Emelyanov L. Means and results of ionosphere plasma drift velocity radiophysical measurements

The object of the research is the process of incoherent scattering of radio waves by fluctuations of electron density of the ionosphere when plasma moves. The aim of the research is to develop new methods and develop existing methods of analysis of the incoherently scattered signal, principles of radio systems construction for experimental study of vertical ionospheric plasma transport, and their implementation. Methods of the research are experimental ones, radar sounding of the ionosphere, simulation of physical processes, statistical methods based on the achievements of statistical radiophysics including the correlation processing of incoherent scatter signal. The new effective techniques of radio-sounding of the ionosphere and methods of the incoherent scatter signal processing have been developed and implemented to minimize errors of the ionosphere plasma drift velocity measurement. The principles of construction of specialized Doppler radio systems for measurement of drift velocity and other parameters of ionospheric plasma have been developed and implemented. The large data volume was obtained and analyzed, and the regularities in the altitude-temporal variations of the F-region ionosphere vertical plasma drift velocity above the Central European region have been revealed or confirmed for different space weather states during the period from 1986 to 2009. The results of the research have been implemented at the Kharkiv incoherent scatter radar. Data of the ionosphere plasma drift velocity are used to refine the regional ionosphere model. The area of application is the radiophysical study of geospace, radiolocation of distributed targets, development of radio systems.