Determination of the range of reflecting structures in the upper atmosphere: a frequency shift experiment

A HF Middle and Upper atmospheric radar is operated at Scott Base year round under automatic control for two experiments: the Partial Reflection Winds and the D-region polarimeter experiments. An intensive study into the nature and structure of the reflecting features of the upper atmosphere was investigated by extending, on a short term basis, the wind program to operate in phase coherent, frequency shifted mode. The winds experiment to some extent determines the degree of turbulence in the region and this new experiment aims to extend those studies. The radar had the frequency shifted over small steps (the equipment was reconfigured) to allow more precise determination of the range of reflecting structures in the upper atmosphere. The frequency shift experiment was run for one week and captured the Polar Mesosphere Summer Echo feature.

一套高频（High Frequency, HF）中高层大气雷达于斯科特基地全年自动运行，用于开展两项实验：部分反射风场实验与D区偏振计实验。为深入探究高层大气反射特征的本质与结构，研究团队短期扩展风场实验的运行方案，采用相干频移模式开展观测。此前的风场实验可在一定程度上表征该区域的湍流程度，而本次新实验旨在拓展此类研究的范畴。该雷达通过小幅步进调整频移（并对设备进行重新配置），得以更精准地测定高层大气反射结构的分布范围。本次频移实验持续一周，成功捕获到极区中层夏季回波（Polar Mesosphere Summer Echo）特征。