STUDIES OF THE F-REGION BY THE INCOHERENT BACK-SCATTER METHOD

Abstract

The illstone Hill radar facility operated by Lincoln Laboratory has made measurements of the distribution of electrons in the F-region of the ionosphere by observing the weak incohere t backscatter signal. These measurements were first made early in 1960 and were continued throughout 1961 on a routine basis at least once a week. All electron density profiles measured up to the end of 1961 are presented. Results of spectralANALYSES OF THE SIGNALS MADE EARLY IN 1962 ARE ALSO GIVEN. The distribution of electrons above the peak of the F-region has been a subject of special study. On the basis of the results obtained to date the conclusions reached are: (a) the scale height of the electron density increases with height, (b) the ion temperature is not very dependent on height, though it does show a marked diurnal variation, (c) the electron-to-ion temperature ratio is 1:1 during the hours of darkness, but during the daytime it increases to a peak value of approximately 1.6:1 around noon and (d) the scattering cross section for the electrons is close to the expected value when allowance is made for (c). (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 24, 1962
Accession Number
AD0292730

Entities

People

  • J.v. Evans

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Backscattering
  • Buildings And Structures
  • Charged Particles
  • Diurnal Variations
  • Electron Density
  • Electrons
  • Elementary Fermions
  • Elementary Particles
  • Fermions
  • Ionosphere
  • Leptons
  • Measurement
  • Peak Values
  • Research Facilities
  • Scattering
  • Scattering Cross Sections

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics