The Case for Combining a Large Low-Band Very High Frequency Transmitter With Multiple Receiving Arrays for Geospace Research: A Geospace Radar

We argue that combining a high‐power, large‐aperture radar transmitter with several large‐aperture receiving arrays to make a geospace radar—a radar capable of probing near‐Earth space from the upper troposphere through to the solar corona—would transform geospace research. We review the emergence of incoherent scatter radar in the 1960s as an agent that unified early, pioneering research in geospace in a common theoretical, experimental, and instrumental framework, and we suggest that a geospace radar would have a similar effect on future developments in space weather research. We then discuss recent developments in radio‐array technology that could be exploited in the development of a geospace radar with new or substantially improved capabilities compared to the radars in use presently. A number of applications for a geospace radar with the new and improved capabilities are reviewed including studies of meteor echoes, mesospheric and stratospheric turbulence, ionospheric flows, plasmaspheric and ionospheric irregularities, and reflection from the solar corona and coronal mass ejections. We conclude with a summary of technical requirements

Wideband Waveform Design for Robust Target Detection

Future radar systems are expected to use waveforms of a high bandwidth, where the main advantage is an improved range resolution. In this paper, a technique to design robust wideband waveforms for a Multiple-Input-Single-Output system is developed. The context is optimal detection of a single object with partially unknown parameters. The waveforms are robust in the sense that, for a single transmission, detection capability is maintained over an interval of time-delay and time-scaling (Doppler) parameters. A solution framework is derived, approximated, and formulated as an optimization by means of basis expansion. In terms of probabilities of detection and false alarm, numerical evaluation shows the efficiency of the proposed method when compared with a Linear Frequency Modulated signal and a Gaussian pulse.Comment: This paper is submitted for peer review to IEEE letters on signal processin

Working Papers: Astronomy and Astrophysics Panel Reports

The papers of the panels appointed by the Astronomy and Astrophysics survey Committee are compiled. These papers were advisory to the survey committee and represent the opinions of the members of each panel in the context of their individual charges. The following subject areas are covered: radio astronomy, infrared astronomy, optical/IR from ground, UV-optical from space, interferometry, high energy from space, particle astrophysics, theory and laboratory astrophysics, solar astronomy, planetary astronomy, computing and data processing, policy opportunities, benefits to the nation from astronomy and astrophysics, status of the profession, and science opportunities