THE WIND-HAARP EXPERIMENT - INITIAL RESULTS OF HIGH-POWER RADIOWAVE INTERACTIONS WITH SPACE PLASMAS

Results from the first science experiment with the new HF Active Auror al Research Program (HAARP) in Alaska are reported. The objective was to study the effects of space plasmas on high power radiowave transmis sion to high altitudes in the magnetosphere. Reception was done by the NASA/WIND satellite. The data suggest that structured space plasmas a long the propagation path impose a power law spectrum of fluctuations on the transmitted waves, resembling scintillations. Because the trans mitted waves are near ionospheric plasma frequencies, other types of w ave-plasma interactions may occur. Such measurements can provide a new diagnostic tool.