An examination of ionospheric plasma irregularities detected by the mid-latitude SuperDARN radars

The data from the new mid-latitude radars of the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) provide new types of challenges and observations. We have developed a method for identifying periods of ionospheric backscatter that increase the number of data and reduce the average velocity in agreement with previous incoherent scatter radar (ISR) studies. Analysis of the data identified by this method clearly shows that different types of ionospheric irregularities are being observed in the mid-latitude region. One type of irregularity is clearly subauroral and equatorward of the plasmapause. Fitting a convection pattern to the Doppler velocities associated with subauroral ionospheric scatter reveals some interesting features. Subauroral convection is shown to be westward thought most of the night, with an eastward turning near dawn. The rotation factor of the ionosphere relative to the rotation of the earth is shown to be ~0.95, which is in good agreement with previous studies of plasmaspheric corotation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Ribeiro, Alvaro John

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Baker, Joseph B. H.
• Ruohoniemi, J. Michael

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bailey, Scott M.
• Clauer, C. Robert

• ionosphere
• mid-latitude
• subauroral convection
• SuperDARN

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-04122011-153649

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/31698