Ionospheric diagnostics using resonances of an electric dipole impedance.
Driving point impedance of electric dipole antenna in ionosphere used to diagnose ionospheric plasma, specifically analyzing resonances location
Blair, W. E.↗
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SoRcer Test Utqiagvik Deployment for Ionograms (STUDI) Field Campaign Report
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has developed a passive broadband radio frequency (RF) receiver, called a Sounder Receiver (SoRcer), as an ionospheric diagnostic instrument. These systems can produce ionospheric specifications to characterize the local ionosphere. The specifications from the SoRcers can then be used to inform data assimilation models; monitor diurnal, seasonal, or other cyclical changes; and detect irregularities or abnormalities in the ionosphere, such as traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), sporadic E, and spread F.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
SORCER TEST UTQIAĠVIK DEPLOYMENT FOR IONOGRAMS (STUDI) 2021-2024
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has developed a passive broadband radio frequency (RF) receiver, called a Sounder Receiver (SoRcer), as an ionospheric diagnostic instrument. These systems can produce ionospheric specifications to characterize the local ionosphere. The specifications from the SoRcers can then be used to inform data-assimilation models; monitor diurnal, seasonal, or other cyclical changes; and detect irregularities or abnormalities in the ionosphere, such as traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), sporadic E, and spread F.
frequency↗
Design, Development, Implementation, and On-Orbit Performance of the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment Mission
Funded by the NSF CubeSat and NASA ELaNa programs, the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment (DICE) mission consists of two 1.5U (1.5 Unit) CubeSats which were launched into an eccentric low Earth orbit on October 28, 2011. Each identical spacecraft carries two Langmuir probes to measure ionospheric in-situ plasma densities, electric field probes to measure in-situ DC and AC electric fields, and a science grade magnetometer to measure in-situ DC and AC magnetic fields. Given the tight integration of these multiple sensors with the CubeSat platforms, each of the DICE spacecraft is effectively a sensor-sat capable of comprehensive ionospheric diagnostics. The use of two identical sensor-sats at slightly different orbiting velocities in nearly identical orbits permits the deconvolution of spatial and temporal ambiguities in the observations of the ionosphere from a moving platform. In addition to demonstrating nanosat-based constellation science, the DICE mission is advancing a number of groundbreaking CubeSat technologies including miniaturized mechanisms and high-speed downlink communications.
DICE↗
Plasma diagnostics package measurements of ionospheric ions and Shuttle-induced perturbations
The plasma diagnostics package (PDP) on the Space Shuttle STS-3 mission in March 1982 carried among its instrument complement a retarding potential analyzer. This instrument measured both the ambient ion plasma density and temperature, and perturbations to the plasma produced by Shuttle Orbiter effects. Whenever the plasma flow streamline at the instrument was more than a distance of the order of thermal ion gyroradii away from any Orbiter surface, the measurements were characteristic of the ambient ionosphere. In several situations, the PDP was positioned so as to scan the wake in the plasma flow produced by Orbiter surfaces. The density profile of the major species O(+) was consistent with a classic Mach cone. However, strong perturbations extended for several meters outside the Mach cone, which resulted in failure of flowing Maxwellian distributions to represent the data. Configurations where the plasma-flow-impacted Orbiter surfaced downstream of the PDP resulted in generation of a suprathermal ion component. The observations are discussed in terms of a recent model of the mechanism for generation of Shuttle glow.
Reasoner, David L.↗
Traveling ionospheric disturbance as a diagnostic tool for thermospheric dynamics.
Evaluation of observational results of traveling ionospheric disturbances. The experiment continuously monitors the wave polarization of signals transmitted by the geostationary satellite ATS 3. One year of single-station data has been compiled for synoptic study. When observed at three stations, in addition to the period of the wave, the horizontal phase velocity can be determined. An attempt has been made to link the experimentally determined ionospheric parameters with the neutral atmospheric parameters by using a crude theory. The result suggests that a better theory should be developed, so that the diagnosis of these thermospheric parameters can be made by making traveling disturbance observations. In doing so, many previously ignored factors should be reexamined, especially the effect produced by high thermospheric winds.
Yeh, K. C.↗
On plasma instabilities in the high-latitude ionospheric E region
The use of the Farley-Buneman instability in the high-latitude E region of the earth's ionosphere as a diagnostic tool for ionospheric and solar wind electric fields, and the effect of Farley-Buneman waves on cosmic radio noise events observed on riometers, are discussed. Data are analyzed and presented in support of the hypothesis, suggested by Olesen (1972), that the Slant E condition in polar cap ionograms is a manifestation of the Farley-Buneman instability in the E region. Detailed descriptions are given of the experimental apparatus employed in these investigations.
