Passive Coherent Radar Studies of the Auroral E Region

调查人员将使用一种名为无源雷达的新雷达技术进行电离层研究。无源雷达利用商业调频无线电广播作为发射机。对低成本接收器获取的信号进行分析，以区分和恢复散射在电离层中的回波。雷达不需要发射器和无线电许可证，因此是向从高中到研究生院的学生演示无线电波观测技术的有用工具。现有的接收器将在加拿大增加两个接收器，以研究极光纬度的E区不规则性。这项研究有四个主要目标：(1)创造一个对极光带1.5米不规则性敏感的专用雷达仪器，(2)利用该仪器研究极光电喷流不规则性的时空演变，(3)提高无源雷达技术的能力，(4)为本科生和研究生提供丰富的教育和研究经验。除了研究极光区的电离层不规则性外，被动雷达还将能够观察到在大型磁暴期间形成的亚极光极化流的发展，这是通信信号中闪烁的来源。这种新的雷达技术因其在航空航天和军事系统中的潜在应用而引起了国际上的关注。该奖项将为该技术的持续发展以及对下一代无线电工程师的培训提供资金。

The investigators will conduct ionospheric research using a new radar technique called passive radar. The passive radar makes use of commercial FM radio broadcasts as transmitters. Signals acquired by low-cost receivers are analyzed to discriminate and recover echoes scattered in the ionosphere. The radar requires no transmitter and no radio license, and is therefore a useful tool to demonstrate radiowave observing techniques to students from high school through graduate school. Existing receivers will be augmented by two receivers in Canada to study E region irregularities at auroral latitudes. The research has four primary goals: (1) to create a dedicated radar instrument that is sensitive to 1.5 meter irregularities in the auroral zone, (2) to use the instrument to study the temporal and spatial evolution of auroral electrojet irregularities, (3) to improve the capabilities of the passive radar technique, and (4) to provide a rich educational and research experience for undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to studying ionospheric irregularities in the auroral zone, the passive radar will be able to observe the development of the subauroral polarization stream that develops during large magnetic storms and is a source of scintillation in communication signals. This novel radar technique has attracted international attention because of its potential application to aerospace and military systems. This award will provide for continued development of the technique, along with training of the next generation of radio engineers.