The relationship between geophysical conditions and ELF amplitude in modulated heating experiments at HAARP: modeling and experimental results

Abstract

Experiments for generating extremely low frequency (ELF) radio waves using modulated HF heating of the auroral ionosphere have been conducted and refined at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility at Gakona, Alaska. Because this technique is dependent on strength of the naturally generated electrojet current system, the amplitude of the generated ELF changes with geophysical conditions. Past work has shown that electrojet current strength as measured by magnetometers often correlates with generated ELF amplitude, but there are periods of poor or negative correlation. We attempt to use additional diagnostics from a radar, riometer, ionosonde, and magnetometer chain to understand how ionospheric conditions affect ELF generation. We then present the results of a statistical model that shows that ELF amplitude is roughly proportional to magnetometer measurements for a fixed value of riometer absorption and that the proportionality constant decreases as riometer absorption increases. Theoretical simulations of modulated heating are conducted for a variety of ionospheric density profiles to verify that denser profiles result in smaller gains for ELF generation as a function of electrojet current at a given electric field.