AMISR-14: Observations of equatorial spread F

• Autores: Rodrigues, F. S., Nicolls, M. J., Milla, Marco, Smith, J. M., Varney, R. H., Strømme, A., Martinis, C., Arratia, J. F.
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2015
• Institución: Instituto Geofísico del Perú
• Repositorio: IGP-Institucional
• Lenguaje: inglés
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.igp.gob.pe:20.500.12816/2056
• Enlace del recurso: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12816/2056; https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL064574
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Ionosphere; Irregularities; Spread F; Scatter; Radar; http://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#1.05.01

A new, 14-panel Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR-14) system was recently deployed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory. We present results of the first coherent backscatter radar observations of equatorial spread F (ESF) irregularities made with the system. Colocation with the 50 MHz Jicamarca Unattended Long-term studies of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere (JULIA) radar allowed unique simultaneous observations of meter and submeter irregularities. Observations from both systems produced similar Range-Time-Intensity maps during bottom-type and bottomside ESF events. We were also able to use the electronic beam steering capability of AMISR-14 to “image” scattering structures in the magnetic equatorial plane and track their appearance, evolution, and decay with a much larger field of view than previously possible at Jicamarca. The results suggest zonal variations in the instability conditions leading to irregularities and demonstrate the dynamic behavior of F region scattering structures as they evolve and drift across the radar beams.