Incoherent Scatter Verification of DMSP Observations.

The transfer of electromagnetic energy to heat, i.e., Joule heating, in the ionospheric gas is often the most dominant energy source for the polar regions. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) has demonstrated that the Joule heating rate in the high-latitude ionosphere can be estimate...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Thayer, Jeffrey P.
Other Authors: SRI INTERNATIONAL MENLO PARK CA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1995
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA305873
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA305873
Description
Summary:The transfer of electromagnetic energy to heat, i.e., Joule heating, in the ionospheric gas is often the most dominant energy source for the polar regions. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) has demonstrated that the Joule heating rate in the high-latitude ionosphere can be estimated with measurements of the perturbation magnetic field and precipitating particle population. These estimates of the Joule heating rate are subject to a number of assumptions and empirical formalisms that require validation. The NSF incoherent scatter radar located at Sondrestrom, Greenland, can measure the plasma parameters of interest and is at a latitude well suited for coincident measurements with DMSP. Recent radar improvements in altitude resolution and signal statistics in the E region has permitted the Joule heating rate to be more accurately determined than ever before. Also, the manner in which the Joule heating rate is now being calculated parallels that of DMSP allowing a more direct means of testing assumptions and comparing results. Here, we summarize the progress made over the program year and detail the observational program for conjunctions with the F12 and F13 DMSP satellites and the radar.