Physics
Scientific paper
Feb 1988
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1988georl..15..160f&link_type=abstract
Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276), vol. 15, Feb. 1988, p. 160-163.
Physics
59
Current Density, Incoherent Scatter Radar, Ionospheric Currents, Ionospheric Electron Density, Radar Measurement, Spectrum Analysis, Backscattering, Field Aligned Currents, Ion Acoustic Waves, Radar Echoes
Scientific paper
Millstone Hill radar spectra exhibit pronounced spectral asymmetries in the presence of field-aligned currents in the topside ionosphere. The enhanced, often intense, returns associated with the current-driven growth of the ion acoustic mode exhibit the characteristics of hard-target backscatter suggesting that many 'satellite echoes' observed by UHF radars at high latitudes might be caused by this mechanism. A large current density (greater than 100 microA/sq m) is calculated for the conditions observed, consistent with that seen in intense earthward-directed current filaments. These observations indicate that the ion acoustic mode grows toward instability with increasing altitude. Backscatter observed from the unstable region at higher altitudes is characteristically at the ion plasma frequency, consistent with the unstable growth of the acoustic mode for large ratios of electron to ion temperature.
del Pozo Carlos
Foster Christopher J.
Groves K.
Saint Maurice J.-P.
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