Ionospheric wave processes during HF heating experiments

Effects of ionospheric modification produced by powerful high frequency radio waves are studied using the method of field-aligned scattering of diagnostic HF radio signals. Observations of scattered HF signals have been made by the Doppler spectrum method. Analysis of the experimental data shows the appearance of quasiperiodic variations in Doppler frequency shift f_d, with periods 30–60 s during the heating cycles. Powerful HF waves are assumed to excite the Alfvén resonator generating oscillations of the magnetic field lines in the heated region and giving rise to f_d artificial variations and magnetic pulsations. In the case of continuous action of the powerful HF transmitter ionospheric waves are sometimes observed with periods 12–25 min, typical of medium-scale travelling ionospheric disturbances.     

电离层多普勒接收机的设计与实验

利用软件无线电技术设计了一种电离层多普勒接收机. 该接收机采用DSP, FPGA等数字芯片与PXI总线进行架构, 使用GPS作为接收机的时间和频率同 步模块, 能够灵活设置系统参数. 实验接收来自中国蒲城陕西天文台的高 频时间信号, 实时获取由于电离层扰动所产生的多普勒频率偏移信息. 使用通过MATLAB语言实现的信号处理软件平台, 对接收到的高频信号进行处理. 观测结果表明, 接收机能够分析电离层回波信号的多普勒频移随时间的变化, 是获取不同空间尺度电离层扰动信息的一种有效手段.      

台风激发的声重力波的可探测性研究

通过对北京大学高频多普勒台站(39.4°N,116.2°E)多年的观测资料及相关台风资料的统计分析,着重研究了高频多普勒探测手段对由台风引起的扰动电离层响应的可探测性问题.通过对台风登陆前后的高频多普勒观测记录的细致分析及与宁静条件下记录的对比研究,表明高频多普勒观测手段可以很好地探测由台风激发的声重力波,尤其是对台风登陆前后所激发的扰动具有较高的可探测性.在所分析的24次台风事件中有明显扰动记录的高达22次(22/24).结合观测事实与Huang等的统计结果(2/12)进行了比较,并进行了可能的原因分析.通过数值模拟的方法对观测到的主要扰动的非线性传播过程进行了模拟再现,结果基本上与观测结果及线性传播理论一致.确认了一般情况下高可探测性这一事实,但同时也表明可探测性和台风激发源与探测位置及中尺度TIDs在电离层中的传播模式有密切关系.      

电离层中小尺度扰动的多频多普勒快速探测与分析

电离层反射回波的高频多普勒频移测量是研究电离层扰动的重要方法之一.利用基于单频信号相位变化率测量的实时探测方法,获取连续高精度多频多普勒频高图,以实现中小尺度电离层扰动的快速探测研究.该方法被应用于敏捷式高性能电离层无线电多频探测系统样机平台.经验证在该平台上获取的多普勒频移分辨率可达0.039Hz,频高图探测周期最短小于1min.基于这种快速探测方法和平台在武汉观测站进行了较长时间的观测和数据采集,获得高精度多普勒频移并反演出电子浓度等值面法向运动速度,得到电离层反射寻常波的多普勒频高图和垂直扰动速度等信息,进而推演出电离层扰动随时间和空间的实时变化特征.对这些时域信号进行频谱分析,初步结果显示这些扰动主要是由极区活动激发的中国中部地区冬季出现率较高的中尺度TID.此外,对三种常用的电离层扰动反演分析方法进行了对比研究,结果显示电离层扰动的变化趋势基本一致,说明观测数据和研究方法可靠稳定,为多频多点电离层扰动的传播特性观测研究提供了基础.      

Ionospheric observations made by a time-interleaved Doppler ionosonde

Mid-latitude HF observations of ionospheric Doppler velocity as a function of frequency are reported here as observed over a quiet 24-h period by a KEL IPS71 ionosonde operating at a 5-min sampling rate. The unique time-interleaving technique used in this ionosonde provided a Doppler resolution of 0.04 Hz over a Doppler range of ±2.5 Hz at each sounding frequency via FFT processing and is described here for the first time. The time-interleaving technique can be applied to other types of ionosonde as well as to other applications. The measurements described were made at a middle latitude site (Salisbury, South Australia). Doppler variations (<30 min) were ever present throughout the day and showed short-period TID characteristics. The day-time Doppler shift was found to closely follow the rate-of-change of foF2 as predicted by a simple parabolic layer model. The descending cusp in short-period TIDs is shown to mark an abrupt change with increasing frequency from negative towards positive Doppler shift with the greatest change in Doppler shift being observed below the cusp. The “smilergram” is introduced as observed in both F2 and Sporadic E. The characteristic curve in Doppler versus group height at a single frequency is described and related to changes in reflection symmetry, velocity and depth of moving ionospheric inhomogeneities.     

