F region plasma density estimation at Jicamarca using the complex cross‐correlation of orthogonal polarized backscatter fields

Abstract

The differential‐phase method for Jicamarca F region density measurements has been modified to fit the real and imaginary components of the cross‐correlation of orthogonally polarized radar returns. The original method [Kudeki et al., 2003; Feng et al., 2003] based on fitting the cross‐correlation phase could only make use of correlation data from lower F region heights since the phase noise in low‐SNR upper F region returns is typically non‐Gaussian. However, upper F region correlation data become useful in the modified method since the fluctuations in real and imaginary parts of cross‐correlation remain Gaussian even under low‐SNR conditions.