Disturbances of electron density in the high latitude upper (F-region) ionosphere induced by X-mode HF pump waves from EISCAT UHF radar observations

Abstract

The paper presents experimental results concerning disturbances of electron density in the high latitude ionosphere F-region, induced by powerfulHF radio waves (pump waves) with extraordinary (X-mode) polarization. The experiments were carried out at the EISCAT/Heating facility at Tromsø, Norway. The EISCAT UHF incoherent scatter radar (ISR), running at 930 MHz, co-located with a heating facility, was used to detect the disturbances of electron density. In the course of the experiments, the X-mode HF pump waves radiated into the F-region towards the magnetic zenith at different pump frequencies and ratios of the pump frequency to the critical frequency of the F2 layer.The effective radiated power was ERP = 360–820 MW. An increase in electron densities was found in a wide altitude range, giving rise to field-aligned ducts with enhanced electron density. The features and behavior of the ducts were investigated. It was revealed that the ducts are formed under quiet background geophysical conditions in a wide altitude range up to the upper altitude limit of EISCAT ISR measurements, when the pump frequencies were both below and above the critical frequency of the F2 layer (fH ≤ foF2 or fH > foF2). A plausible formation mechanism of the ducts is discussed.