The EISCAT Radar Facilities Ian McCrea STFC RAL

What is EISCAT? International Scientific Association Established agreeement since 1975 First observations in 1981 HQ in Sweden

EISCAT’s Mission Statement EISCAT aims to make available the necessary knowledge and techniques: To understand the various forms of coupling between the Sun, the terrestrial magnetosphere and the upper atmosphere of the high-latitude regions To understand the plasma physics and dynamics responsible for these interactions To investigate the effects of natural and anthropogenic forcing on the upper atmosphere To facilitate the better monitoring and prediction of these processes

Incoherent Scatter Electrons re-radiate the radar signal with random phase Electron motion follows the thermal fluctuations in the ion gas. If the probing wavelength is longer than the Debye length, the fluctuations dominate the scatter. Radar pick outs towards and away propogating ion-acoustic waves satisfying the Bragg condition

EISCAT Facilities: Mainland UHF Three identical fully steerable dishes, frequencies ~ 928 MHz. Transmit at T, receive at T, K, S Additional reception at 1.42 GHz Increasing problems with mobile phones at remotes Tromsø guaranteed to end of 2013

EISCAT Facilities: Mainland VHF Frequency ~224 MHz. Cylindrical paraboloid antenna 120m x 40m Dish in four independent sections Steerable in meridian plane Limited beam-steering in zonal direction Two very large klystrons, only one working

EISCAT Facilities: ESR Frequency ~500 MHz. Two dishes: one steerable, one fixed field-aligned Share common transmitter Small “TV Tx” style klystrons Third (Chinese) ESR dish by 2014?

EISCAT Facilities: Heater & Dynasondes Heater Frequency 4- 8 MHz Two Tx arrays ERP up to 1.2 GW Advanced ionosondes at Tromsø and ESR

Rules of the Road

Original Science Motivation: “The Seven Wonders of EISCAT” Seven initial objectives of EISCAT (as defined by EISCAT Scientific Advisory Committee, 1979) Detailed mapping of auroral arcs High-resolution D and E-region response to precipitation Understanding of association between auroral electrojets and gravity waves Clear detection of the polar wind

Original Science Motivation: “The Seven Wonders of EISCAT” Seven initial objectives of EISCAT (as defined by EISCAT Scientific Advisory Committee, 1979) Measurement of polar cap convection patterns Ionospheric images of polar cleft, plasmapause and plasma sheet Detailed measurements of the polar mesosphere

Future Science: Whole Atmosphere Coupling

Future Science: Long-term trends and global change

Future Science: Energy flow and large-scale structure

Future Science: Wave-wave and wave-particle coupling

Future Science: Space Weather and Space Debris

Future Science: Solar System Physics

Future Systems: EISCAT_3D

Future Systems: MAISR Proposal of NSF Office of Polar Programs Study differences between Northern and Southern hemispheres Different magnetic field, different topography, different vortex Could be ready for deployment in 2015 US will fund 80% of facility – looking for international partners for the other 20%

The UK EISCAT Community

UK Synergy and Co-ordination

ESFRI Projects for Env. Sciences LIFEWATCH EMSO IAGOS-ERI AURORA BOREALIS EUFAR-COPAL ICOS EURO-ARGO EPOS EISCAT-3D SIOS Status 2009