FIRST IONOSPHERIC RADAR RETURNS AT ESR

Following the installation of the cryogenic receiver, the DSP, the transmitter exciter and the main server, the EISCAT Svalbard Radar was successfully operated as an incoherent scatter radar on Saturday, March 16, 1996. No serious problems were encountered and the system started to produce data immediately upon turning on the transmitters at about 1700 UT. The transmitted power was about 450 kW peak at close to 25 percent duty cycle.

Operations then continued until late into the night and were resumed today (Sunday) at about 1400 UT. The radar is being run with a relatively simple test program comprising 4x360 us long pulses in every IPP. The beam is pointed at az = 180 degrees and el = 81 degrees, ie nominally field-aligned at 300 km. About 12 hours' worth of data have been recorded to disk and will be used to diagnose the system behaviour.

Sample of power profiles

Sample of ACFs and Spectra

In a few days, the full Day-1 code, including an alternating codes E/F1 layer part and long pulses for the F2 and the topside, will be installed and debugged. The community will be kept updated on our progress as time permits.