Tidal phenomena in the Earth’s upper atmosphere

Abstract

From 1987 to the present, the radio flux of powerful galactic and extragalactic radio sources is monitored at decameter waves at the URAN-4 radio telescope of the Odessa Observatory of the Radio Astronomy Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The work is based on revealing the nature of unusual records of radio sources that were not associated with the presence of interference in the decameter radio band. Changes of fluxes of radiation sources at decameter waves are determined by the condition of an ionosphere as a result of variation in space weather and tidal events. When radio sources are observed through a tidal wave, a “plasma lens” effect is realized in the ionosphere. Depending on the position of the radio source relative to the tidal wave, the radiation wave front is sought. As a result, various effects are realized: strong focusing, intense flickering or “blurred” recording of the radio source. This effect was originally reflected in earlier works [1]. In this paper the analog records of radio sources (1987-1990) and digital (1998-2004) are considered and various tidal effects were clarified. Based on the results of measurements, the angular dimensions of the tidal wave, reaching 60 degrees, were determined. Radio astronomy observations in the decameter range at the URAN-4 radio telescope are an effective method for studying tidal phenomena in the Earth's upper atmosphere.