Anomalous Absorption of Radio Waves by Small-Scale Magnetic-Field-Aligned Irregularities

We study the anomalous absorption of radio waves by small-scale magnetic-field-aligned artificial irregularities taking into account the effect of such irregularities on the propagation of the excited Z -mode. It is shown that this process becomes significant if the transverse size of field-aligned irregularities is of the order of 0.1c/ω or greater, where ω is the radio wave frequency and c is the speed of light in vacuum.__________Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 181–197, March 2005.     

Spatial Spectrum of Artificial Ionospheric Irregularities Induced by Powerful HF Radiowaves

We present measurement results and spatial-spectrum shapes of the dependence of the relaxation time on the scale across the geomagnetic field for artificial ionospheric irregularities (AIIs) induced in the upper ionosphere by powerful HF radiation of the SURA heating facility. The irregularity diagnostics was based on observing amplitude scintillations of a 243-MHz beacon signal from a quasi-geostationary, solar-synchronous satellite and on measuring field-aligned scattering at frequencies 15 and 20 MHz. The satellite signal was received at the Kazan State University Observatory. The field-aligned scattering signals were received and analyzed by a bistatic HF radar based on the UTR-2 radio telescope located near Kharkov (Ukraine). It is shown that irregularities of the electron density, whose two-dimensional spectrum in the plane perpendicular to the geomagnetic field is the power law æ ^-p with index p2, are developed in the scale range 30–60 l 200–400 m. In this case, the relative fluctuations (N²)^1/2 of the electron density increase with decreasing scale l=2/æ. The estimate N²)^1/2 1–1.5% is obtained for a heating power of 150 MW and irregularity scales l 30–60 m at which the fluctuations are maximum. The measured dependence of the AII relaxation time, defined as the e-folding time of the amplitude-scintillation intensity, has the form _r l . If l 30–60 m, then the index is close to 2, whereas the effective diffusion coefficient D (2–3)· 10^-1 m²/s corresponds to the ambipolar cross-field diffusion coefficient in a magnetized plasma. The time _r for scales l 60–100 m is independent of l and increases with decreasing velocity of regular drift of the plasma. The Doppler-spectrum broadening (²)^1/2 0.6 Hz observed when receiving field-aligned scattered signals can be related to chaotic motions of plasma-density disturbances whose random drift velocities amount to (v²)^1/2 2–3 m/s for scales l 20 m at which the power-law index changes drastically.     

Radio Emission of Rydberg Atoms in the Upper Atmosphere Modified by High-Power HF Radio Waves

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - We report on the results of studying the radio emission of the Rydberg states of atoms and molecules in the Earth’s upper atmosphere at ionospheric...     

Total Electron Content Measurements in the Ionosphere Disturbed by High-Power High-Frequency Waves by the Methods of Incoherent Scattering of Radio Waves and Radio Sounding by Glonass Satellite Signal

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - We present the results of comparing the total electron content measurements based on GLONASS satellite signals and the EISCAT UHF incoherent scatter radar...     

Studies of the Irregular Structure of the Ionosphere using Scattering of Radio Waves on Artificial Periodic Inhomogeneities

We present new results of our studies of the irregular structure of the ionosphere using artificial periodic inhomogeneities (APIs) of the ionospheric plasma. The observations were carried out from 9:00 to 17:00 in August 10–12, 1999 with a height step of 0.7 km and digital registration and real-time processing of the signal quadratures. It is shown that in many cases, the amplitude of the scattered signal is determined by the interference of radio waves scattered on APIs and on natural ionospheric formations including sporadic layers and large-scale natural irregularities. This allows one to study the irregular structure of the lower ionosphere by analyzing height-time dependences of the amplitude and phase of the scattered signal.     

New Results of Studying the Lower Ionosphere by the Method of Resonance Scattering of Radio Waves from Artificial Periodic Inhomogeneities

We present the results of studying the lower ionosphere in 2000–2004 at the “Sura” heating facility by the method of resonance scattering of radio waves from artificial periodic inhomogeneities of the ionospheric plasma. Experimental data on a study of the sunset–sunrise phenomena in the ionospheric D region and the possibility of determining the concentrations of atomic oxygen and excited molecular oxygen are discussed. The results of studying the sporadic layers of ionization are presented and the method for a study of ion composition of the E_s layer is discussed. Data of the August 2004 experiments on a study of the influence of heating the ionosphere on the E_s layer and characteristics of artificial periodic inhomogeneities are presented. Prospects for further research are discussed. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 9, pp. 757–771, September 2005.     

