Time-Height Variations of Ion-Line Doppler Spectra at HAARP

O-mode HF heating results in enhanced electron temperatures in the lower ionosphere that in turn result in enhanced electron densities due to temperature-dependent molecular ion chemistry. As a result, for a fixed HF heating frequency, the altitude of the HF interaction region decreases with time after the onset of HF heating. Corresponding altitudes of the HF-enhanced ion-line signals detected with the MUIR UHF-frequency diagnostic radar also decrease with time. For the data presented here, the radar range resolution was 600 meters, and time-height Doppler spectra were obtained for every pulse (10ms inter-pulse period) of the UHF-radar. We have therefore been able to examine the height-dependent spectral characteristics of ion-line signals every 10ms. The UHF radar signals show a brief initial period after HF turn-on (about 120ms) when signals are scattered around zero Doppler over about 2km height range. The UHF signals then rapidly convert to a stable configuration with two ion-line signatures (approximately +/- 5kHz Doppler values); above a fixed height there is only positive Doppler data (downward ion-acoustic waves), and below that height there is only negative Doppler data (upward ion-acoustic waves). The power associated with the downward ion-acoustic waves is typically stronger than the upward waves. For the example shown, this spectral type persists for the entire duration of the HF heating time, at progressively lower heights. We suggest that the spectral characteristics are associated with HF frequencies near the 3rd gyro harmonic.