In-situ measurements of topside ionosphere electron density enhancements during an HF-modification experiment

A Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite measured an electron density enhancement of approximately 30% at 840 km altitude on 25 February 2008 during an overpass of the High frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) research station in Alaska where ionosphere modification e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2011-04, Vol.38 (8), p.np-n/a
Main Authors: Fallen, Christopher T., Secan, James A., Watkins, Brenton J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altitude
artificial ducts
Atmospheric sciences
Computer simulation
Density
DMSP satellites
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Electron density
Exact sciences and technology
Geomagnetic field
Geophysics
Hafnium
HF heating
ion outflows
Ionosphere
ionospheric modification
Meteorological satellites
modeling
polar ionosphere
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Summary:A Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite measured an electron density enhancement of approximately 30% at 840 km altitude on 25 February 2008 during an overpass of the High frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) research station in Alaska where ionosphere modification experiments were being conducted. An upward ion velocity enhancement of 200 m/s was also observed. Simulation results from a one‐dimensional self‐consistent ionosphere model indicate that topside electron density enhancements similar in magnitude to the observed enhancements at HAARP follow from electron temperature enhanced ambipolar diffusion, lifting atomic oxygen ions from the peak density layer along the geomagnetic field line up to the DMSP satellite orbit altitude. Assuming the HF pump heats the ionosphere electrons uniformly over a 10 km layer, the effective volume heating rate inferred from the model calculations is approximately 1 nW/m3. Key Points Topside electron density enhancement measured in situ during active experiment The active experiment was simulated with a self‐consistent ionosphere model Observed density enhancements follow from temperature‐enhanced diffusion
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2011GL046887