Dangelo, N.↗
Ionospheric gas dynamics of satellites and diagnostic probes.
Gas dynamics of interactions of tenuous ionosphere with moving satellites and diagnostic probes, using collision-free plasma kinetics methods
Liu, V. C.↗
Artificial electron beams in the magnetosphere and ionosphere
The Plasma Diagnostics Payload of the Echo 7 satellite carried TV cameras and photometers by means of which the luminosity around an electron beam in the polar ionosphere could be studied. It was found that, while the beam Larmor spiral could be clearly seen near 100 km, above this only a column due to suprathermal electrons was observable. At high altitudes, the emission of neutral gas both generated powerful luminosity and substantially reduced accelerator potentials. An analysis of conjugate echoes indicates that inferred magnetospheric electric fields do not map well into the ionosphere, as well as the presence of strong pitch-angle scattering.
Winckler, John R.↗
Effects of chemical releases by the STS-3 Orbiter on the ionosphere
The Plasma Diagnostics Package, flown aboard STS-3 as part of the first Shuttle payload (OSS-1), recorded the effects of various chemical releases from the Orbiter. Changes in the plasma environment was observed during flash evaporator system releases, water dumps and maneuvering thruster operations. During flash evaporator operations, broadband Orbiter-generated electrostatic noise was enhanced and plasma density irregularities were observed to increase by 3 to 30 times with a spectrum which rose steeply and peaked below 6 Hz. In the case of water dumps, background electrostatic noise was enhanced at frequencies below about 3 kHz and suppressed at frequencies above 2 kHz. Thruster activity also stimulated electrostatic noise with a spectrum which peaked at approximately 0.5 kHz. In addition, ions with energies up to 1 keV were seen during some thruster events.
Pickett, J. S.↗
Effects of chemical releases by the STS 3 orbiter on the ionosphere
The Plasma Diagnostics Package, flown aboard STS-3 as part of the first Shuttle payload (OSS-1), recorded the effects of various chemical releases from the Orbiter. Changes in the plasma environment was observed during flash evaporator system releases, water dumps and maneuvering thruster operations. During flash evaporator operations, broadband Orbiter-generated electrostatic noise was enhanced and plasma density irregularities were observed to increase by 3 to 30 times with a spectrum which rose steeply and peaked below 6 Hz. In the case of water dumps, background electrostatic noise was enhanced at frequencies below about 3 kHz and suppressed at frequencies above 2 kHz. Thruster activity also stimulated electrostatic noise with a spectrum which peaked at approximately 0.5 kHz. In addition, ions with energies up to 1 keV were seen during some thruster events.
Pickett, J. S.↗
Optical signature of an ionospheric hole
Simultaneous radio and optical diagnostics of a large, artificially-induced ionospheric modification were conducted during the June 1981 launch of a weather satellite. Intensified imaging and photometer observations at 6300 A, along the same ray path as VHF polarimeter measurements of the ionosphere's total electron content (TEC), were made while the rocket plume caused disturbances. A rapid TEC chemical depletion, on the order of -16.8 x 10 to the 12th el/sq cm, caused a burst of 6300 A radiation which expanded over 60 deg of the sky, with a peak intensity of almost 9 k R. Atmospheric diffusion and O(1D) quenching rate theoretical estimates were then tested, using the event as an active space plasma experiment.
Mendillo, M.↗
A Diagnostic System for Studying Energy Partitioning and Assessing the Response of the Ionosphere during HAARP Modification Experiments
This research program focused on the construction of several key radio wave diagnostics in support of the HF Active Auroral Ionospheric Research Program (HAARP). Project activities led to the design, development, and fabrication of a variety of hardware units and to the development of several menu-driven software packages for data acquisition and analysis. The principal instrumentation includes an HF (28 MHz) radar system, a VHF (50 MHz) radar system, and a high-speed radar processor consisting of three separable processing units. The processor system supports the HF and VHF radars and is capable of acquiring very detailed data with large incoherent scatter radars. In addition, a tunable HF receiver system having high dynamic range was developed primarily for measurements of stimulated electromagnetic emissions (SEE). A separate processor unit was constructed for the SEE receiver. Finally, a large amount of support instrumentation was developed to accommodate complex field experiments. Overall, the HAARP diagnostics are powerful tools for studying diverse ionospheric modification phenomena. They are also flexible enough to support a host of other missions beyond the scope of HAARP. Many new research programs have been initiated by applying the HAARP diagnostics to studies of natural atmospheric processes.
