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. BernardiJudd 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 contribution

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 (US)
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
StatePublished - Oct 21 2015
Event1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015 - Gran Canaria, Spain
Duration: May 16 2015May 24 2015

Publication series

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

Other

Other1st URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, URSI AT-RASC 2015
Country/TerritorySpain
CityGran Canaria
Period5/16/155/24/15

Keywords

  • Arrays
  • Astrophysics
  • Australia
  • Extraterrestrial measurements
  • Plasma measurements
  • Plasmas
  • Radio astronomy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication
  • Computer Networks and Communications

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