Dynamic Changes of the Ionospheric Artificial Airglow Region Caused by High-Power Radio Waves Based on a Joint Analysis of Night-Sky Snapshots in the 630 nm Line and Total Electron Content Variation Maps

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - We describe a method for joint analysis of the night-sky snapshots and total electron content (TEC) variation maps and present a dynamic spatiotemporal...     

Atmospheric Turbulence and Internal Gravity Waves Examined by the Method of Artificial Periodic Irregularities

A method for studying the Earth’s ionosphere at altitudes of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere based on creating artificial periodic irregularities in the ionospheric plasma by means of powerful radio waves is breafly described. Methods for determining the temperature and density of the neutral component and the velocity of vertical and turbulent motions by measuring the characteristics of the signal backscattered by the irregularities are described. The results of experiments performed on a SURA heating facility aimed at a comprehensive investigation of the natural processes occurring in the Earth’s lower ionosphere due to the propagation of atmospheric waves and turbulent phenomena are examined. Based on measurements of the amplitude and phase of the signal scattered by periodic irregularities, the most important characteristics of the neutral and plasma components of the Earth’s atmosphere at altitudes of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are determined. Further research on the subject is discussed.     

Features of Excitation of Stimulated Electromagnetic Emission of the Ionosphere Modified by an Oblique High-Power Radio Wave

We present the results of measuring the characteristics of the stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) of the ionosphere with variation in the zenith angle of a pump beam of high-power O-mode radio waves in the geomagnetic-meridian plane. The experiments were performed at the midlatitude heating facility “Sura.” It is established that the maximum intensity of the DM and BC components of SEE is observed for southward inclination angles θ ≈ 8°--12° of the antenna beam, for which the most intense generation of artificial small-scale ionospheric irregularities also takes place. Based on the results of measurements near the fourth and fifth harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency, it is found that the first component of the BUM (BUM-1) is generated only when the pump wave reaches the plasma-resonance region. This allows one to assume that, unlike the second component of the BUM (BUM-2), whose generation is determined by development of instability in the upper-hybrid resonance region, the BUM-1 generation mechanism should be related to processes of interaction between a high-power radio wave and the plasma in the plasma-resonance region. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 9, pp. 743–756, September 2005.     

Studying the Features of Transport Processes in the Upper Ionosphere using HF-Induced Artificial Ionospheric Turbulence

We analyze measurements of the velocity at which the artificial plasma turbulence, induced in the regions of resonance interaction between a powerful wave and a plasma, spreads along the geomagnetic field. The experimental data were obtained in 1996–2000 during experiments at the Sura heating facility on HF modification of the ionospheric F region. The stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) of the ionosphere was used for diagnosing the artificial plasma turbulence. The spread velocity was usually higher than the ion thermal velocity. In many cases, this velocity was close to and sometimes even much higher than the electron thermal velocity. We consider the dependence of the evolution features of the observed phenomena on the scheme of measurements (frequency and power of pumping and diagnostic waves, their timing, the distance between the levels of pumping- and diagnostic-wave reflection, etc.). A possible effect of the ionospheric D and E regions on the features of the observed phenomena is discussed. Based on the measurements performed, we formulate the requirements for future experiments.     

Results of Experiments on Modification of the Sporadic E-Layer by Powerful HF Radio Waves

We present the results of experiments on modification of the sporadic E-layer of the Earth's ionosphere by a powerful vertical beam of HF radio waves. The experiments were performed at the Sura heating facility (Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod) from May 31 to June 4, 2001. The main results were obtained in May 31 from 17:30 to 20:00 MSK, when the E_s layer was fairly stable and the pump frequency was in the range where this layer was transparent. The diagnostics of the ionosphere was performed using X-mode probe waves in the frequency range f_pr=4.3-7.8 MHz. The ionosphere plasma heating was accompanied by an increase in the intensity of probe waves, reflected from the E_s layer, with frequencies close to or slightly higher than the critical frequency of the layer. Artificial fluctuations of the reflected signal appeared in the entire frequency range of sounding. We consider the dynamical characteristics of the observed phenomena and their dependence on the frequency f_pr and the parameters of the E_s layer.     

GPS Positioning Accuracy in Different Modes with Active Forcing on the Ionosphere from the Sura High-Power HF Radiation

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - The global navigation satellite system accuracy and the possibility to actively affect it is quite a relevant problem. Based on two experimental campaigns...