Ground-Based and Space-Borne Studies of Midlatitude F-Spread

We present the results of the first space-borne SURA-WIND experiment aimed at studying the features of short-radiowave propagation in the case of radio occultation of the near-Earth plasma in the presence of a developed midlatitude F-spread. We discover the effect of screening of a signal at frequency 4525 kHz that is 0.8 MHz higher than the minimum observed frequency for the SURA-WIND radio path determined using the ionograms obtained by the ground-based vertical-sounding station. The screening effect is explained by the effect of large-scale irregularities of the number density of ionospheric electrons of sizes about a few tens of kilometers, which lead to the appearance of electron-density depletion regions in the ionosphere stretched along the geomagnetic field. These depletion regions are separated by the ordinary plane-parallel distribution of the electron number density. The features of the frequency spectra of intensity fluctuations of the HF radiation over the SURA-WIND radio path in the presence of a developed midlatitude F-spread are considered.     

On propagation of decametric-decimentric radiowaves under conditions of middle-latitude F-spread

In this paper we analyze the influence of the large-scale inhomogeneous structure of a middlelatitude ionosphere with F-spread on the propagation of decametric-decimetric radiowaves. The phase fluctuations of short waves in the presence of middle-latitude F-spread are considered. A general integral formula for the frequency dispersion of phase fluctuations of short radiowaves during their propagation in a three-dimensional randomly-inhomogeneous ionosphere with an arbitrary electron-density distribution is obtained. For some of the simplest types of ray trajectories we find analytical solutions which allow us to obtain simple estimates of the frequency correlation of phase fluctuations of short radiowaves under conditions of middle-latitude F-spread. The amplitude fluctuations of short radiowaves under conditions of ionospheric F-spread are considered by the example of wave propagation with strong backscattering in a layered randomly inhomogeneous medium. It is shown that the presence of a strongly developed large-scale structure of electron density in a middle-latitude ionosphere with F-spread can cause reflected short-wave signals with relatively large delays and abnormally high fluctuation levels. The fluctuational and quasiregular effects accompanying the transionospheric propagation of metric-decimetric radiowaves are discussed. In particular, it is shown that under conditions of middle-latitude F-spread the inhomogeneous structure of the ionospheric plasma does not have a significant influence on the fluctuational or quasi-regular propagation characteristics of decametric-decimetric radiowaves.Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 38, No. 9, pp. 926–938, September, 1995.     

On a model of artificial F-spread in the ionosphere

The results of a complex experiment on the synchronous observation of geostationary-satellite signals and of reflected HF signals of the vertical-sounding station in the course of ionosphere modification by powerful short waves are analyzed using the method of refractive scattering of radio waves. We show that the main statements of the known stochastic theory of F-spread in the ionosphere can be used in the development of a model of artificial F-spread. In particular, the artificial F-spread can be described as multiple-ray propagation of short radio waves in the ionosphere modified by high-power radio waves, the electron-density distribution of which is a random process locally stationary in space and time.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 39, No. 7, pp. 876–881, July, 1996.This paper was supported by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (project 95-02-03716).     

A stochastic model of the F-spread phenomenon in the ionosphere

A stochastic model of the F-spread phenomenon in the ionosphere is proposed. The model is based on the idea that under F-spred conditions the electron-density distribution in the F-region of the ionosphere is a random process that is locally stationary in space and time and assumes multiple-ray propagation of short waves with independent phase fluctuations in individual rays. Some peculiarities of F-spred ionograms are analyzed. The problem of intensity fluctuations of short radiowaves during F-spred in the ionosphere is considered.Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 38, No. 12, pp. 1227–1240, December, 1995.     

On one feature of the F-spread phenomenon in the midlatitude ionosphere

We report on the results of observations of reflected SW signals by vertical sounding (VS) of the ionosphere in Zimenki, Nizhny Novgorod region, in the summers of 1994 and 1995. We discovered an anomalous increase in the multipath propagation of the received SW signals during ionospheric F-spread: The duration of a multipath reflected signal increased considerably when we used a highly directional antenna compared to the case of a weakly directional antenna. The fast amplitude fluctuation index increased with increasing delay of the reflected SW signals. The observations are interpreted in terms of a stochastic model of midlatitude F-spread as the phenomenon of multipath radio wave scattering (reflection) from large-scale electron density inhomogeneities under conditions of a strongly developed inhomogeneous structure of the ionosphere.Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 38, No. 10, pp. 1064–1070, October, 1995.     

