31 Aug 2000
31 Aug 2000
Comparison of the orientation of small-scale electron density irregularities and F region plasma flow direction
E. D. Tereshchenko1, B. Z. Khudukon1, M. O. Kozlova1, O. V. Evstafiev1, T. Nygrén2, M. T. Rietveld3, and A. Brekke4
E. D. Tereshchenko et al.
E. D. Tereshchenko1, B. Z. Khudukon1, M. O. Kozlova1, O. V. Evstafiev1, T. Nygrén2, M. T. Rietveld3, and A. Brekke4
- 1Polar Geophysical Institute, 15 Khalturina, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
- 2Department of Physical Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90401 Oulu, Finland
- 3EISCAT, N-9027 Ramfjordbotn, Norway; also at Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
- 4Auroral Observatory, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Correspondence to: T. Nygrén; e-mail: tuomo.nygren@oulu.fi
- 1Polar Geophysical Institute, 15 Khalturina, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
- 2Department of Physical Sciences, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90401 Oulu, Finland
- 3EISCAT, N-9027 Ramfjordbotn, Norway; also at Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
- 4Auroral Observatory, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Correspondence to: T. Nygrén; e-mail: tuomo.nygren@oulu.fi
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Abstract. Results are shown from an experimental campaign where satellite scintillation was observed at three sites at high latitudes and, simultaneously, the F region plasma flow was measured by the nearby EISCAT incoherent scatter radar. The anisotropy parameters of field-aligned irregularities are determined from amplitude scintillation using a method based on the variance of the relative logarithmic amplitude. The orientation of the anisotropy in a plane perpendicular to the geomagnetic field is compared with the direction of F region plasma flow. The results indicate that in most cases a good agreement between the two directions is obtained.
Key words: Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities)