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Estimation of turbulent energy dissipation, winds, and ionospheric structure from Dynasonde measurements
Author(s) -
Wright J. W.,
Hunsucker R. D.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs018i006p00988
Subject(s) - turbulence , ionosphere , ionogram , daytime , physics , atmospheric sciences , wind shear , computational physics , dissipation , turbulence kinetic energy , meteorology , diffusion , wind speed , environmental science , geology , geophysics , electron density , plasma , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics
A sample of Dynasonde observations at Cleary, Alaska, of the daytime E region, in ionogram and Kinesonde observing modes, is shown to satisfy analysis criteria leading to winds and turbulence. The wind effects on the ionization distribution in the E region are shown to be consistent with the “wind shear” process for the sporadic E phenomenon at this large magnetic dip (76.5°). The lifetime of neutral atmospheric density fluctuations is deduced using standard phase screen diffraction arguments and is shown to yield plausible values for the energy rate of turbulent eddy diffusion. This suggests the value of a more systematic and long‐term Dynasonde measurement program dedicated to studies of the turbopause.