Localization of Aurorae with 10 m High Power Radar Technique, using a Rotating Antenna

Abstract

The paper describes the 10 m high power recorder with a rotating antenna that is used since May 1951 for the localization of aurorae at the Radio Wave Propagation Laboratory of the Kiruna Geophysical Observatory (67.8° N, 20.5° E). Continuous observations during the time May 1951–March 1952 have disclosed periods of auroral activity. The preliminary results from these observations indicate that there is a good correlation between the auroral activity, the magnetic activity, and the appearance of the NI-layer, a special type of sporadic E ionization often appearing in connection with magnetic bays and supposed to be caused by the same ionizing agent as the aurora. The distribution in range and bearing of the recorded aurorae agrees with the simple theory that most of the radio wave scattering comes from those points where the radar beam is perpendicular to the surface of the auroral discharges. The calculated height distributions of the reflection centres have maxima around 120 km.