Electromagnetic Vector Sensor Ionospheric Sounder (EMVSIS)

Ground-based ionosondes, also known as ionospheric sounders, are a bedrock sensor modality used by the space science community to monitor the bottom-side ionosphere. These HF radar systems have been used for decades to remotely measure the electron density and ion-drifts of this charged layer of the atmosphere. These systems have evolved as new technologies have come on the scene; one current example are electro-magnetic vector sensor antennas, which are compact arrays that measure the six components of an impinging electro-magnetic wave, allowing for estimation of direction of arrival and polarization. We will present a design that uses this new antenna technology, takes advantage of MIMO radar concepts and new waveform coding techniques. We call this system the Electro-Magnetic Vector Sensor Ionospheric Sounder (EMVSIS). The various design decisions and challenges will be discussed along with future improvements. We will preliminary results from various measurement campaigns and the types of validation and verification methods we are performing.