Waves in the sky: Probing the ionosphere with the Murchison Widefield Array

Shyeh Tjing Loi, Tara Murphy, Iver H. Cairns, Cathryn M. Trott, Martin E. Bell, Natasha Hurley-Walker, John Morgan, Emil Lenc, Andre R. Offringa, Frederick W. Menk, Colin L. Waters, Lu Feng, Paul J. Hancock, David L. Kaplan, Nadia Kudryavtseva, Colin J. Lonsdale, Philip Erickson, Anthea Coster, Ronald D. Ekers, G. BernardiJ. D. Bowman, F. Briggs, R. J. Cappallo, A. A. Deshpande, B. M. Gaensler, L. J. Greenhill, B. J. Hazelton, M. Johnston-Hollitt, S. R. McWhirter, D. A. Mitchell, M. F. Morales, E. Morgan, D. Oberoi, S. M. Ord, T. Prabu, N. Udaya Shankar, K. S. Srivani, R. Subrahmanyan, S. J. Tingay, R. B. Wayth, R. L. Webster, A. Williams, C. L. Williams

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    Low-frequency, wide-field radio telescopes such as the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) enable the dense spatial sampling of the ionosphere and plasmasphere on regional scales. For a physically compact array such as the MWA, the refractive shifts in the positions of celestial sources in the synthesised radio images are proportional to spatial gradients in the total electron content (TEC) transverse to the line of sight. By measuring the angular position shifts of celestial radio sources, one can probe waves and disturbances in the intervening plasma. Radio telescopes differ fundamentally from other techniques for measuring plasma fluctuations in that they are sensitive to TEC gradients/differences rather than absolute TEC. This makes them sensitive specifically to fluctuations about the ambient density, and therefore powerful probes of plasma density waves and irregularities.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2015 1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
    ISBN (Electronic)9789090086286
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2015
    Event1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015 - Gran Canaria, Spain
    Duration: 16 May 201524 May 2015

    Publication series

    Name2015 1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015

    Conference

    Conference1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015
    Country/TerritorySpain
    CityGran Canaria
    Period16/05/1524/05/15

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