Anisotropic Structure of Small-Scale Ionospheric Turbulence

We consider various theoretical models for the spectrum of small-scale ionospheric turbulence. The particular role of the generalized model of the ionospheric-turbulence spectrum, which takes into account that the anisotropy (extension) of small-scale irregularities of the upper ionosphere along the Earth's magnetic field direction depends on the transverse scale of those irregularities, is emphasized. The results of the. rst target experiments on radio sensing of the midlatitude ionosphere by signals from on-orbit satellites at frequencies 150 and 400 MHz under conditions of increased solar activity are presented. The experiments were performed at the radiophysical facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region in 2003. We studied statistical characteristics of the amplitude fluctuations of the received signals for different angles ϑ between the line of sight from a satellite to a ground-based reception point and the Earth's magnetic field direction. It was found in the course of the experiments that the spectrum slope of amplitude fluctuations of the received radiation is a function of the angle ϑ. The obtained result agrees with the generalized model of the ionospheric-turbulence spectrum and can be an argument in favor of the pronounced anisotropic structure of small-scale electron-density irregularities of the midlatitude ionosphere under disturbed geophysical conditions. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 5, pp. 382–387, May 2005.     

On fractal properties of small-scale ionospheric irregularities

We consider the problem of relating the local structure of small-scale ionospheric turbulence to the measured frequency-spectrum indices and fractal dimensions of amplitude records of the signals received on the Earth during remote sensing of the ionosphere onboard the satellites. It is shown that knowledge of these parameters permits one to determine the true values of the local-spectrum indices of the electron-density fluctuations for isotropic small-scale turbulence of the ionosphere both under natural conditions and during its modification by high-power short-wave radiation as well as to specify fractal dimensions of space filled by small-scale irregularities of the turbulent structures in the ionosphere. We show the necessity of detailed experimental studies of the fractal properties of small-scale ionospheric irregularities of both natural and artificial origin by using a multifractal analysis in combination with the synchronous correlation processing of received signals during remote sensing of the ionosphere. This will give important information on the local structure of small-scale ionospheric turbulence inaccessible for studies within the framework of the classical method of radio scintillation. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 300–308, April 2007.     

On the nature of middle-latitude F-spread

The results of a special experiment to study the statistics of short-wave signals reflected from the ionosphere during F-spread conducted in the first half of 1994 at the proving ground of the Scientific-Research Radio-Physics Institute at Zimenki of the Nizhny Novgorod region are presented. The dependence of the index of amplitude fluctuations on the reception bandwidth was studied. The experiment results are compared with existing theoretical concepts of the origin of F-spread. The experiment favors the hypothesis that middle-latitude F-spread is result of the multiple-ray nature of short-wave signals reflected from the large-scale quasi-regular inhomogeneous structure of the ionosphere.Scientific-Research Radio-Physics Institute. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 37, No. 11, pp. 1447–1451, November, 1994.     

On the role of large-scale ionospheric inhomogeneities in the formation of middle-latitude F-spread

We present the results of a special experiment carried out in the settlement of Zimenki, Nizhniy Novgorod province, on ionospheric vertical sounding by HF signals under F-spread using practically synchronous measurements of the multiple-ray nature of normal waves reflected from magnetoactive ionospheric plasma with ordinary and extraordinary polarizations at frequencies shifted by 0.7MHz. The experiment confirms the dominating role of large-scale electron-density inhomogeneities of the moving ionospheric disturbance type in the formation of middle-latitude F-spread.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 564–567, May, 1996.This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (project N. 95-02-03716 RFFI).     

Nonlinear structuring of the ionosphere modified by powerful radio waves at low latitudes

The problem of the nonlinear structuring of the modified ionosphere due to the self-focusing of the pump wave on the bunches of striations is investigated. Two main conditions of self-focusing are formulated: (1) propagation of the pump wave quite along the magnetic field for effective excitation of striations, and (2) trapping of the pump wave by large-scale irregularities. It is shown that both conditions can be easily satisfied for small inclination angles α of the magnetic field to the vertical. A detailed study of the low latitude case was performed using model calculations of the pump wave propagation. It is shown that at low latitudes self-focusing conditions also can be satisfied but mostly for the special form of the large-scale irregularities and mostly in the southern part of the pump wave beam. These results may reconcile apparent differences between radiowave and rocket probing of the irregularities.     

A Lorentz-type mechanism for generation of small-scale irregularities in the heater-modified ionosphere

We consider Lorentz-type mechanism for growth of LF small-scale turbulence due to generation of local field-aligned electric fields (FAEF) in the ionospheric F-region modified by powerful radio waves. The FAEF are induced by Lorentz-type forces caused by the large-scale pressure structure of the heated volume. We found that small- scale structuring of the large-scale depleted region (the patch) is a function of altitude and that the cross-field scale of small-scale irregularities is definitely determined by the gradient scale length in plasma density. This mechanism allows us to explain the generation of irregularities with scale lengths of 6 m or longer and observations of aftereffects within 30 seconds or longer after the pump switch-off if they are defined by the lifetime of the induced local sources. The predictions of the Lorentz-type mechanism are shown to be consistent with the measurements of the significant growth of DSEE typical times, related to relaxation of heater-induced small-scale irregularities, under conditions of strong natural turbulence observed as F-spread in the ionograms.Published from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 318–328, March, 1996.     

