Incoherent scatter radars - a very complex and costly installation, world
network consists of only 9 of these instruments. Under the auspices of the International Radio Union (URSI) with them being regular coordinated observations World Days Programm. Obtained with the experimental data form the basis for a wide range of studies of Solar-Terrestrial Physics, including major international project Global Change, CEDAR, STEP, etc..
Irkutsk radar is based on transmitted radar system
"Dnepr" and is a monostatic pulse radar with a frequency scan.
Located 120 km north-east of Irkutsk.
Its main features are:
Operating frequency 154 - 162 MHz
Pulsed power 2.5 - 3.2 MW
Pulse duration of 140 - 820 ms
Pulse repetition frequency of 4.24 Hz
Sectorial horn antenna system
Antenna gain 38 dB
The angular size of the beam 0.5 degrees. (North-south)
10 deg. (East-west)
The sector scan 60 degrees. (North-south)
Linear polarization
Noise temperature of 400-500 K
Irkutsk radar is a worldwide network of HP's radar, consisting of nine units, each of which is a unique scientific instrument. Terms of its basic parameters, it is close to the foreign counterparts. Apart from the technical characteristics of the unique radar HP determined and their geographical location, as a particularly important data of coordinated observations of the global distribution of ionospheric parameters. Irkutsk radar HP fills an important gap in the chain of radar longitude U.S., Europe
and Japan.
He is the only one in Russia and is included in the "List of unique experimental facilities of national importance that require additional government support" RF (registration N 01-28).
Study and the main results.
Ionospheric research on this radar began in the 80s.
Since 1993, after the first upgrade radar being regular observations on the international program of World Days radar network HP (20-30 days per year) in the altitude range 200-500 km. On the basis of observations by HP investigated characteristic variations of electron and ion temperature, velocity, concentration of the ionospheric plasma in various solar and geophysical conditions. Develop methods of diagnosis of near space, with, as a promising, developing the issue of probing the neutral atmosphere (stratosphere and mesosphere).
As a result, for the first time to the East Siberian region to have a representative set of data on the behavior of the parameters of the HP F-region of the ionosphere at various solar and geophysical conditions (time of day, seasons, levels of solar and geomagnetic activity). Experimental data on the time and amplitude characteristics of the variations of ionospheric parameters during
such perturbations, like a solar eclipse, ionospheric storms, powerful ground explosions. Trial experiments were conducted on two-frequency effects on the ionosphere powerful microwave radio signals, which revealed the existence of effect modification.
Since 1995 started to develop international co-operative research, aimed at prospective longitudinal study of patterns of large-scale processes (ionospheric storms, gravity waves, etc.) in the ionosphere and upper atmosphere based on the global network. These works
being a joint venture with a group of Atmospheric Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(U.S.) project, which received a grant RG1-199 the U.S. Civilian Research and Development (CRDF) for the period 1996-98.
In 2010, completed the second modernization of radar, will increase the capacity of the station by upgrading the receiving-transmitting channel and the wide use of modern digital technology.
The working group
Head: prof. RAS Potekhin AP
The experimental group:
Supervisor: Dr. Medvedev AV
Group monitoring of space objects:
Supervisor: Dr. Hahinov VV
Engineering group:
Head: Zavorin A.
