Comparison of the orientation of small-scale electron density irregularities and F region plasma flow direction

Results are shown from an experimental campaign where satellite scintillati on was observed at three sites at high latitudes and, simultaneously, the F region plasma flow was measured by the nearby EISCAT incoherent scatter ra dar. The anisotropy parameters of field-aligned irregularities are determin ed from amplitude scintillation using a method based on the variance of the relative logarithmic amplitude. The orientation of the anisotropy in a pla ne perpendicular to the geomagnetic field is compared with the direction of F region plasma flow. The results indicate that in most cases a good agree ment between the two directions is obtained.