On the Gradient-Current Mechanism of Formation of the Irregular Structure of the High-Latitude Upper Ionosphere

We consider the gradient-current instability of an inhomogeneous magnetoactive plasma in the approximation of double-fluid magnetohydrodynamics. Unlike the known gradient-drift and current-convective instabilities, the gradient-current instability is related to generation of nonpotential quasistatic electric fields polarized orthogonal to the external magnetic field B ₀ and excited by eddy currents whose density vector lies in the plane passing through the vectors of the magnetic field B ₀ and large-scale electron-density gradient. It is shown that in the high-latitude upper ionosphere, in the regions containing large-scale currents flowing in and out of the ionosphere along the magnetic field, the gradient-current instability can lead to the appearance of sheet-like irregularities extended predominantly in the plane passing through the geomagnetic-field and regular plasma-drift velocity vectors. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 7, pp. 574–587, August 2005.     

The Formation of Large-Scale Plasma Disturbances Upon HF Ionosphere Heating: Dependence of the Disturbance Parameters on the Frequency and Power of HF Radiation

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - We study the dependence of the parameters of large-scale plasma inhomogeneities upon HF ionosphere heating on the frequency and power of HF radiation by using...     

Temporal broadening of pulsed waves propagating through turbulent media

Pulse signals, propagating through a turbulent medium such as the ionosphere, can be distorted by dispersion and scattering from both the background medium and irregularities embedded in. Thus, the mean square pulse width is changed, and temporal broadening is introduced. We carry out a study on the temporal broadening with theoretical analyses and numerical simulations by using an analytical solution of two-frequency mutual coherence function obtained recently by iteration. As a case of study, pulse broadening is investigated in detail in trans-ionospheric propagation. Results show that most contributions are mainly from the dispersion of the background ionosphere and scattering effects of electron density irregularities in most cases.     

Some distinctive features in the behavior of small-scale artificial ionospheric irregularities at mid-and high latitudes

We present the results of experimental studies of some features in the behavior of small-scale artificial irregularities (SSAIs) at mid-and high latitudes based on the “Sura” and EISCAT/HEATING HF facilities. Observations were performed by the method of aspect scattering using a network of diagnostic paths having a common reception point located near St. Petersburg. We found that an extremely long duration of the second (slow) stage of SSAI relaxation of up to 5 min occurs in the evening hours when the ionosphere above the “Sura” facility is illuminated by the Sun, but the solar terminator travels through the magnetically conjugated ionosphere. The conjecture is made that the processes initiated by the terminator are mostly responsible for secondary ionospheric turbulence maintaining the irregularities above “Sura.” A drastic increase in the Doppler spectra width of the scattered signals is revealed when the magnetically conjugate point of the ionosphere is located on the shade side of the terminator, but the ionosphere above the “Sura” facility is still lighted. It is assumed that the “ run away” of photoelectrons from the day to the night side could reduce the threshold of excitation of artificial irregularities, leading to an increase in their intensity. The presence of fairly intense scattered signals was detected from the “Sura” and EISCAT/HEATING experimental results both under conditions of pulsed HF heating after continuous heater-on periods and cycled HF heating by short pulses. In the case of pulsed heating by short pulses with duration τ_p < 100 ms and average radiated power P_a below the threshold power P_thr of the SSAI generation cutoff the irregularities can be maintained due only to striction parametric instabilities. The excitation of irregularites under the cycled HF pumping with the pulse duration τ_p = 384 ms for P_a comparable with P_thr was detected. The aspect-angle dependence, or the so-called magnetic zenith effect, was found in the SSAI intensity. The residual turbulence aftereffects played a significant role in the SSAI development. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 8, pp. 678–694, August 2007.     

Turbulence spectrum of the upper ionosphere

The problem of defining the spectral form of ionospheric irregularities with dimensions from hundreds to thousands of meters is considered. A generalized model is proposed for the ionospheric turbulence spectrum, taking into account both the anisotropic properties of the large-scale fraction of irregularities and the dependence of the anisotropy (elongation) of small-scale irregularities of the upper ionosphere along the Earth magnetic field direction on the transverse scale of those irregularities. Relations have been derived to determine the basic parameters of the irregularity spectrum of the uppers ionosphere (anisotropy indices for large-scale and small-scale fractions) and the depth of a thin ionospheric layer through measurement of the spectral characteristics of amplitude and phase fluctuations of orbital satellite signals. Using this model of the plasma irregularity spectrum, we can explain consistently many well-known experimental data on spectral characteristics of the phase and amplitude fluctuations of orbital satellite signals both in the high-latitude and midlatitude ionosphere. Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 446–456, April, 1997.     

Pedersen mode ducting in a randomly stratified ionosphere

Abstract

A new HF propagation mechanism giving rise to a Pedersen mode has been discovered. The boundary frequency f _b dividing the Pedersen mode frequency range into parts with different HF propagation mechanisms is determined. A known sliding propagation mechanism characterized by an exponential decrease in the field with the distance travelled by waves along the layer prevails at frequencies f > f _b. At the low end of the Pedersen mode frequency range (f < f _b) the stable wave formation associated with a field localization effect under HF propagation in a randomly stratified ionosphere appears. The observed phenomenon is described in terms of the wave theory of diffraction. Numerical calculation of the wave field amplitude is performed using the parabolic equation method. The Pedersen mode ducting effect due to multiple re-reflection of a sliding beam at anisotropic irregularities elongated along the F2 layer with characteristic scales from hundreds of metres to several kilometres vertically and tens of kilometres horizontally is demonstrated. The irregularities with anisotropy coefficients ～1–3 also localize waves but the size of the effect is between one and two orders smaller than in a model of strong stratified irregularities with η ～10–30.     

Statistical temporal behaviour of pulse wave propagation through continuous random media

Pulse waves propagating through random media suffer distortions, such as fluctuation of arrival time, temporal broadening, and alteration of skewness and kurtosis, due to both the background medium and embedded irregularities. We carry out a study on the temporal behaviour of electromagnetic pulses propagating through random media using temporal moments and an analytic solution of a two-frequency mutual coherence function recently obtained by iteration. We treat the temporal characteristics sequentially, with general expressions obtained first. Then the concise forms are given for pulse propagation in the turbulent non-dispersive atmosphere and the ionosphere, with numerical calculations for the latter. The results show that the mean arrival time is dominated by the term propagating at group velocity, and small corrections arise from higher-order dispersion of the background medium and random scattering of irregularities, but the correction from dispersion of irregularities is neglected as it is so small. As for pulse broadening in trans-ionospheric propagation, the results show that contributions are mainly from the dispersion of the background ionosphere and scattering of electron density irregularities in most cases, and the contribution of dispersion of irregularities is so small that it can be neglected. Finally, we find that the temporal skewness of a trans-ionospheric pulse is negative and its energy is shifted to the leading edge, and the contributions from scattering and dispersion of irregularities dominate over those of background, so the latter can be neglected in most cases.     

大气重力波产生中纬电离层不均匀体的理论

研究中纬电高层Ｆ区大尺度不均匀休的基本性质及其与大气重力波的关系。分析了等离子体Ｐｅｒｋｉｎｓ不稳定性的非线性发展，发现这种不稳定性饱和在很小的幅度上。讨论了Ｐｅｒｋｉｎｓ不稳定性与重力波的耦合，表明重力波能触发中纬电离层Ｆ区等离子体不稳定性。由重力波触发的等离子体不稳定性可能演变成大幅度的波形结构，空间和时间调制的不均匀体理论揭示了大尺度中纬电离层不均匀体的产生机制。 关键词：     

On fractal structure of large-scale electron-density inhomogeneities of traveling disturbances in the midlatitude ionosphere

We present the results of studies of the multifractal structure of slow (of duration τ ≈ 10 s) fluctuations of the received-signal amplitudes in special experiments on radio-raying of the midlatitude ionosphere by signals from orbital satellites in 2004–2006. It is shown, in particular, that the method of multifractal analysis of amplitude records of the received signals yields information on the spectrum of large-scale ionospheric inhomogeneities, which is inaccessible for the classical method of radio scintillations. From the results of measurements with the use of multifractal processing of experimental data, we found that large-scale (tens of kilometers) quasiregular electron-density inhomogeneities of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) have a power-law spectrum. It is exactly the power-law form of the spatial spectrum of large-scale inhomogeneities of TIDs that can be the reason for the observed multifractal structure of the intermittency of slow fluctuations of the received-signal amplitudes. However, under conditions of a developed small-scale turbulence of TIDs, the observed multifractal structure of the received signals is, as a rule, stipulated by the spatial inhomogeneity of the variance of the integral electron-density fluctuations of small-scale inhomogeneities on scales comparable with the sizes of large-scale inhomogeneities of TIDs. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 191–198, March 2008.