Date Approved

7-2012

Date Posted

4-24-2013

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department or School

Physics and Astronomy

Committee Member

James P. Sheerin, PhD, Advisor

Committee Member

Alexandria Oakes, PhD

Committee Member

J. Marshall Thomsen, PhD

Abstract

We report the results from a recent series of experiments employing the HAARP HF transmitter to generate and study strong Langmuir turbulence (SLT) in the interaction region of overdense ionospheric plasma. Diagnostics included the Modular UHF Ionospheric Radar (MUIR) sited at HAARP, the Super DARN-Kodiak HF radar, and HF receivers to record stimulated electromagnetic emissions (SEE). Short pulse, low duty cycle experiments demonstrate control and suppression of artificial field-aligned irregularities (AFAI). This allows the isolation of ponderomotive plasma turbulence effects. For the first time, plasma line spectra measured simultaneously in different spots of the interaction region displayed marked but contemporaneous differences dependent on the aspect angle of the HF pump beam and the pointing angle of the MUIR diagnostic radar. Outshifted Plasma Line spectra, rarely observed in past experiments, occurred with sufficient regularity for experimentation. Experimental results are compared to previous high latitude experiments and predictions from recent modeling efforts.

Download

Included in

Physics Commons

Share

COinS