高精度多普勒频高图的获取和分析

电离层高频反射回波的多普勒频移是研究电离层扰动的一个重要参数。在数字测高仪探测中，高分辩率的多普勒频移一般在漂移测量中获得，但这种测量方式探测的频点少，不能获得扰动的高度剖面；而在频高图模式下，虽然工作的频点多，能够获得电子浓度的高度剖面的信息，但探测的多普勒频移的分辩率低，无法用来精确检测电离层扰动。实际的电离层高频回波一般为窄带信号，由此本文中提出了一种新的分析方法，利用DGS-256数字测高仪频高图模式下记录的16个多普勒通道的数据，通过反傅里叶变换还原成时域信号，采用最小二乘法估计相邻时间点的相位差，获得高精度多普勒频高图。作为实例，利用该方法分析武汉电离层观象台数字测高仪观测站的观测数据，得到了多频点的多普勒频移曲线。结果表明：在DGS-256数字测高仪频高图模式下能够得到高精度多普勒频高图，这在电离层扰动探测和研究中很在意义。     

Method of the HF wave absorption evaluation based on GIRO network data

High frequency (HF) communication is strongly dependent on the state of the ionosphere, which specifies the mode structure of the radio wave propagating in ionosphere. Another core factor defining the strength of the HF signal at the receiving site is the ionospheric absorption. Accurate modelling the effect of absorption is an essential part of many studies of the HF propagation in the ionosphere.This paper proposes a method for estimating the absorption. The method is based on analysis of vertical sounding ionograms. The main idea of the approach is to compare the main parameters retrieved from measured and simulated ionograms. The combination of Global Ionospheric Radio Observatory (GIRO, http://giro.uml.edu) data and ionograms modelling allows for developing the empiric absorption model available at near real-time. The ionogram simulation taking into account absorption utilizes the NIM-RT (North Ionospheric Model and Ray Tracing) software. As a result, the proposed technique provides more reliable and accurate evaluation of minimum frequency at which echoes are observed in vertical incidence ionosonde soundings. The values of these frequencies should be used in the following simulation to optimize parameters in the empirical formulae for defining absorption HF wave in ionosphere.The ultimate objective of this work is the designing the method, which allows the simulating of HF radio channel accounting for regular absorption due to UV radiation of the Sun. Eventually it could be considered as some kind of the HF propagation forecasting.     

Fading in the HF ionospheric channel and the role of irregularities

It is well known that the ionosphere affects radio wave propagation especially in the high frequency (HF) range. HF radio waves reflected by the ionosphere can reach considerable distances, often with changes in amplitude, phase, and frequency. The ionosphere is a dispersive in frequency and time, bi-refractive, absorbing medium, in which multipath propagation due to traveling irregularities is very frequent. The traveling irregularities undulate the reflecting ionospheric layer, introducing variations in signal amplitude (fading). In this multipath time variant channel fading is mainly considered, even though it is not the sole effect. Echo signals from a single reflection, as in ionospheric vertical sounding (VIS) techniques, are affected by a certain degree of variability even in quiet ionospheric conditions. In this work the behavior of the ionospheric channel is studied and characterized by observing the power variation of received echoes using the VIS technique. Multipath fading was analyzed quantifying the power variation of the signal echo due to irregularities on a temporal scale from 0.5 to 256 s. An experimental set-up derived from an ionosonde was implemented and the analysis was performed employing a special numerical algorithm operating off-line on the acquired time sequence of the signal. The gain-loss of the irregularity shapes are determined in some special cases.     

满州里上空电离层之平均特性及暴时特性

本文对1983年满州里(磁纬38.07°)的测高仪资料和子午仪卫星资料进行了处理.前者主要是对F₂层临界频率f₀F₂,而后者是对微分多普勒的总含量N_T进行分析.得到满州里上空电离层之平均特性,以及磁暴期间电离层的一些异常变化.结果发现,满州里电离层的平均特性具有典型的季节异常,且f₀F₂和N_T的变化呈现较好的一致性.满州里上空电离层的扰动大都发生在两分点季和冬季,且正相大多发生在冬季,双相大多发生在两分点季,负相大多发生在夏季和两分点季.得出1983年满州里暴时N_T和f₀F₂相对于月中值偏移量的均方根值δN_T和δf₀F₂都与磁Ap指数均方根值δAp之间存在一元线性相关.      

