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Ann. Geophys., 18, 1088-1096, 2000
www.ann-geophys.net/18/1088/2000/
© European Geosciences Union 2000

Plasma convection at high latitudes using the EISCAT VHF and ESR incoherent scatter radars

J. M. Holt¹ and A. P. van Eyken^2
1MIT Haystack Observatory, Route 40, Westford MA 01886, USA
²EISCAT Scientific Association, N-9020 Tromsdalen, Norway
Correspondence to: A. P. van Eyken
e-mail: tony@eiscat.uit.no

Abstract. The recent availability of substantial data sets taken by the EISCAT Svalbard Radar allows several important tests to be made on the determination of convection patterns from incoherent scatter radar results. During one 30-h period, the Svalbard Radar made 15 min scans combining local field aligned observations with two, low elevation positions selected to intersect the two beams of the Common Programme Four experiment being simultaneously conducted by the EISCAT VHF radar at Tromsø. The common volume results from the two radars are compared. The plasma convection velocities determined independently by the two radars are shown to agree very closely and the combined three-dimensional velocity data used to test the common assumption of negligible field-aligned flow in this regime.

Key words: Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; polar ionosphere) - Magnetospheric physics (plasma convection)

Full Article (PDF, 524 KB)

Citation: Holt, J. M. and van Eyken, A. P.: Plasma convection at high latitudes using the EISCAT VHF and ESR incoherent scatter radars, Ann. Geophys., 18, 1088-1096, 2000.   Bibtex   EndNote   Reference Manager