Largest atmospheric radar made the first measures of Earth's ionosphere

Observations in the southern hemisphere are crucial to revealing global features of both the atmosphere and the ionosphere

BY
AMIT MALEWAR
NOVEMBER 27, 2019



The ionosphere is defined as the layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that is ionized by solar and cosmic radiation. It lies 75-1000 km (46-621 miles) above the Earth. Because of the high energy from the Sun and cosmic rays, the atoms in this area have been stripped of one or more of their electrons, or “ionized,” and are therefore positively charged. The ionized electrons behave as free particles.

These free electrons and heavy ions collide constantly. Their dance was previously quantified by a method called incoherent scatter radar in the northern hemisphere, where researchers beam radio waves into the ionosphere. The electrons in the atmosphere dissipate the radio wave “incoherently.” The various ways they scatter inform scientists regarding the particles populating the layer.

Now, scientists used radar in Antarctica to make the first measurements from the Antarctic region.

Scientists used the program named Antarctic Syowa Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere/Incoherent Scatter (PANSY) radar, the largest and fine-resolution atmospheric radar in the Antarctic. The first incoherent scatter radar observations were made in the southern hemisphere in 2015. They also made the first 24-hour observation in 2017.

More:
https://www.techexplorist.com/largest-atmospheric-radar-first-measures-earths-ionosphere/28032/?utm_source=BN&utm_medium=BN&utm_campaign=BN&utm_term=BN&utm_content=BN