Plasma drift during periods of low geomagnetic activity at UTHM's Parit Raja station

Abstract

Measurements of data relating to ionospheric plasma drift have been collected at the Wireless and Radio Science centre (Waras) at UTHM Parit Raja station in Batu Pahat, Johor since 2004. This is done using a digital doppler interferometer which allows investigations into the dynamics of the ionosphere at this near equatorial station to be carried out. These measurements include Doppler shifts, angles of arrival, as well as virtual heights from significant numbers of ionospheric echo sources simultaneously at the same time. By employing Doppler inteferometry reception technique at four receivers connected to four spaced antennas nearby, it is possible to identify the three dimensional locations of various scattering points reflected back from the ionosphere as a result of vertically-incident HF waves. These waves are transmitted at frequencies of 5.9MHz, 7MHz, and 8MHz which cover the local Flayers since the critical frequencies lie between 6MHz and 8MHz.