Cross modulation
Ionospheric cross modulation effects determined by collision frequency profile of electrons and other rocket sounding data
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Ionospheric cross modulation effects determined by collision frequency profile of electrons and other rocket sounding data
The columnar electron content of the ionosphere between a spacecraft and a receiver is measured in realtime by cross correlating two coherently modulated signals transmitted at different frequencies (L1,L2) from the spacecraft to the receiver using a cross correlator. The time difference of arrival of the modulated signals is proportional to electron content of the ionosphere. A variable delay is adjusted relative to a fixed delay in the respective channels (L1,L2) to produce a maximum at the cross correlator output. The difference in delay required to produce this maximum is a measure of the columnar electron content of the ionosphere. A plurality of monitoring stations and spacecraft (Global Positioning System satellites) are employed to locate any terrestrial event that produces an ionospheric disturbance.
Multiscale transverse structures in the magnetic-field-aligned flows have been frequently observed in the auroral region by FAST and Freja satellites. A number of multiscale processes, such as broadband low-frequency oscillations and various cross-field transport effects are well correlated with these structures. To study these effects, we have used our three-dimensional multifluid model with multiscale transverse inhomogeneities in the initial velocity profile. Self-consistent-frequency mode driven by local transverse gradients in the generation of the low field-aligned ion flow and associated transport processes were simulated. Effects of particle interaction with the self-consistent time-dependent three-dimensional wave potential have been modeled using a distribution of test particles. For typical polar wind conditions it has been found that even large-scale (approximately 50 - 100 km) transverse inhomogeneities in the flow can generate low-frequency oscillations that lead to significant flow modifications, cross-field particle diffusion, and other transport effects. It has also been shown that even small-amplitude (approximately 10 - 20%) short-scale (approximately 10 km) modulations of the original large-scale flow profile significantly increases low-frequency mode generation and associated cross-field transport, not only at the local spatial scales imposed by the modulations but also on global scales. Note that this wave-induced cross-field transport is not included in any of the global numerical models of the ionosphere, ionosphere-thermosphere, or ionosphere-polar wind. The simulation results indicate that the wave-induced cross-field transport not only affects the ion outflow rates but also leads to a significant broadening of particle phase-space distribution and transverse particle diffusion.
Technique determines ionospheric phase delay on real-time universally applicable basis in terms of electrons per meter squared by coherently modulating two L-band carrier frequencies received from two Global Positioning System satelites. Two pseudorandom number sequences cross-correlated to derive delay time.
Using a modified version of the classical Cornu spiral, fading patterns in agreement with observations of radio signals on 140 and 360 MHz from the geostationary satellite ATS6, have been obtained. The particular fading patterns chosen show modulated quasi-periodic fading before and after a deep central minimum. It is shown that a cylindrical lens in the ionosphere required to produce this is only about 100 m across (an order of magnitude smaller than the size of the pattern on the ground) and if it were circular in cross-section would have a maximum plasma frequency of over 40 MHz. This suggests the reason why calculations based on a transparent phase screen did not give the observed fading pattern for 40 MHz signals. It was not possible to deduce the height of the lens above the ground, though we would incline to an E-region origin.
A computer simulation of the ionospheric experiment of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) was performed. ASTP is the first example of USA/USSR cooperation in space and is scheduled for summer 1975. The experiment consists of performing dual-frequency Doppler measurements (at 162 and 324 MHz) between the Apollo Command Service Module (CSM) and the ASTP Docking Module (DM), both orbiting at 221-km height and at a relative distance of 300 km. The computer simulation showed that, with the Doppler measurement resolution of approximately 3 mHz provided by the instrumentation (in 10-sec integration time), ionospheric-induced Doppler shifts will be measurable accurately at all times, with some rare exceptions occurring when the radio path crosses regions of minimum ionospheric density. The computer simulation evaluated the ability of the experiment to measure changes of columnar electron content between CSM and DM (from which horizontal gradients of electron density at 221-km height can be obtained) and to measure variations in DM-to-ground columnar content (from which an averaged columnar content and the electron density at the DM can be deduced, under some simplifying assumptions).
The precipitation of high energetic electrons during and after strong geomagnetic storms into heights below 100 km in middle and subauroral latitudes is markedly modulated by the structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Under relative quiet conditions the D-region ionization caused by high energetic particle precipitation (energies greater than 20 to 50 keV) depends on changes of the interplanetary magnetic field and also on the velocity of the solar wind. To test this assumption, the influence of the IMF-sector boundary crossings on ionospheric absorption data of high and middle latitudes by the superposed-epoch method was investigated.