Formation of artificial ionospheric ducts

International audienceIt is well known that strong electron heating by a powerful HF-facility can lead to the formation of electron and ion density perturbations that stretch along the magnetic field line. Those density perturbations can serve as ducts for ELF waves, both of natural and artificial origin. This paper presents the first experimental evidence of plasma modifications associated with ion outflows due to HF heating. The experiments were conducted using the HAARP heater during times that the DEMETER satellite flying at an altitude of approximately 670 km was close to the magnetic zenith of HAARP. The DEMETER satellite has provided in situ measurements of the ion temperature and composition. The experimental results are compared with the numerical model of inter-hemispheric artificial ducts, and it is found that they are in qualitative agreement