Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars

Abstract Observations by six Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) polar cap radars, three in the northern hemisphere and three in the southern hemispheres, are considered to assess F region echo occurrence rates over solar, season, and day cycles and to establish relationship between the ech...

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Main Authors: Alexander V. Koustov, Sydney Ullrich, Pavlo V. Ponomarenko, Nozomu Nishitani, Federica M. Marcucci, William A. Bristow
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2019-10-01
Series:Earth, Planets and Space
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40623-019-1092-9
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author Alexander V. Koustov
Sydney Ullrich
Pavlo V. Ponomarenko
Nozomu Nishitani
Federica M. Marcucci
William A. Bristow
author_facet Alexander V. Koustov
Sydney Ullrich
Pavlo V. Ponomarenko
Nozomu Nishitani
Federica M. Marcucci
William A. Bristow
author_sort Alexander V. Koustov
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Observations by six Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) polar cap radars, three in the northern hemisphere and three in the southern hemispheres, are considered to assess F region echo occurrence rates over solar, season, and day cycles and to establish relationship between the echo occurrence rate and the background electron density and plasma flow velocity magnitude. The echo occurrence rate is shown to increase toward the solar cycle maximum, more distinctly on the nightside, consistent with a general trend of the background electron density. Over the last 5 years, the echo occurrence rates decline at a rate of 5–10% per year. The pattern of seasonal and diurnal variations in echo occurrence is found to be consistent with previous SuperDARN publications. Minor dips in echo occurrence rate are observed in winter solstices, and these are related to an overall decrease in the electron density. In most of the time sectors, the echo occurrence rate increases with the electron density but only up to a certain threshold value after which the dependence saturates. The level of the saturation depends on season, local time, and average plasma flow velocity magnitude. For the summer daytime observations, the echo occurrence rate correlates with variations of both electron density and plasma flow velocity magnitude.
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spelling doaj.art-e112a56aa26149929735f507b9c954682022-12-21T17:50:43ZengSpringerOpenEarth, Planets and Space1880-59812019-10-0171111710.1186/s40623-019-1092-9Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radarsAlexander V. Koustov0Sydney Ullrich1Pavlo V. Ponomarenko2Nozomu Nishitani3Federica M. Marcucci4William A. Bristow5Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of SaskatchewanDepartment of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of SaskatchewanDepartment of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of SaskatchewanInstitute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya UniversityInstitute for Space Astrophysics and PlanetologyUniversity of Alaska FairbanksAbstract Observations by six Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) polar cap radars, three in the northern hemisphere and three in the southern hemispheres, are considered to assess F region echo occurrence rates over solar, season, and day cycles and to establish relationship between the echo occurrence rate and the background electron density and plasma flow velocity magnitude. The echo occurrence rate is shown to increase toward the solar cycle maximum, more distinctly on the nightside, consistent with a general trend of the background electron density. Over the last 5 years, the echo occurrence rates decline at a rate of 5–10% per year. The pattern of seasonal and diurnal variations in echo occurrence is found to be consistent with previous SuperDARN publications. Minor dips in echo occurrence rate are observed in winter solstices, and these are related to an overall decrease in the electron density. In most of the time sectors, the echo occurrence rate increases with the electron density but only up to a certain threshold value after which the dependence saturates. The level of the saturation depends on season, local time, and average plasma flow velocity magnitude. For the summer daytime observations, the echo occurrence rate correlates with variations of both electron density and plasma flow velocity magnitude.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40623-019-1092-9Polar cap radarsEcho occurrence rate, F region electron densityE × B plasma flow magnitude
spellingShingle Alexander V. Koustov
Sydney Ullrich
Pavlo V. Ponomarenko
Nozomu Nishitani
Federica M. Marcucci
William A. Bristow
Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars
Earth, Planets and Space
Polar cap radars
Echo occurrence rate, F region electron density
E × B plasma flow magnitude
title Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars
title_full Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars
title_fullStr Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars
title_full_unstemmed Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars
title_short Occurrence of F region echoes for the polar cap SuperDARN radars
title_sort occurrence of f region echoes for the polar cap superdarn radars
topic Polar cap radars
Echo occurrence rate, F region electron density
E × B plasma flow magnitude
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40623-019-1092-9
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