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Ionospheric Radio Communications pp 174–205Cite as

VHF Bistatic Auroral Backscatter Communication

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Abstract

In the first sections a short review is given about the basic characteristics of the VHF-backscatter-phenomenon: Aspect sensitivity control by the geomagnetic field, back-scatter mechanism, and wavelength dependence. Then the geometry of the propagation path of VHF bistatic aurora backscatter communication is computed according to a theoretical model and compared with experimental observations. The computed curves in space along which the backscattering centres must be located (backscatter curves) coincide at least at one point with the simultaneous visual aurora display responsible for the observed backscatter communication. The computed maximum-possible-distance-curves for this kind of communication are in reasonably good agreement with the observations. Observed deviations from these curves at greater distances can be explained mainly by magnetic dip angle variations during geomagnetic storms. A short review about time variations (diurnal and seasonal) of bistatic auroral backscatter communication, as well as the control of the frequency of occurrence by the geomagnetic activity in different latitudes, is given in another section. In a final section an explanation of some of the features of the auroral backscatter phenomenon is given using the new plasma acoustic wave theory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute for Aeronomy, Institute for Ionospheric Physics, Lindau, West Germany

    G. Lange-Hesse

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  1. G. Lange-Hesse
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Electronics, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, Kjeller, Norway

    Kristen Folkestad

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© 1968 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Lange-Hesse, G. (1968). VHF Bistatic Auroral Backscatter Communication. In: Folkestad, K. (eds) Ionospheric Radio Communications. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5511-1_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5511-1_15

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