Identification

Title

Resolving the high-latitude ionospheric irregularity spectra using multi-point incoherent scatter radar measurements

Abstract

To provide new insights into the relationship between geomagnetic conditions and plasma irregularity scale-sizes, high-latitude irregularity spectra are computed using a novel Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) technique. This new technique leverages: (a) the ability of phased array Advanced Modular ISR (AMISR) technology to collect volumetric measurements of plasma density, (b) the slow F-region cross-field plasma diffusion at scales greater than 10 km, and (c) the high dip angle of geomagnetic field lines at high-latitudes. The resulting irregularity spectra are of a higher spatiotemporal resolution than what has been previously possible with ISRs. Spatial structures as small as 20 km are resolved in less than 2 minutes (depending on the radar mode). In this work, we focus on Resolute Bay ISR-North (RISR-N) observations operating in the "imaginglptight" mode. In addition to having an unprecedented view of the size and occurrence of irregularities as they traverse the polar cap, we find that as the F-region plasma density decreases below approximately 2.5 x 10(10) m(-3) at 350 km altitude the spectral power shifts to scale-sizes lower than 50 km. Additionally, near magnetic local noon, the spectral power shifts to scales greater than 50 km, and from 15 to 6 magnetic local time, the spectral power shifts to scales lower than 50 km. This reflects the role of photoionization dominating high-latitude ionospheric structuring in the polar cap.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7qr51w6

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

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End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2022-09-07T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

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Conformity

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Constraints related to access and use

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Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact