Lower-bound estimate of the density of superthermal electrons according to plasma-line intensity in the spectrum of an incoherent-radar signal

The paper presents a theoretical analysis of the effect of the inhomogeneity of a collisional plasma on the establishment of an elevated background of plasma fluctuations in the presence of superthermal electrons. The derived expressions make it possible to estimate the minimum density of superthermal electrons accelerated in an artificial turbulence region in the ionosphere according to plasma-line intensity in the spectrum of an incoherent-radar signal. It is shown that an incoherent radar operating at 150 MHz can be used to investigate the distribution of precipitating electrons with energies of 40-200 eV.