Models for the self- and cross-correlation of orthogonal polarized quasi-transverse incoherent scatter returns are presented. The models are used to estimate the F region plasma densities with dual-polarization transverse-beam incoherent scatter data collected at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory using a technique introduced by Kudeki et al. [2003]. The cross-correlation model takes into account magneto-ionic propagation effects associated with quasi-transverse O- and X-modes in an inhomogeneous ionosphere. The phase of the cross-correlation provides the information to convert the measured power data into ionospheric density estimates via a least squares fitting procedure.

The 50 MHz Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar can be used to make very high precision F-region plasma drift measurements with less than a m/s uncertainty and 5 min/ 15 km time/height resolutions. In such measurements the transmitting antenna beam is pointed perpendicular to the geomagnetic field ~ B [e.g., Kudeki et al. , 1999] and backscattered fields consist of magneto-ionic O- and X- components with unequal phase retardations. Detecting the fields with an orthogonal pair of linear-polarized antennas and fitting the average power and differential- phase of the antenna outputs to an appropriate data model we have succeeded in making F-region electron density measurements with data collected during Jicamarca drifts experiments. This procedure provides Jicamarca with a new capability for simultaneous drifts and density measurements at F-region heights.

The mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar at Jicamarca, Peru (12S, 77W), made extended (15 day or longer) observations of the horizontal and vertical winds that were used to infer the diurnal and semidiurnal tides. The measurements were made during several months from mid-1997 through mid-1998 and using a higher-power transmitter and finer range resolution during 10 days of August 1998. The three-component winds are used to estimate amplitudes, phases, and momentum fluxes associated with the tides. Thermal forcing of the diurnal tide is also examined with diurnal water vapor heating rates calculated using data from the NASA Water Vapor Project (NVAP). For the region near Jicamarca the calculations from NVAP showed the temporal variability of the diurnal heating to be dominated by an annual cycle with maximum around the summer solstice. When projected into tidal modes, about 25%...