On Recovery Possibility for the Spatial Distribution of Ionospheric Inhomogeneities with the Use of Imaging Riometers

Abstract

The technique has been suggested for recovering the spatial distribution of the scintillation index for radio emission of discrete cosmic sources in the polar ionospheric F-layer using the data of simultaneous observations from the several imaging HF riometers located in the Northern Hemisphere. As an example, the results of measurements with the use of multibeam riometeric facilities located at Gakona and Poker Flat Observatories (Alaska, USA) are presented. The emission from the four strongest discrete cosmic sources, namely, Cassiopeia A, Cygnus A, Taurus A and Virgo A, has been selected for sounding the ionosphere. The influence of the auroral activity on the scintillation index value is shown. Prospects for application has been considered for the developed technique in the European part of the Arctic region where the majority of operating imaging riometers is located.