Daytime 150-km echoes observed with the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar in Indonesia: first results

Abstract

Results of the daytime 150-km echoes from 10.36°S magnetic latitude observed using the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR), which are first of its kind from magnetic southern hemisphere, are presented. The echoing region of 145-165 km shows forenoon descent and afternoon ascent with signal intensity modulation with time resembling a necklace and the Doppler spectra are narrow, which are quite similar to those reported earlier from other locations. Westward and upward/southward irregularity drifts are found to be consistent with daytime background electric fields, providing a tool to investigate low latitude daytime electrodynamics. Detectability of these echoes suggests the absence of strong latitudinal dependence in contrast to the earlier belief, suggesting a possibility of their detection at mid-latitudes. Also the echoes show zonal anisotropy that is opposite to that observed over Pohnpei. The implications of these observations are discussed in the light of present understanding of 150-km echoing phenomenon.