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The SOUSY - Svalbard - Radar (SSR)
The photo shows part of the antenna array, consisting of 356 Yagi elements.
Operating frequency: 53.5 MHz, peak power: 60 kW
The SSR Project
In the polar middle atmosphere phenomena from above, resulting from
the effect of the solar wind on the Earth's atmosphere, and phenomena
from below, such as gravity waves propagating upwards from the
troposphere, are merging. The relative importance of these effects
from above and below should be studied. The polar summer mesosphere is
extremely cold such that ice particles form, resulting in Noctilucent
Clouds and in particular electromagnetic wave scattering, manifest in
Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes. The polar stratosphere and troposphere
are strongly affected by dynamic processes occurring in connection
with the polar vortex.
Mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radars have proved to
contribute significantly to the studies of these processes. For this
purpose the Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie has constructed and
operates an MST VHF radar in Longyearbyen on Svalbard. Such MST radar
studies are carried out in combination with other related
observations, i.e. with the EISCAT Svalbard Radar for mesospheric and
lower thermospheric studies, and with in-situ sounding by rockets
(SvalRak) and other ground-based experiments, such as the imaging
riometer (DMI) and OH spectrometer (UNIS) performed by several
research groups in Longyearbyen. Studies of the Arctic stratosphere
and troposphere are in conjunction with observations in
Nyålesund and by aircraft performed by AWI.
The SOUSY Svalbard Radar (SSR) of the Max-Planck-Institut für
Aeronomie (MPAe), which uses the main basic components of the mobile
SOUSY radar, was set up in Longyearbyen in summer 1998. Long
experiment operation took place in a few campaigns in 1999. The radar
consists of a transmitter operating on 53.5 MHz at peak power of
60 kW (2.4 kW average), a high-gain Yagi-antenna array of 92
meters diameter, allowing five beam pointing directions at and close
to the zenith, as well as radar control, receiver and digital signal
processing units. This equipment is housed in two containers. The
antenna is being modified by separating modules for reception in the
radar interferometer and imaging mode.
Some main scientific objectives of this new project SSR, performed by
the MPAe, are: Studies of tides, gravity waves and turbulence in the
mesosphere and their interaction, the structure and dynamics of Polar
Mesosphere Summer Echoes, and studies of Arctic
stratosphere-troposphere dynamics related to the formation of Polar
Stratospheric Clouds and to stratosphere-troposphere exchange
processes.
SOUSY stands for SOUnding SYstem, which indicates that the SOUSY
Svalbard Radar is used in a system of instruments to sound the
atmosphere.
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Scientific projects of the Mobile SOUSY VHF Radar*
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Location Geographic Date Main Objectives
Coordinates
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Arecibo, 18 N, 67 W April 1980 - Multifrequency expt.,
Puerto Rico Dec. 1981 Subtropical Meteorology
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Rosenheim, 48 N, 12 E March 1982 - International ALPEX
Germany April 1982 campaign
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Andenes, 69 N, 16 E Nov. 1983 - International
Norway June 1984 MAP/WINE campaign
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Cape Canaveral, 29 N, 81 W Feb. 1985 - Wind measurements for
USA May 1985 rocket/shuttle launches
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McPherson, 38 N, 98 W April 1985 - Oklahoma-Kansas
USA May 1985 PRE-STORM Program
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White Sands, 32 N, 106 W July 1985 - Antenna radiation pattern
USA Oct. 1985 Cn^2, Wind
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Lindau, 52 N, 10 E Aug. 1986 Dual radar experiment
Germany Reynold stress
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Andenes, 69 N, 16 E June 1987 - International MAC/SINE
Norway March 1990 and MAP/EPSILON campaigns
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Andenes, 69 N, 16 E June 1994 - ALOMAR SOUSY
Norway March 1998
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Svalbard, 78 N, 16 E June 1999 - SOUSY Svalbard Radar (SSR)
Norway present
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Basic system parameters of the SOUSY-Svalbard-Radar (SSR)
Location near Longyearbyen (78 ° N, 16 ° E) on Spitzbergen/Svalbard
Transmitter:
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Frequency ........................... 53.5 MHz
Pulse Peak Power .................... 60 kW
Duty Cycle .......................... 4%
min. Pulse Length ................... 1 microseconds
Antenna:
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Single Element ...................... 4-element Yagi
Number of Elements .................. 356
Beamwidth ........................... 4.5 degrees
Gain ................................ 33 dBi
Pointingdirections :
vertical, 5 ° to NE, SE, SW, NW
Separable into modules
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