Djuth, Frank T.↗
Application of the coded long-pulse technique to plasma line studies of the ionosphere
Recently, the coded long-pulse radar technique was tested at Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico using photoelectron-enhanced plasma lines in the daytime ionosphere. The technique immediately proved to be a powerful diagnostic tool for studying natural ionospheric phenomena. Our initial observations indicate that extremely accurate measurements of absolute electron density (0.01 to 0.03% error bars) can be achieved with an altitude resolution of 150 m and a temporal resolution of approx. 2 s. In addition, the technique provides information about electron density structure within a 150-m altitude cell and yields parameters from which the energy spectrum of suprathermal electrons (equal to or greater than 5 eV) can be deduced. Our earliest measurements are used to illustrate applications of the coded long-pulse technique to several aeronomic/ionsospheric areas of current interest. These include studies of neutral wave motions in the lower thermosphere, measurements of ion composition in the F(sub 1) region/upper ionosphere, and investigations of electron-gas thermal balance and photoelectron energy loss processes. The technique can be utilized to examine irregularity formation in the F region, probe electron acceleration processes in ionospheric modification experiments, verify the magnetic field dependence of Langmuir wave damping, and more generally test higher order corrections suggested for the Langmuir dispersion relation. It is anticipated that the latter tests will facilitate measurements of ionospheric currents.
Djuth, Frank T.↗
Using Remote Sensing as a Plasma Diagnostic: A Discussion of Techniques Being Used to Probe the Ionosphere in Order to Determine the Energy and Spectral Characteristics of Precipitating Electrons and Protons
Spectrally resolved global images of the Earth from recent (and planned) missions are being (and will be) used to probe the ionosphere in order to determine the energy characteristics of precipitating electrons and protons. We describe the techniques that are being used, discuss the extent to which they are successful, and envision the approach that future space experiments should take in order to improve on current techniques.
Spann, J.↗
Incoherent scatter observations of an artificially modified ionosphere
The 'experiment of opportunity' to test incoherent scatter radar techniques for the diagnostic study of a chemically induced modification of the ionosphere occasioned by the launch of the HEAO-C satellite is described. The optimal utilization of a steerable incoherent scatter radar for a short duration event is examined. The choice of keeping the antenna fixed to obtain good control data and excellent time resolution along a given direction versus scanning the antenna to obtain mixed spatial and temporal morphologies is discussed. Results for fixed position measurements, elevation scans, ion-drift, and total electron content are presented. The first unambiguous observations of a gas expansion 'snowplow effect' is reported along with the derivation of local and height-integrated plasma recombination rates and the full spatial, temporal, and dynamical morphologies of a large-scale ionospheric hole.
Wand, R. H.↗
A proof of concept investigation: A unique mobility spectrometer for In Situ diagnostics of positive and negative ion distributions in the mesosphere and lower ionosphere
We have carried out a proof-of-concept development and test effort that not only promises the reduction of parasitic effects of surface contamination (therefore increasing the integrity of 'in situ' measurements in the 60-130 km regime), but promises a uniquely expanded measurement set that includes electron densities, plasma conductivities, charged-particle mobilities, and mass discrimination of positive and negative ion distributions throughout the continuum to free-molecular-flow regimes. Three different sensor configurations were designed, built and tested, along with specialized driving voltage, electrometer and channeltron control electronics. The individual systems were tested in a variety of simulated space environments ranging from pressures near the continuum limit of 100 mTorr to the collisionless regime at 10(exp -6) Torr. Swept modes were initially employed to better understand ion optics and ion 'beam' losses to end walls and to control electrodes. This swept mode also helped better understand and mitigate the influences of secondary electrons on the overall performance of the PIMS design concept. Final results demonstrated the utility of the concept in dominant single-ion plasma environments. Accumulated information, including theoretical concepts and laboratory data, suggest that multi-ion diagnostics are fully within the instrument capabilities and that cold plasma tests with minimized pre-aperture sheath acceleration are the key ingredients to multi-ion success.
Szuszczewicz, Edward P.↗
Exposed high-voltage source effect on the potential of an ionospheric satellite
A pulsed, high-voltage source, which is able to draw a current from the surrounding plasma, is seen to induce large changes in the potential of an ionospheric satellite (the Iowa Plasma Diagnostics Package flown on Space Shuttle flight STS-51F). This, in turn, may affect the operation of other instruments that use the chassis of the satellite as a ground for electrical circuits. The magnitude of the change in satellite potential is dependent upon both the orientation of the high-voltage source, relative to the plasma flow, and the characteristics of the high-voltage source. When the satellite is grounded to the Shuttle Orbiter, this effect is sufficient to change the potential of the Orbiter by a small, but noticeable, amount.
Tribble, A. C.↗