Open AccessValidation of the CUTLASS HF radar gravity wave observing capability using EISCAT CP-1 data
Author(s) -
N. F. Arnold,
T. B. Jones,
Terence L. Robinson,
A. J. Stocker,
J. A. Davies
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annales geophysicae
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.522
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1432-0576
pISSN - 0992-7689
DOI - 10.1007/s00585-998-1392-z
Subject(s) - ionosphere , radar , gravity wave , incoherent scatter , geology , thermosphere , remote sensing , gravitational wave , ray tracing (physics) , geophysics , radio wave , meteorology , geodesy , physics , computer science , optics , astronomy , telecommunications , quantum mechanics
Quasi-periodic fluctuations in the returnedground-scatter power from the SuperDARN HF radars have been linked to thepassage of medium-scale gravity waves. We have applied a technique that extractsthe first radar range returns from the F-region to study the spatial extent andcharacteristics of these waves in the CUTLASS field-of-view. Some ray tracingwas carried out to test the applicability of this method. The EISCAT radarfacility at Tromsø is well within the CUTLASS field-of-view for these waves andprovides a unique opportunity to assess independently the ability of the HFradars to derive gravity wave information. Results from 1st March, 1995, wherethe EISCAT UHF radar was operating in its CP-1 mode, demonstrate that the radarswere in good agreement, especially if one selects the electron densityvariations measured by EISCAT at around 235 km. CUTLASS and EISCAT gravity waveobservations complement each other; the former extends the spatial field of viewconsiderably, whilst the latter provides detailed vertical information about arange of ionospheric parameters. Key words. Ionosphere (ionosphere – atmosphereinteractions) · Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (thermospheric dynamics)· Radio science (ionospheric propagations)