca/%7Edrm/jackel97.pdf

Abstract. The EISCAT UHF radar system was used to study the characteristics of E-region coherent backscatter at very large magnetic aspect angles (5-11°). Data taken using 60 s pulses during elevation scans through horizontally uniform backscatter permitted the use of inversion techniques to determine height profiles of the scattering layer. The layer was always singly peaked, with a mean height of 104 km, and mean thickness (full width at half maximum) of 10 km, both independent of aspect angle. Aspect sensitivities were also estimated, with the Sodankyla¨-Tromsø link observing 5 dB/degree at aspect angles near 5°, decreasing to 3 dB/degree at 10°aspect angle. Observed coherent phase velocities from all three stations were found to be roughly consistent with LOS measurements of a common E-region phase velocity vector. The E-region phase velocity had the same orientation as the F-region ion drift velocity, but was approximately 50% smaller in magnitude. Spectra were narrow with skewness of about #1 (for negative velocities), increasing slightly with aspect angle.