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Ann. Geophys., 16, 721-730, 1998
www.ann-geophys.net/16/721/1998/
© European Geosciences Union 1998

Typical disturbances of the daytime equatorial F region observed with a high-resolution HF radar

E. Blanc¹ and E. Houngninou^2
1Laboratoire de Detection et de Géophysique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Bruyères le Chatel, France
Fax: + 01 69 26 70 23; e-mail: blanc@ldg. bruyeres.cea.fr
²Département de physique, Université d'Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Abstract. HF radar measurements were performed near the magnetic equator in Africa (Korhogo 9°24'63''N–5°37'38''W) during the International Equatorial Electrojet Year (1993–1994). The HF radar is a high-resolution zenithal radar. It gives ionograms, Doppler spectra and echo parameters at several frequencies simultaneously. This paper presents a comparative study of the daytime ionospheric structures observed during 3 days selected as representative of different magnetic conditions, given by magnetometer measurements. Broad Doppler spectra, large echo width, and amplitude fluctuations revealed small-scale instability processes up to the F-region peak. The height variations measured at different altitudes showed gravity waves and larger-scale disturbances related to solar daytime influence and equatorial electric fields. The possibility of retrieving the ionospheric electric fields from these Doppler or height variation measurements in the presence of the other possible equatorial ionospheric disturbances is discussed.

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Citation: Blanc, E. and Houngninou, E.: Typical disturbances of the daytime equatorial F region observed with a high-resolution HF radar, Ann. Geophys., 16, 721-730, 1998.   Bibtex   EndNote   Reference Manager