Doppler shift pulsations on whistler mode signals from a VLF transmitter

Abstract

Whistler mode signals from the NAA transmitter (24 kHz) received at Faraday, Antarctica are processed to obtain the Doppler shift at a much higher time resolution than has previously been possible. This has allowed the observation of pulsations of about 13 mHz frequency which are believed to be associated with hydromagnetic waves in the magnetosphere. The pulsations are observed separately on signals with a number of discrete group delay features that can be interpreted as individual whistler ducts. Using the measured pulsation phase over the array of ducts the phase velocity and wave normal direction of the hydromagnetic wave in the equatorial plane are estimated. The direction of propagation is consistent with a source on the dayside magnetopause.

The association between whistler mode Doppler shifts and hydromagnetic waves has been reported before but not, as far as we are aware, using an experimental technique that allows measurements on individual ducts in order to determine the direction of propagation of the hydromagnetic wave.