Advanced SuperDARN meteor wind observations based on raw time series analysis technique

• Published in: Radio Science
• Main Authors: Tsutsumi, M., Yukimatu, A. S., Holdsworth, D. A., Lester, Mark
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU), Wiley, International Union of Radio Science 2012
• Subjects: Science & Technology; Physical Sciences; Technology; Astronomy & Astrophysics; Geochemistry & Geophysics; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences; Remote Sensing; Telecommunications; HF RADARS; INTERFEROMETRY; BACKSCATTER; DYNAMICS; CUTLASS; REGION; ECHOES; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2381/25199; http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2008RS003994/abstract; https://doi.org/10.1029/2008RS003994

The meteor observation technique based on SuperDARN raw time series analysis has been upgraded. This technique extracts meteor information as biproducts and does not degrade the quality of normal SuperDARN operations. In the upgrade the radar operating system (RADOPS) has been modified so that it can oversample every 15 km during the normal operations, which have a range resolution of 45 km. As an alternative method for better range determination a frequency domain interferometry (FDI) capability was also coded in RADOPS, where the operating radio frequency can be changed every pulse sequence. Test observations were conducted using the CUTLASS Iceland East and Finland radars, where oversampling and FDI operation (two frequencies separated by 3 kHz) were simultaneously carried out. Meteor ranges obtained in both ranging techniques agreed very well. The ranges were then combined with the interferometer data to estimate meteor echo reflection heights. Although there were still some ambiguities in the arrival angles of echoes because of the rather long antenna spacing of the interferometers, the heights and arrival angles of most of meteor echoes were more accurately determined than previously. Wind velocities were successfully estimated over the height range of 84 to 110 km. The FDI technique developed here can be further applied to the common SuperDARN operation, and study of fine horizontal structures of F region plasma irregularities is expected in the future. M.L. is supported by STFC grant PP/E000983. Operations of CUTLASS radars are funded by STFC. 8344