A new radar auroral backscatter experiment
In 1982 a new radar auroral backscatter system, SABRE (Sweden and Britain Radar Experiment), commenced operation in northern Europe. Observations with this ground-based system allow estimates to be made of the electric fields in the auroral E-region. As an electric field probe, the coherent radar technique is unique in that measurements are made over a large area (∼200,000 km2) with good spatial resolution (20 × 20 km2) and with a temporal resolution of typically 20 s. The system field of view covers an L-value range 4.3–5.8. This region in the magnetosphere–ionosphere system is now accessible for the first time for detailed electric field studies. We present here observations of two pulsation events.
GENERATION OF SMALL-SCALE IRREGULARITIES IN THE EQUATORIAL ELECTROJET.
A theory that accounts for the generation of short-wavelength irregularities in the equatorial electrojet for an electron drift velocity below the ion-acoustic speed is presented. Long-wavelength (tens of meters) horizontally propagating waves driven unstable by the ambient ionization density gradient are found not to steepen very much, even though they are nondispersive. However, the local vertical velocity and horizontal density gradient associated with these waves are capable of generating the meter-wavelength obliquely propagating irregularities detected in radar observations.
Line Arrester Energy Discharge Duties
Surge arresters could practically eliminate lightning flashovers on distribution lines, if they are properly deployed in large enough numbers, and if they could survive the current and energy discharge duties imposed by high-magnitude lightning strokes. The discharge duty depends on complex interactions between the arrester locations, grounding, shielding from nearby objects, and the local lightning environment. But many factors of traditional concern with distribution arrester application, such as the lead length, surge front time, and protective margin, play little or no role in the discharge duty. Probabilistic methods determine the expected arrester failure rate. This should be much lower than the original flashover rate on the line insulation, otherwise the design is not acceptable. A transient program such as EMTP/ATP provides the best tool for calculating the discharge duty, but simplified methods are also available