CEDAR Incoherent Scatter Radar Data Base from NCAR/HAO

The Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR)
at the National Center for Atmospheric Research/High Altitude
Observatory (NCAR/HAO) incoherent-radar data base was established in
1985 by the institutions that operate the incoherent scatter radars in
Jicamarca/Peru (12S,284E,DIP=1N), Arecibo/Puerto Rico
(18N,293E,DIP=51N), St. Santin/France (45N,2E, DIP=61N), Millstone
Hill/Mass. USA (43N,288E,DIP=73N), Chatanika/Alaska USA (65N,213E),
and Eiscat/Scandinavia (70N,19E). The Chatanika radar was moved to
Sondrestrom/Greenland (67N,309E) in 1982. A radar operating from
Shigaraki, Japan began operating in 1986.

Incoherent scatter radars transmit very high power pulses at
frequencies above 50 mhz. The scattering occurs at small-scale plasma
fluctuations. The back-scattered power is proportional to the
electron density in the scattering volume (in many cases an on-site
ionosonde is used for calibration). the shape and Doppler broadening
of the received spectrum allow determination of electron and ion
temperature and ion composition and the shift against the transmitter
frequency indicates the line-of-sight ion drift. Multi-receiver
facilities like St. Santin and Eiscat allow measurements of all
velocity vector components. In addition simple aeronomic theory
together with a geomagnetic field model is often used to derive
neutral wind, neutral temperature, atomic oxygen density, and electric
field.

Below about 100 km and above about 800 km the ionospheric electron
densities become so low that the signal-to-noise ratio is no longer
acceptable for reliable data reduction.

Measurements are usually conducted during 2 to 3 days each month. The
temporal and spatial resolution depends on the mode used: long
integration times provide high sensitivity but low time resolution;
large backscatter volumes provide good signal-to-noise ratio but poor
altitude resolution. Typically the time resolution ranges from 1 to 30
minutes and the altitude resolution from a few to 100 km.

The Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) data base at CEDAR consists of the
following:

1. Jicamarca ISR data from the Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Peru
which has operated since 1963. The contact person is Wesley
Swartz. Faraday rotation data is available from David Hysell. The
Jicamarca Radio Observatory is operated by the Geophysical Institute
of Peru, Ministry of Education, with support from the National Science
Foundation through Cornell University.

2. Arecibo ISR data from the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The radar has been in operation since
1963. The contact person is Qihou Zhou. Arecibo Observatory is
operated by Cornell University under the National Science Foundation.

3. ISR data from the Middle and Upper atmosphere (MU) radar from
Shigaraki, Japan. The radar has been in operation since 1986. The
contact person is Shoichiro Fukao. The MU radar belongs to the Radio
Atomospheric Science Center of Kyoto Observatory.

4. ISR data from the fixed zenith antenna and the steerable antenna at
Millstone Hill, Haystack Observatory. The radar has been in operation
since 1960. The contact person is John Holt. The Millstone Hill ISR is
supported by the National Science Foundation.

5. ISR data from the quarristatic system in France operated between
1963-1987. The contact person is Christine Amory-Mazaudier. The ISR is
supported by the Institut d'Astronomie et de Geophysique and by the
Direction des Recherches et Moyens d'Essais.

6. ISR data from Chatanika radar in Alaska was opeated by SRI
International between 1971 and 1982. The radar was moved to
Sonderstrom, Greenland. The contact person is John Kelly. The radar
is supported by the NSF.

7. ISR data from the tristatic European Scatter System (EISCAT) in
Scandanavia has been in operation since 1981. A system is located in
Tromso, Norway and Kiruna, Sweden, and Sodankyla, Finland. The
contact person is Peter Collis. EISCAT is supported by organizations
in Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and the UK.

8. ISR data from the Sondrestrom radar at Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland
has been in operation since 1983. The radar was moved from Chatanika,
Alaska by SRI International. The contact person is John Kelly. The
radar is upported by the NSF.

The CEDAR Data Base is accessible through the WWW and ftp, but users
must have a valid access form, available from the WWW or ftp (see
Access and Use constraints) or contact Barbara Emery
([e-mail]). See the WWW site for additonal information on
accessing the data and Rules of the Road procedures.

http://cedarweb.hao.ucar.edu/wiki/index.php/Data_Services:Rules_of_the_Road