Simultaneous Multi-angle Measurements of Plasma Turblence at HAARP

91 Pages·2013·1.69 MB·English

by  Naomi Watanabe

Eastern Michigan University
DigitalCommons@EMU
Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and
Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations
Graduate Capstone Projects
7-2012
Simultaneous multi-angle measurements of plasma
turblence at HAARP
Naomi Watanabe
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Watanabe, Naomi, "Simultaneous multi-angle measurements of plasma turblence at HAARP" (2012).Master's Theses and Doctoral
Dissertations. 448.
http://commons.emich.edu/theses/448
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Simultaneous Multi-angle Measurements of Plasma Turbulence at HAARP
by
Naomi Watanabe

Thesis
Submitted to the Department of Physics and Astronomy
Eastern Michigan University
In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
Physics

Thesis Committee:
James P. Sheerin, PhD, Advisor
Alexandria Oakes, PhD, Department Head
J. Marshall Thomsen, PhD

July 2012
Ypsilanti, Michigan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my research advisor, Dr. Sheerin. He helped and encouraged
my academic and research area throughout my graduate school time. I appreciate all of
his support.
I would like to thank Dr. Oakes and Dr. Thomsen. I appreciate their kindness. I
also would like to thank my fellow graduate students of Department of Physics and
Astronomy. They always encouraged my study. I also would like to thank Eastern
Michigan University for providing me a great atmosphere to study.
I owe a special thanks to my parents for their support and encouragement.

ii
ABSTRACT

We report the results from a recent series of experiments employing the HAARP
HF transmitter to generate and study strong Langmuir turbulence (SLT) in the interaction
region of overdense ionospheric plasma. Diagnostics included the Modular UHF
Ionospheric Radar (MUIR) sited at HAARP, the Super DARN-Kodiak HF radar, and HF
receivers to record stimulated electromagnetic emissions (SEE). Short pulse, low duty
cycle experiments demonstrate control and suppression of artificial field-aligned
irregularities (AFAI). This allows the isolation of ponderomotive plasma turbulence
effects. For the first time, plasma line spectra measured simultaneously in different spots
of the interaction region displayed marked but contemporaneous differences dependent
on the aspect angle of the HF pump beam and the pointing angle of the MUIR diagnostic
radar. Outshifted Plasma Line spectra, rarely observed in past experiments, occurred with
sufficient regularity for experimentation. Experimental results are compared to previous
high latitude experiments and predictions from recent modeling efforts.

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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………...... ii
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………............ iii
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………. iv
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………… v
List of Figures………………………………………………………………………….. vi
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………... 1
Background…………………………………………………………. ............................. 3
Experimental Setup…………………………………………….. ...................................22
Results………………………………………………………………. ............................36
Discussion………………………………………………………………. ......................55
Conclusions………………………………………………………….. .......................... 73
References………………………………………………………… ...............................76

iv
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
3.1. Experiment details ...........................................................................................23
3.2. Frequency and angle ........................................................................................23
3.3. Space weather for experimental runs ...............................................................30
4.1. Observations and comments for 25 Jul 2011 ...................................................44
4.2. Observations for 03:05:00 on 25 Jul 2011 .......................................................46
4.3. Observations of OPL 25 Jul 2011 ....................................................................49

v
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
2.1. Particle density versus height.............................................................................4
2.2. Ionization ..........................................................................................................4
2.3. Electric field in plasma ......................................................................................5
2.4. Gyroscopic motion ............................................................................................6
2.5. Geometry of electromagnetic wave ...................................................................8
2.6. Dispersion relation ............................................................................................8
2.7. Parametric Decay ...............................................................................................9
2.8. Parallelogram method PDI ...............................................................................10
2.9. Parallelogram method LDI ..............................................................................11
2.10. Reflection of pump wave .................................................................................13
2.11. Power spectral density ...................................................................................16
2.12. Intensity versus frequency cascade ..................................................................16
2.13. Schematic of decay ..........................................................................................17
3.1. HAARP beam pattern ......................................................................................24
3.2. HAARP intensity pattern .................................................................................24
3.3. HAARP gain versus angle ...............................................................................24
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Figure Page
3.4. HAARP transmission angles in experiment ....................................................25
3.5. Diagnostic schematic for experiments .............................................................26
3.6. Example of MUIR radar data spectra ..............................................................27
3.7. Example of SuperDARN Kodiak data .............................................................29
3.8. Ionogram ..........................................................................................................32
3.9. Riometer data ...................................................................................................34
3.10. Magnetometer data...........................................................................................35
4.1. Spectra for HF 14 degrees................................................................................38
4.2. Spectra for HF 7 degrees..................................................................................39
4.3. Spectra for HF 11 degrees................................................................................40
4.4. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 12 degrees ....................................................44
4.5. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 15 degrees ....................................................47
4.6. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 15 degrees coexistence .................................48
4.7. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 15 degrees OPL ............................................50
4.8. Ionogram showing severe absorption ..............................................................52
4.9. Ionograms for July 25, 2011 ............................................................................53

vii
Figure Page
4.10. Ionograms for July 25, 2011 showing HF reflection .......................................54
5.1. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 15 degrees ....................................................56
5.2. Spectra for HF 14 degrees UHF 15 degrees ...................................................59
5.3. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 15 degrees ..................................................61
5.4. Spectra for HF 7 degrees UHF 15 degrees .....................................................62
5.5. Spectra for HF 11 degrees UHF 15 degrees ...................................................63
5.6. Spectra for HF 7 degrees UHF 15 degrees ....................................................65
5.7. Spectra for HF 7 degrees UHF 15 degrees .....................................................66
5.8. Raytracing of HF propagation .........................................................................67
5.9. Riometer trace for July 25, 2011......................................................................71
viii
1. Introduction

The study of the ionosphere is useful for various fields, such as, navigation (Global
Positioning System) and satellite communications systems. High frequency (HF) transmission of
radio waves has long been employed both for communication and as a technique to research the
ionosphere because of its frequency range being comparable to the plasma frequency range in the
ionosphere. Furthermore, transmitting high power HF radiowaves may be used to produce
irregularities that simulate natural turbulence in a controlled experiment. Transmitting HF
radiowaves with various parameters and high power in the ionosphere is important to the study
of the ionosphere. The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), in Gakona,
Alaska, has the highest power and most versatile system for the HF radio in the world. The
HAARP HF transmitter, called Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), can transmit HF waves of
2.8 - 15 MHz into the ionosphere, with a peak power of up to 3600kW at transmitter power,
which, including the gain of the antenna system, results in an Effective Radiated Power (ERP) of
up to 3600 MW.
The objective of these experiments is to study Strong Langmuir Wave Turbulence
produced by high power HF transmissions in the ionosphere. Two three-wave decays processes
—the Parametric Decay Instability and the Langmuir Decay Instability, along with the
Modulational Instability, which results in cavitation of the ionospheric plasma density—are
studied by means of corresponding spectral observations. The versatile capabilities of the Ultra
High Frequency (UHF) phased array diagnostic radar called Modular UHF Ionospheric Radar (or
1