Magnetic zenith effect and some features of the multifractal structure of the small-scale artificial ionospheric turbulence

We present the results of the experiment on studying the multifractal structure (with inhomogeneity sizes from tens to hundreds of meters across the Earth’s magnetic field) of the artificial ionospheric turbulence when the midlatitude ionosphere is affected by high-power HF radio waves. The experimental studies were performed on the basis of the “Sura” heating facility with the help of radio sounding of the disturbed region of the ionospheric plasma by signals from the Earth’s orbital satellites. The influence of the magnetic zenith effect on measured multifractal characteristics of the small-scale artificial turbulence of the midlatitude ionosphere was examined. In the case of vertical radio sounding of the disturbed ionosphere region, the measured multipower and generalized multifractal spectra of turbulence coincide well with similar multifractal characteristics of the ionospheric turbulence under natural conditions. This result is explained by the fact that the scattering of signals by weak quasi-isotropic small-scale inhomogeneities of the electron number density in a thick layer with a typical size of several hundred kilometers above the region of reflection of high-power HF radio waves gives the major contribution to the observed amplitude fluctuations of received signals. In the case of oblique sounding of the disturbance region at small angles between the line of sight to the satellite and the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field, the nonuniform structure of the small-scale turbulence with a relatively narrow multipower spectrum and small variations in the generalized multifractal spectrum of the electron number density was detected. Such a fairly well ordered structure of the turbulence is explained by the influence of the magnetic zenith effect on the generation of anisotropic small-scale artificial turbulence in a thin layer having a typical size of several ten kilometers and located below the pump-wave reflection height in the upper ionosphere.     

Frequency correlation of fluctuations of short-wave signals in the theory of refractive scattering of radiowaves in the ionosphere

We consider the problem of frequency correlation of phase fluctuations of HF signals reflecte from a turbulent ionospheric layer with an arbitrary profile of electron density in vertical and oblique sounding of the ionosphere. Expressions for evaluation of the coherence band of HF signals reflected from a randomly inhomogeneous ionosphere are obtained. Calculation results are compared with corresponding calculations of frequency correlation of fluctuations of HF radiowaves in Buker's theory of refractive scattering of radiowaves. It is shown, in particular, that the influence of splitting of rays for waves with different frequencies in an inhomogeneous ionosphere on the frequency distortions of HF signals prevails compared with the phenomenon of frequency decorrelation of fluctuating HF signals propagating in a free space beyond a turbulent ionospheric layer.Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 38, No. 9, pp. 893–900, September, 1995.     

Multipower spectrum of small-scale ionospheric turbulence

We consider the problem of diagnostics of the local structure of small-scale ionospheric turbulence using the multifractal analysis of received signals from the Earth’s orbital satellites after the radio sounding of the inhomogeneous ionosphere by these signals. In particular, it is shown that analysis of the multifractal structure of the received-signal amplitude records by the method of multidimensional structural functions allows one to determine the indices of the multipower local spectra of the small-scale ionospheric turbulence, which are inherent in it due to the nonuniform spatial distribution of small-scale fluctuations of the electron number density. It is noted that information on the multipower spectrum of small-scale ionospheric turbulence is not available for the conventional radio scintillation method based on the classical spectral analysis of received signals during the remote radio sounding of the ionosphere. At the same time, the method of multidimensional structural functions is efficient under conditions of actual nonstationarity of the process of scattering of the HF radio waves by the randomly inhomogeneous ionospheric plasma. The method of multidimensional structural functions is used for the multifractal processing of received signals of orbital satellites during special experiments on radio sounding of the midlatitude ionosphere under natural conditions and its modification by high-power HF radio waves. First data on the indices of the multipower local spectra of small-scale ionospheric turbulence are obtained. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 14–22, January 2009.     

On the Problem of True Values of the Spectrum Indices for Small-scale Ionospheric Turbulence

We consider the problem of obtaining reliable values of the local-spectrum indices of the electron number density fluctuations for small-scale ionospheric turbulence. It is shown that the use of a multifractal analysis in combination with the synchronous correlation processing of the received signals in the experiments on remote radio sounding of the ionosphere by satellite signals permits one to solve the posed problem. In this case, the true values of the local-spectrum indices of small-scale ionospheric turbulence, which are measured in such specialized experiments under natural conditions and during modification of the ionosphere by high-power HF radio emission, can differ notably from their standard values obtained within the framework of the classical method of radio scintillations, in which only correlation processing of the data is used. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 7, pp. 571–574, July 2008.     

Modification of the earth’s ionosphere by high-power HF radio emission: Artificial periodic inhomogeneities and the sporadic <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis> layer

We present the results of new studies of the sporadic E layer in the case of heating of the ionosphere by high-power HF radio emission. The measurements were performed at the “Sura” heating facility. Ionosphere was modified by high-power radio emission from the “Sura” facility and was sounded by the probing radio waves of the same frequency and mode. The heating of the ionosphere resulted in the formation of artificial periodic inhomogeneities, and an increase in the intensity of all signals scattered by the D, E, and F regions and the sporadic E layer by 5–20 dB was observed. The increase was observed during heating of the ionosphere by each magnetoionic component, but was smaller for heating by an ordinary-mode wave. This effect was resonant and disappeared as a result of the frequency detuning down to 85 kHz. During the ionospheric modification, the signal-intensity increased due to modulation of the natural profile of the electron number density by the artificial periodic structure. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 8, pp. 695–708, August 2007.     

