F-region electron density and T_e / T_i measurements using incoherent scatter power data collected at ALTAIR

M. Milla (1) , E. Kudeki (1)

1 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The ALTAIR UHF radar was used in an incoherent scatter experiment to observe the low-latitude ionosphere during the Equis 2 rocket campaign. The measurements provided the first high-resolution electron density maps of the low-latitude D- and E-region in the Pacific sector and also extended into the F-region and topside ionosphere. Although the sampling frequency was well below the Nyquist frequency of F-region returns, we were able to estimate T_e / T_i ratio and infer unbiased electron density estimates using a regularized inversion technique described here. The technique exploits magnetic aspect angle dependence of ISR cross-section for T_e>T_i.

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère; Sciences de la Terre

M. Milla, E. Kudeki. F-region electron density and T_e / T_i measurements using incoherent scatter power data collected at ALTAIR. Annales Geophysicae, 2006, 24 (5), pp.1333-1342. ⟨hal-00318052⟩