New Generation HF Diagnostic in Modern Space Weather

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A novel high-frequency HF radar diagnostic system, originally developed and proven using non-NSF support, is prepared for use by the basic research Aeronomy community. It is expected that HF diagnostics featuring superior spatial and temporal resolutions, polarization discrimination, waveform selectivity, frequency agility and interplexing will remove many of the ambiguities associated with the interpretation of ionospheric sounders. In so doing, large amounts of aged and unused basic ionosonde data become available for reinterpretation. The research plan applies the new diagnostics to the extant ionosonde at the Arecibo Observatory, distributing four receivers at the site, and retaining the current transmitter. A long list of derived ionospheric parameters, including electron density altitude profiles, electron temperature altitude profiles, maps of irregularity motion, are compared to those parameters derived by the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar (ISR). The research product of low-cost, high spatial coverage, highly accurate and verifiable ionosonde data collection prepares for the global deployment of instrument arrays called for in the Decadal Survey.