High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes

The ionospheric D-layer is a narrow bandwidth radar target often with a very small scattering cross section. The target autocorrelation function can be obtained by transmitting a series of relatively short coded pulses and computing the correlation between data obtained from different pulses...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: T. Turunen, A. Westman, I. Häggström, G. Wannberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2002-09-01
Series:Annales Geophysicae
Online Access:https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1469/2002/angeo-20-1469-2002.pdf
_version_ 1811259277546881024
author T. Turunen
T. Turunen
T. Turunen
A. Westman
I. Häggström
G. Wannberg
author_facet T. Turunen
T. Turunen
T. Turunen
A. Westman
I. Häggström
G. Wannberg
author_sort T. Turunen
collection DOAJ
description The ionospheric D-layer is a narrow bandwidth radar target often with a very small scattering cross section. The target autocorrelation function can be obtained by transmitting a series of relatively short coded pulses and computing the correlation between data obtained from different pulses. The spatial resolution should be as high as possible and the spatial side lobes of the codes used should be as small as possible. However, due to the short pulse repetition period (in the order of milliseconds) at any instant, the radar receives detectable scattered signals not only from the pulse illuminating the D-region but also from 3–5 ambiguous-range pulses, which makes it difficult to produce a reliable estimate near zero lag of the autocorrelation function. A new experimental solution to this measurement problem, using a selected set of 40-bit random codes with 4 µs elements giving 600 m spatial resolution is presented. The zero lag is approximated by dividing the pulse into two 20-bit codes and computing the correlation between those two pulses. The lowest altitudes of the E-layer are measured by dividing the pulse into 5 pieces of 8 bits, which allows for computation of 4 lags. In addition, coherent integration of data from four pulses is used for obtaining separately the autocorrelation function estimate for the lowest altitudes and in cases when the target contains structures with a long coherence time. Design details and responses of the experiment are given, and analysed test data are shown.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Radio science (signal processing); Ionosphere (plasma temperature and density; instruments and techniques)
first_indexed 2024-04-12T18:28:19Z
format Article
id doaj.art-89f4add88da44098948ebeaa6abafc8a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0992-7689
1432-0576
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T18:28:19Z
publishDate 2002-09-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Annales Geophysicae
spelling doaj.art-89f4add88da44098948ebeaa6abafc8a2022-12-22T03:21:10ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05762002-09-01201469147710.5194/angeo-20-1469-2002High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codesT. Turunen0T. Turunen1T. Turunen2A. Westman3I. Häggström4G. Wannberg5Correspondence to: T. TurunenEISCAT Scientific Association, P.O.Box 164, SE-981 23 Kiruna, Sweden(tauno.turunen@eiscat.com)EISCAT Scientific Association, P.O.Box 164, SE-981 23 Kiruna, SwedenEISCAT Scientific Association, P.O.Box 164, SE-981 23 Kiruna, SwedenEISCAT Scientific Association, P.O.Box 164, SE-981 23 Kiruna, SwedenThe ionospheric D-layer is a narrow bandwidth radar target often with a very small scattering cross section. The target autocorrelation function can be obtained by transmitting a series of relatively short coded pulses and computing the correlation between data obtained from different pulses. The spatial resolution should be as high as possible and the spatial side lobes of the codes used should be as small as possible. However, due to the short pulse repetition period (in the order of milliseconds) at any instant, the radar receives detectable scattered signals not only from the pulse illuminating the D-region but also from 3–5 ambiguous-range pulses, which makes it difficult to produce a reliable estimate near zero lag of the autocorrelation function. A new experimental solution to this measurement problem, using a selected set of 40-bit random codes with 4 µs elements giving 600 m spatial resolution is presented. The zero lag is approximated by dividing the pulse into two 20-bit codes and computing the correlation between those two pulses. The lowest altitudes of the E-layer are measured by dividing the pulse into 5 pieces of 8 bits, which allows for computation of 4 lags. In addition, coherent integration of data from four pulses is used for obtaining separately the autocorrelation function estimate for the lowest altitudes and in cases when the target contains structures with a long coherence time. Design details and responses of the experiment are given, and analysed test data are shown.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Radio science (signal processing); Ionosphere (plasma temperature and density; instruments and techniques)https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1469/2002/angeo-20-1469-2002.pdf
spellingShingle T. Turunen
T. Turunen
T. Turunen
A. Westman
I. Häggström
G. Wannberg
High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
Annales Geophysicae
title High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
title_full High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
title_fullStr High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
title_full_unstemmed High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
title_short High resolution general purpose D-layer experiment for EISCAT incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
title_sort high resolution general purpose d layer experiment for eiscat incoherent scatter radars using selected set of random codes
url https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1469/2002/angeo-20-1469-2002.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT tturunen highresolutiongeneralpurposedlayerexperimentforeiscatincoherentscatterradarsusingselectedsetofrandomcodes
AT tturunen highresolutiongeneralpurposedlayerexperimentforeiscatincoherentscatterradarsusingselectedsetofrandomcodes
AT tturunen highresolutiongeneralpurposedlayerexperimentforeiscatincoherentscatterradarsusingselectedsetofrandomcodes
AT awestman highresolutiongeneralpurposedlayerexperimentforeiscatincoherentscatterradarsusingselectedsetofrandomcodes
AT ihaggstrom highresolutiongeneralpurposedlayerexperimentforeiscatincoherentscatterradarsusingselectedsetofrandomcodes
AT gwannberg highresolutiongeneralpurposedlayerexperimentforeiscatincoherentscatterradarsusingselectedsetofrandomcodes