Radar observations of equatorial spread F in a region of electrostatic turbulence
Abstract
Radar observations of a welldeveloped layer of strong equatorial spread F are presented. The scattering cross section, correlation lifetime, and vertical electromagnetic drift velocity of the spread-F irregularities were measured as a function of altitude and time with resolutions of 10 km and I min, respectively. The vertical drift velocities were often 100 m/sec, which is greater by a factor of 3 to 4 times than the vertical drift velocity of the normal undisturbed equatorial ionosphere at similar times. Also the velocity pattern exhibited a turbulent structure, changing sign irregularly every few tens of km and every few minutes, on the average. This observation confirms a recent satellite implication that, based on similarities in their statistical occurrence patterns, electrostatic turbulence and spread F are related. Finally, the finding that the correlation lifetimes of the 3-meter irregularities responsible for radar backscatter vary inversely with the scattering cross section confirms and extends earlier radar results.
Description
Date
1972-10-01
Keywords
Incoherent Scatter Radar , Radar , Turbulence , F Region
Citation
McClure, J. P., & Woodman, R. F. (1972). Radar observations of equatorial spread F in a region of electrostatic turbulence. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 77 (28), 5617-5621. https://doi.org/10.1029/JA077i028p05617
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union