低纬地区夜间电离层底部电子浓度与磁扰的关系

本文利用100kHz的低频无线电波资料,计算分析了1986—1987年期间,几种不同磁扰情况下,低纬地区夜间电离层中100km以下区域积分电子浓度及其变化的起因.结果表明:该区域电子浓度的变化与地磁扰动关系密切.在磁静日期间,其值较小,且随磁扰而变化,但比磁扰滞后1到2天.在磁暴后,其值较大,会出现几次剧烈起伏.该区域积分电子浓度的起伏可大于一个量级.沉降电子产生的动致辐射可能是引起该区域电子浓度变化的主要原因之      

Application of small-size antennas for estimation of angles of arrival of HF signals scattered by ionospheric irregularities

A modification of the Doppler Interferometry Technique is suggested to enable estimating angles of arrival of comparatively broadband HF signals scattered by random irregularities of the ionospheric plasma with the use of small-size weakly directional antennas. The technique is based on the measurements of cross-spectra phases of the probe radiation recorded at least in three spatially separated points. The developed algorithm has been used to investigate the angular and frequency-time characteristics of HF signals propagating at frequencies above the maximum usable one (MUF) for the direct radio path Moscow-Kharkiv. The received signal spectra show presence of three families of spatial components attributed, respectively, to scattering by plasma irregularities near the middle point of the radio path, ground backscatter signals and scattering of the sounding signals by the intense plasma turbulence associated with auroral activations. It has been shown that the regions responsible for the formation of the third family components are located well inside the auroral oval. The drift velocity and direction of the auroral ionosphere plasma have been determined. The obtained estimates are consistent with the classical conception of the ionospheric plasma convection at high latitudes and do not contradict the results of investigations of the auroral ionosphere dynamics using the SuperDARN network.     

The mean doppler velocity derived by an advanced ionospheric sounder — dynasonde

The lower ionosphere was examined by using a fixed sounding frequency 7.953 MHz of the EISCAT dynasonde. The phase parameter and Doppler spectrum techniques were applied on the echoes to obtain radial Doppler velocities. It is found that the two derived velocities are very different. A procedure is developed and introduced to apply on the Doppler velocities obtained from the phase parameter technique. Result shows that mean Doppler velocities derived by the weighted mean procedure are close to those of the typical spectrum technique.     

A new technique for direction of arrival estimation for ionospheric multipath channels

A novel array signal processing technique is proposed to estimate HF channel parameters including number of paths, their respective direction of arrivals (DOA), delays, Doppler shifts and amplitudes. The proposed technique utilizes the Cross Ambiguity Function (CAF), hence, called as the CAF-DF technique. The CAF-DF technique iteratively processes the array output data and provides reliable estimates for DOA, delay, Doppler shift and amplitude corresponding to each impinging HF propagated wave onto an antenna array. Obtained results for both real and simulated data at different signal to noise ratio (SNR) values indicate the superior performance of the proposed technique over the well known MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) technique.     

Anthropogenic trigger of substorms and energetic particles precipitations

The high-frequency (HF) emission in near-Earth space from various powerful transmitters (radio communications, radars, broadcasting, universal time and navigation stations, etc.) form an integral part of the modern world that it cannot do without. In particular, special-purpose research facilities equipped with powerful HF transmitters are used successfully for plasma experiments and local modification of the ionosphere. In this work, we are using the results of a complex space-ground experiment to show that exposure of the subauroral region to HF emission can not only cause local changes in the ionosphere, but can also trigger processes in the magnetosphere–ionosphere system that result in intensive substorm activity (precipitations of high-energy particles, aurorae, significant variations in the ionospheric parameters and, as a consequence, in radio propagation conditions).     

