Analysis of Simultaneous Polar Fox II Backscatter and Ionospheric Sounding Data

Abstract

Backscatter data from the northward-looking POLAR FOX II radar were simultaneously taken with airborne and ground-based ionospheric soundings and optical data supplemented by satellite observations. The detailed ionization contour lines in the region from 0 to 2000 km north of POLAR FOX II, obtained for a period of about 2 hours before local midnight in December, explain why only a small range section of ground could be seen during this period. Aspect- sensitive direct backscatter echoes from field-aligned laminae both in the E- and F-layer were dominant and were found to be reflected from latitudes where vertical soundings show spread-E and -F. Those regions appear to be identical to the auroral E (night E) layer and 'plasma ring' F layer known to be associated with the auroral oval.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 03, 1972
Accession Number
AD0747027

Entities

People

  • G. J. Gassmann
  • J. Buchau

Organizations

  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Waves
  • Air Force
  • Airborne
  • Aircrafts
  • Arctic Regions
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Backscattering
  • Doppler Effect
  • Elevation
  • Ionosphere
  • Ionospheric Models
  • Latitude
  • Observation
  • Ray Tracing
  • Regions
  • Scattering
  • Three Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space