HR: 0800h
AN: SA31A-0355    [Abstracts]
TI: Plasma line calibration of the electron density measured with the EISCAT Svalbard Radar, and the effect of snow.
AU: Westman, A
EM: assar.westman@eiscat.se
AF: EISCAT Scientific Association, Box 432, Longyearbyen, 9171 Norway
AU: * Stromme, A
EM: anja@eiscat.se
AF: EISCAT Scientific Association, Box 432, Longyearbyen, 9171 Norway
AU: Rietveld, M
EM: mike.rietveld@eiscat.uit.no
AF: EISCAT Scientific Association, Box 432, Longyearbyen, 9171 Norway
AU: van Eyken, A
EM: tony@eiscat.se
AF: EISCAT Scientific Association, Box 432, Longyearbyen, 9171 Norway
AU: Haggstrom, I
EM: ingemar.Haggstrom@eiscat.se
AF: EISCAT Scientific Association, Box 432, Longyearbyen, 9171 Norway
AU: Markkanen, J
EM: jussi.markkanen@eiscat.sgo.fi
AF: EISCAT Scientific Association, Box 432, Longyearbyen, 9171 Norway
AB: Electron density is one of the geophysical parameters routinely calculated from the ion line measurements at the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR). The magnitude of the electron density depends on the returned power, and hence external factors such as transmitted power and antenna properties have to be taken into account when estimating the electron density from the ion line. Using cross calibration, and occasional ionosonde measurements, a system constant, often referred to as the "magic constant", has been assigned to each of the two ESR antennas. With a very small correction for electron temperature, the frequency offset of the plasma line component of the scattered spectrum is proportional to the square root of the electron density and provides a more direct measure of the target electron density in the ionosphere. However, the naturally occurring plasma line is usually observed to be very weak. At the EISCAT Svalbard Radar an additional receiver provides the opportunity to measure plasma lines routinely. They are observed to be much stronger and more persistent than expected and we can in practice calibrate the ion line electron density with the plasma line. In this paper we will discuss how the "magic constant" for the two ESR antennas can be found by this method, and discuss how different estimates of transmitted power influence this constant. We will show results of the calibration, and discuss the effect of snow accumulation in the 42m antenna.
DE: 2407 Auroral ionosphere (2704)
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
DE: 2494 Instruments and techniques
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005