The Angular Distribution of Spread-F Returns from an Artificially Modified Ionosphere.

Abstract

A 32 element HF phased array has been used to study the angular spectrum of spread-F returns from an ionosphere modified by the powerful radio frequency heater transmitter at Platteville, Colorado. The diagnostic radar is a coherent pulse system which provides an angular resolution of 2.7 degrees in azimuth and elevation at the midband frequency of 7.5 MHz, a range resolution of 30 Km, and a Doppler resolution of 0.08 Hz. The results are presented in the form of sky maps (brightness versus azimuth and elevation) of the returns as a function of group delay Doppler shift, polarization, and sounding frequency. The principal result is that the returns which suffer the greatest group delay at a given sounding frequency come from a direction looking up the earth's magnetic field and exhibit negative Doppler shift. (Modified author abstract)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1974
Accession Number
AD0780552

Entities

People

  • E. M. Allen
  • G. D. Thome
  • P. B. Rao
  • R. L. St. Germain

Organizations

  • RTX

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Arrays
  • Brightness
  • Colorado
  • Doppler Effect
  • Elevation
  • Frequency
  • Ionosphere
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Phased Arrays
  • Polarization
  • Radio Frequency
  • Spectra
  • Transmitters

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Electronics Engineering
  • Radar Systems Engineering.