Review of the accomplishments of mid-latitude Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) HF radars

• Published in: Progress in earth and planetary science Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 1 - 57
• Main Authors: Nishitani, Nozomu, Ruohoniemi, John Michael, Lester, Mark, Baker, Joseph Benjamin Harold, Koustov, Alexandre Vasilyevich, Shepherd, Simon G., Chisham, Gareth, Hori, Tomoaki, Thomas, Evan G., Makarevich, Roman A., Marchaudon, Aurélie, Ponomarenko, Pavlo, Wild, James A., Milan, Stephen E., Bristow, William A., Devlin, John, Miller, Ethan, Greenwald, Raymond A., Ogawa, Tadahiko, Kikuchi, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 18.03.2019; Springer Nature B.V; Springer/Japan Geoscience Union; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: 1. Space and planetary sciences; Astrophysics; Atmospheric Sciences; Biogeosciences; Convection; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth and Planetary Astrophysics; Earth Sciences; Geophysics/Geodesy; HF propagation analysis; Hydrogeology; International cooperation; Ionosphere; Ionospheric irregularities; Latitude; Magnetosphere; Mid-latitude SuperDARN; Planetology; Radar; Review; Sciences of the Universe; Upper atmosphere; Ion-neutral interactions; MHD waves; Mid-latitude SuperDARN; HF propagation analysis; Magnetosphere; Ionosphere; Convection; Ionospheric irregularities
• ISSN: 2197-4284; 2197-4284
• DOI: 10.1186/s40645-019-0270-5

The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) is a network of high-frequency (HF) radars located in the high- and mid-latitude regions of both hemispheres that is operated under international cooperation. The network was originally designed for monitoring the dynamics of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere in the high-latitude regions. However, over the last approximately 15 years, SuperDARN has expanded into the mid-latitude regions. With radar coverage that now extends continuously from auroral to sub-auroral and mid-latitudes, a wide variety of new scientific findings have been obtained. In this paper, the background of mid-latitude SuperDARN is presented at first. Then, the accomplishments made with mid-latitude SuperDARN radars are reviewed in five specified scientific and technical areas: convection, ionospheric irregularities, HF propagation analysis, ion-neutral interactions, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. Finally, the present status of mid-latitude SuperDARN is updated and directions for future research are discussed.