Electron-Density Distribution in the Upper Ionosphere under Conditions of a Mid-Latitude F-Spread

We present the results of the last experiments aimed at studying the phenomenon of mid-latitude F-spread by radio-raying of the ionosphere using the signal from the SURA facility received onboard the NASA spacecraft WIND. A generalized model of spatio-temporal distribution of the electron density in the mid-latitude ionosphere under F-spread conditions is proposed. Based on this model describing large-scale ionospheric irregularities, we calculate the ray trajectories of HF radio waves. We also discuss the known results of comparative measurements of the variances of relative electron-density fluctuations in large-scale irregularities of the mid-latitude ionosphere, carried out by the OGO-6 spacecraft, and the frequency broadening of the ionograms of ground-based stations for the vertical sounding. It is shown that the proposed model of electron-density disturbances in the mid-latitude ionosphere in the presence of F-spread is able not only to describe well the main qualitative feature of HF radiowave propagation under disturbed geophysical conditions, but also to reproduce quite accurately the quantitative parameters of the frequency broadening of reflected HF signals under conditions of standard and developed F-spread.     

Determining the intensity of solar flare ionizing radiation from data of the GPS/GLONASS navigation systems

The possibility of solar flare detection using data derived from the GPS/GLONASS navigation systems is demonstrated. Sudden increase of the total electron content (TEC) in the ionosphere is investigated on the basis of GPS data. The dependence of the TEC variations on solar ultraviolet and X-ray ionizing fluxes is analyzed. A technique of using the TEC variation rate to determine the effective intensity of solar ionizing radiation during a strong flare is proposed.     

Preliminary results of the ultralong-range sounding of ionospheric irregularities using the ducted mode

We present preliminary experimental results concerning transequatorial propagation (TEP) of HF waves upon chirp sounding over the 11950-km path alice Springs (Australia)-Yoshkar-Ola (Russia). The measurements were made in August, 1998. Two anomalous signals with delays of 3.0 and 4.5 ms with respect to the main mode were observed during night time (21:30–23:00 UT). The maximum observed frequencies (MOF) of these signals were 2–3 MHz greater than the main-mode MOF. Simulations allowed us to identify these signals as the ducted signals trapped in theFE interlayer duct due to radiowave refraction on a negative gradient of the electron density and that escaped from the duct due to the scattering by small-scale field-aligned irregularities of the subpolar ionosphere. We discuss radiophysical and geophysical aspects concerning localization of the irregularities responsible for scattering and perspectives of using the ducted mode for over-the-horizon diagnostics of the inhomogeneous structure of the ionosphere with a global network of chirp sounders and HF radars. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 42, No. 12, pp. 1136–1142, December 1999.     

Oblique chirp sounding of the modified ionosphere. Experiment and simulation

We present the results of experimental studies of the influence of artificial ionospheric disturbances on HF signals used for oblique sounding of the disturbed volume. The measurements have been performed by a chirp ionosonde over the path Yoshkar-Ola-“Sura”-niznhy Novgorod with length 234 km. We found the 2F2 mode to disappear (attenuation up to 20 dB) when the ionosphere is influenced by a vertical powerful radiation in the ordinary mode with long (15 min each) heating and pause intervals. Modeling of the observed effect was carried out. The calculations agree well with experimental data if the traveling ionospheric disturbances (TID) with vertical and horizontal scales l_z∼20 km and l_x∼50 km, respectively, and the relative disturbance of the electron density δN∼0.2–0.3 are amplified (generated) during the ionosphere heating. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 303–313, April 1999.     

Artificial ionospheric cavity induced by the radiation from the “sura” facility

On October 24, 1997, from 16:00 to 19:30 LT, during experiments on the artificial mofification of ionosphere by powerful HF radiation using spaced heating, we recorded twice a significant (tens of percent) decrease of the electron number density in the F-layer, synchronous with the operation of the heating trnasmitters. The critical frequency of this layer decreased by 10–20%. This points to the possibility of artificial generation of large-scale inhomogeneities of the ionospheric plasma density using spatially split heating. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 42, No. 7, pp. 682–690, January 1999.     

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 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).     

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.     

Results of Determining the Electron Number Density in the Ionospheric E Region from Relaxation Times of Artificial Periodic Irregularities of Different Scales

We present the first results of determining the electron number density in the ionospheric E region by a novel technique based on the creation of artificial periodic irregularities when the ionosphere is affected by powerful radio emission at two frequencies. Using the results of the measurements performed in October 2006 during heating of the ionosphere by the “Sura” facility radiation at frequencies 4.7 and 5.6 MHz, we obtained the electron number density profiles in an altitude range of 100 to 110 km. Features of the procedure of measurement and calculation of the electron number density are described in detail. It is shown that the method can be used for a study of the irregular structure of the lower ionosphere. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 477–484, June 2008.     

