Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging
The Esrange VHF radar (ESRAD), located in northern Sweden (67.88° N, 21.10° E), has been used to investigate polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE). During July and August of 1998, coherent radar imaging (CRI) was used to study the dynamic evolution of PMSE with high temporal and spatial reso...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2002-02-01
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| Series: | Annales Geophysicae |
| Online Access: | https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/213/2002/angeo-20-213-2002.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819093953484423168 |
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| author | P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson T.-Y. Yu T.-Y. Yu R. D. Palmer S. Kirkwood |
| author_facet | P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson T.-Y. Yu T.-Y. Yu R. D. Palmer S. Kirkwood |
| author_sort | P. B. Chilson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Esrange VHF radar (ESRAD),
located in northern Sweden (67.88° N, 21.10° E), has been used to investigate
polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE). During July and August of 1998, coherent
radar imaging (CRI) was used to study the dynamic evolution of PMSE with high
temporal and spatial resolution. A CRI analysis provides an estimate of the
angular brightness distribution within the radar’s probing volume. The
brightness distribution is directly related to the radar reflectivity.
Consequently, these data are used to investigate the aspect sensitivity of PMSE.
In addition to the CRI analysis, the full correlation analysis (FCA) is used to
derive estimates of the prevailing three-dimensional wind associated with the
observed PMSE. It is shown that regions within the PMSE with enhanced aspect
sensitivity have a correspondingly high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Although
this relationship has been investigated in the past, the present study allows
for an estimation of the aspect sensitivity independent of the assumed
scattering models and avoids the complications of comparing echo strengths from
vertical and off-vertical beams over large horizontal separations, as in the
Doppler Beam Swinging (DBS) method. Regions of enhanced aspect sensitivity were
additionally shown to correlate with the wave-perturbation induced downward
motions of air parcels embedded in the PMSE.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Ionosphere (polar
ionosphere) Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics)
Radio Science (Interferometry) |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:19:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-800d6fd0e9cc4d1bb7904062a3c1eb99 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0992-7689 1432-0576 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:19:42Z |
| publishDate | 2002-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annales Geophysicae |
| spelling | doaj.art-800d6fd0e9cc4d1bb7904062a3c1eb992022-12-21T18:46:49ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05762002-02-012021322310.5194/angeo-20-213-2002Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imagingP. B. Chilson0P. B. Chilson1P. B. Chilson2P. B. Chilson3T.-Y. Yu4T.-Y. Yu5R. D. Palmer6S. Kirkwood7Now at Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado / NOAA, and Environmental Technology Laboratory, National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, Boulder, CO, USAMRI Atmospheric Research Programme, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, SwedenCorrespondence to: P. B. Chilson(Phillip.Chilson@noaa.gov)Now at National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USADepartment of Electrical Engineering and Center for Electro-Optics, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USADepartment of Electrical Engineering and Center for Electro-Optics, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USAMRI Atmospheric Research Programme, Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, SwedenThe Esrange VHF radar (ESRAD), located in northern Sweden (67.88° N, 21.10° E), has been used to investigate polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE). During July and August of 1998, coherent radar imaging (CRI) was used to study the dynamic evolution of PMSE with high temporal and spatial resolution. A CRI analysis provides an estimate of the angular brightness distribution within the radar’s probing volume. The brightness distribution is directly related to the radar reflectivity. Consequently, these data are used to investigate the aspect sensitivity of PMSE. In addition to the CRI analysis, the full correlation analysis (FCA) is used to derive estimates of the prevailing three-dimensional wind associated with the observed PMSE. It is shown that regions within the PMSE with enhanced aspect sensitivity have a correspondingly high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Although this relationship has been investigated in the past, the present study allows for an estimation of the aspect sensitivity independent of the assumed scattering models and avoids the complications of comparing echo strengths from vertical and off-vertical beams over large horizontal separations, as in the Doppler Beam Swinging (DBS) method. Regions of enhanced aspect sensitivity were additionally shown to correlate with the wave-perturbation induced downward motions of air parcels embedded in the PMSE.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Ionosphere (polar ionosphere) Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics) Radio Science (Interferometry)https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/213/2002/angeo-20-213-2002.pdf |
| spellingShingle | P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson P. B. Chilson T.-Y. Yu T.-Y. Yu R. D. Palmer S. Kirkwood Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging Annales Geophysicae |
| title | Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging |
| title_full | Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging |
| title_fullStr | Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging |
| title_short | Aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging |
| title_sort | aspect sensitivity measurements of polar mesosphere summer echoes using coherent radar imaging |
| url | https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/213/2002/angeo-20-213-2002.pdf |
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