Coupling of ionosphere and thermosphere

The ionosphere is strongly coupled with the thermosphere. The EISCAT Scientific Association operates four radar antenna sites to enable research on the ionosphere and the thermosphere. All radars are located above the Arctic Circle and all radar sites work together, which give scientists a unique research opportunity.

EISCAT radars are used for different types of studies and different phenomena, for example Space Weather, Space Debris and the Aurora. EISCAT Incoherent Scatter Radars measure as function of height the electron density, the ion and electron temperatures, the ion drift velocity and the plasma composition.  The facility is made accessible through PITHIA-NRF Transnational Access Programme, to selected users for research and experimentation.