Observation and theory of the radar aurora

Plasma density irregularities occurring near the Aurora Borealis cause scattering of HF, VHF, and UHF radio waves. The scattering is so strong that a small radar, such a the Cornell University Portable Radar Interferometer (CUPRI), can easily detect this "radar aurora." Analysis of the resulting radar signal provides great detail about the spatial and temporal characteristics of these auroral E region irregularities. We present observations of the radar aurora from recent campaigns in northern Sweden.;After reviewing the basic theory and observations of auroral electrojet irregularities, we introduce a simple nonlinear fluid theory of electrojet ion-acoustic waves, and reduce it to a form of the "three-wave interaction" equations. This theory provides a simple mechanism for excitation of linearly stable waves at large aspect and flow angles, as well as a prediction of the power spectra that a coherent scatter radar should observe. In addition, this theory may be able account for "type 3" waves without resorting to ion gyro modes, such as the electrostatic ion-cyclotron wave.;During the course of our research we have generated a simple new radar transmitting mode and signal processing algorithm which very simply solves a frequency aliasing problem that often occurs in CUPRI auroral radar studies when a single-pulse spectral mode is used. Several new radar data analysis routines have been developed, including principally the "cross-beam image" and scatter plots of the second versus first moments of the power spectrum of the irregularities. Analysis of vertical interferometer data shows that "type 3" waves originate at ordinary electrojet altitudes, not in the upper E region, from which we conclude that the electrostatic ion-cyclotron mode does not generate "type 3" waves. The measured height of type 3 waves and other spectral analyses provide support for our pure ion-acoustic theory of type 3 waves.;In closing, we offer suggestions for hardware improvements to the CUPRI radar, new experiments to test new and existing theories, as well as specific paths for further theoretical exploration.