中纬地区日间类扩展F不规则结构的观测研究

基于高频多普勒观测,研究中纬地区日间类扩展F现象及其与其他电离层扰动现象的关联.结果表明:日间类扩展F具有出现时间覆盖面广、持续时间长、与其他电离层扰动相互伴随等特征;形态特征表现为回波弥散（与夜间扩展F相似）,弥散回波的频移多倾向于正向偏移,有时与行进电离层扰动（TIDs）相互伴随.日间类扩展F现象虽然是偶发事件,且发生率极低,但其出现时间及区域的广泛性充分体现了该现象对空间天气及空间环境的影响具有不可忽视的重要性.      

高频返回散射回波频谱测量

本文采用脉冲多普勒雷达技术, 测量了电离层高频返回散射回波的时延-功率-多普勒频率的三维频谱图.对典型的频谱图作了分析, 并由谱图推算了电离层等效反射面的垂直运动速度, 它与垂直探测资料推算的结果相符.      

电离层的运动与电波频率的变化

本文对从空间缓慢变化电离层反射的回波的多卜勒频移进行了讨论,认为反射面的运动和媒质的运动可以分开,等效镜反射面不一定在偏区.提出了利用寻常波和非寻常波多卜勒频移反演等值面运动速度剖面的方法.      

Transition radiation mechanism for broad-band component of stimulated electromagnetic emission

As is well known in the F-region of the ionosphere modified by high power HF radio waves broad-band electromagnetic stimulated emission (SEE) is observed. It was discovered both the beams of superthermal electrons and intensive small-scale irregularities in modified region. These magnetic field aligned irregularities have caviton shape — deep electron density holes. The presence of such irregularities and superthermal electrons create conditions for generation of transition emission. We consider this radiation mechanism for interpretation the SEE broad-band component.     

DEMETER卫星记录到的电离层加热现象

在法国DEMETER卫星运行期间, 地基电离层加热装置SURA和HAARP开展了一系列加热试验, 记录到各类电离层异常信息, 发现电离层加热过程中卫星观测的电离层扰动信号包括HF发射泵波及边带泵波、VLF人工源增强及频谱拓展、ULF/ELF/VLF调制波、ELF电磁扰动、ULF谐振波、等离子体特征参量扰动及高能粒子沉降等. 由于传播及耦合机制的差异, 发射泵波可以穿透电离层直达卫星高度, 其观测概率最高达到68%以上, 其他扰动受发射调制模式及当地电磁环境等影响,观测概率相对较低, 均在40%左右, 有些甚至是某次试验中出现的个别事例. 结合中国地震电磁监测试验卫星飞行轨道设计及载荷配置等,对未来开展加热试验进行了分析论证, 并参考DEMETER卫星试验结果给出了一些建议.      

Physical and model interpretation of HF radio propagation on the St. Petersburg–Longyearbyen (Svalbard) path

HF radio wave observations have been carried out with an oblique ionospheric sounding (OIS) method on the radio path from St. Petersburg to Longyearbyen (Svalbard), and experimental ionograms were obtained for December 2001. These ionograms have been analysed to investigate the impact of the main ionospheric trough (MIT) and magnetic disturbances on the signals on this path. The observations during weakly disturbed (K_р = 2) magnetic conditions on 14–15 December 2001 were compared with predictions from ray-tracing through a numerical model of the ionosphere. The ray-tracing computer program synthesizes the OIS ionograms by means of the “shooting method”. This method calculates trajectories of HF radio waves for different values of elevation angle and transmission frequency. There was a variety of calculated trajectories, from which we choose those which reach the receiver, and the selected paths provide a synthesis of the oblique ionograms. To simulate HF radio wave propagation, we apply a three-dimensional distribution of the electron density calculated with the mathematical model of the high-latitude ionosphere developed in the Polar Geophysical Institute (PGI). These numerical simulations permit us to interpret specific peculiarities of the OIS data such as abnormal propagation modes, increased delays of signals, enhanced MOF (maximum observed frequency) values etc. New results of the study are summarised as follows. (1) An unusual feature of the propagation along the path is the change of propagation mechanism during substorms on entering a path midpoint (or 1-hop reflection point) to the MIT. (2) Even weak substorms, having the distinguished intensities, lead to the appearance of different types of irregularities observed by the CUTLASS radar and therefore to the different propagation modes and F2MOF values. (3) The PGI model of the ionosphere was first used for ray-tracing at high latitudes. The model results are basically in a good qualitative agreement with experimental observations. This model provides the satisfactory agreement between the calculated and experimental F2MOF values while not correctly representing the fine structure of the experimental OIS ionograms at night. An agreement between the calculated and experimental data is better for day and evening hours than at night.