地基高频加热激励ELF/VLF波对辐射带高能电子的准线性散射

地球内、外辐射带电子通量的变化对于空间飞行器,尤其是中低轨卫星的防护有着非常重要的影响.基于回旋共振波粒相互作用的准线性理论,使用地基高频发射器发射电波调制低电离层背景电流可以人工激励ELF/VLF波,这些波能使辐射带相对论电子发生抛射角散射沉降进入大气层从而降低其生存期.为了定量地分析人工激励ELF/VLF波散射辐射带高能粒子的可行性,针对内、外辐射带,本文选取了两个典型区域：L=4.6和L=1.5.数值计算结果表明,在内、外辐射带由于ELF/VLF波的人工注入而造成的高能电子损失时间尺度很大程度上取决于冷等离子体参量α^*(∝B²/N₀,这里B是背景磁场,N₀是电子数密度)、电波频谱特性和功率,以及与波发生回旋共振的电子能量.一般来讲,在外辐射带人工ELF/VLF哨声波散射相对论电子使之沉降到大气层要容易得多;低能量的高能电子(200keV)要比高能量的相对论电子(500keV)更有效地通过抛射角散射进入大气层.考虑到高频电波加热电离层激励的ELF/VLF波可能会被捕获在磁层空腔中,来回反射从而得到增强,因此在适当的条件下,地基高频加热装置发射足够的电波功率进入电离层诱导大幅度ELF/VLF波注入到内磁层,能够在1至3天的时间尺度内快速散射外辐射带相对论电子使之沉降,也能够在10天量级的时间尺度里散射生存周期一般为100天甚至更长的内辐射带相对论电子. 关键词： 地基高频加热电离层 ELF/VLF波激励 高能电子散射和沉降 共振波粒相互作用     

星-地无线电掩星技术探测火星大气和电离层

历史上几乎所有的行星探测任务都开展了无线电掩星实验,以探测行星的大气、电离层、行星环以及磁场,并取得了很多重要的科学成果.掩星发生时刻前后,测量航天器发出的信号穿过行星电离层和大气层时被遮掩而引起的信号频率、相位、幅度或极化等物理特性的变化,通过某种反演技术,可以得到大气的折射率廓线,推出中性大气的密度、温度、压强廓线以及电离层的电子浓度廓线.文章嗣绕中国"萤火1号"火星探测器(YH-1)火星探测计划中将要开展的星-地无线电掩星实验,介绍了该技术用于探测火星大气和电离层的相关情况.     

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...     

Field-aligned scattering of HF radio waves under conditions of action of high-power oblique radio waves on the ionosphere

We present the results of experimental studies of the features of field-aligned scattering of HF radio waves for different angles of incidence of high-power radio waves on the ionosphere. The amplitude, Doppler frequency shift, and azimuthal and vertical arrival angles of the scattered signals are measured. Calculated ray paths in the magnetoactive ionosphere are compared with experimental data on the scattered-signal reception under conditions of action of high-power oblique radio waves on the ionosphere. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 8, pp. 669–677, August 2007.     

Structure and dynamics of the ionospheric region with artificial small-scale irregularities according to complex measurements of the scattered radio-signal characteristics

We present the results of complex measurements of characteristics of HF radio signals scattered by artificial small-scale irregularities by means of oblique sounding using a chirp signal and by direction finding. On the basis of comparison of the experimental data and the calculations of aspect scattering of radio waves, the conclusion on the patch structure of an artificially disturbed ionosphere filled with small-scale field-aligned irregularities is drawn. The sizes of the patches amount to several ten kilometers, and they are separated by 100 or more kilometers. The drift speed of irregularities in the direction of the scattering vector in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field is determined for several patches. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 12, pp. 1011–1025, December 2008.     

电力线谐波辐射在分层各向异性电离层中的传播特点

电力线谐波辐射特指在电离层或磁层中观测到的来源于地面电力系统输电线的电磁波辐射, 其在电磁场时频功率谱中表现为400 Hz至5 kHz范围内, 频率间隔为50/100 Hz或60/120 Hz 的平行谱线, 已成为近地空间环境的一种人为污染源. 对于该现象的形成机理尚缺乏定量研究. 本文研究了非理想导电大地上方由电偶极子源产生的电磁场在分层各向异性电离层中的传播模型, 提出了一种新的求解方法, 有效解决了编程计算中的数值溢出问题, 并利用已有解析解对所提方法进行了验证. 在此基础上, 利用实际电力线、大地、电离层的相关参数, 研究了偶极子源频率、电离层下边界高度、大地电导率、地磁场方向等对电力线谐波辐射在电离层中的传播的影响. 结果表明, 频率等于地-电离层波导导波模截止频率时透入电离层的电力线谐波辐射强度更大; 谐波电流一定时, 大地电导率小的地区, 电力线谐波辐射的功率更大; 电力线谐波辐射在电离层中沿地磁场方向传播. 本文所得结果有益于阐释电力线谐波辐射现象的形成机理.