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HAARP – Research If you believe the conspiracy theorists, HAARP is a “death ray”, it can cause earthquakes, control weather, bring down aircraft . . . even cause buildings to disintegrate. But as we shall see, HAARP, the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program facility in Alaska is a highly useful and promising research centre. A ll radio enthusiasts, whether they are amateurs, shortwave listeners or DX TV enthusiasts, know that the ionosphere has a large influence on radio propagation. For example, long-range radio communication relies on reflection or refraction of radio signals by the ionosphere to achieve range. Without the ionosphere radio signals would continue in a straight line path out into space and would not reach a receiver located beyond the horizon. Communications enabled by and affected by the ionosphere include those to and from transoceanic aircraft flights and ship-to-shore, international shortwave broadcasts, amateur radio and military communications, overthe-horizon radar and many others. Signals that must travel through the ionosphere, such as those from GPS and other satellites, can also be affected. In the case of GPS signals, errors are introduced to positional fixes due to random variations in the ionosphere. Because these are small, they’re usually of no relevance to civilian GPS users. But they are important to users who require extremely high accuracy. Unfortunately, the ionosphere is neither stable nor completely predictable and its properties are constantly varying according to the time of day, the season. the 11-year sunspot cycle By Dr David Maddison 22  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au hing the Ionosphere and other solar activity. An example of ionospheric variation that is familiar to most people is that medium wave (MW) radio broadcast signals are carried much further at night than during the day. But changes in the ionosphere can occur extremely rapidly, even at time scales of as little as a second. “Space weather” Space weather refers to changes in the space environment, particularly the region between the Earth and Sun. The “solar wind” from the Sun streams past the Earth and is mostly deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field but variations in the solar wind cause changes in the Earth’s magnetic field. Quite regularly, from about once per week up to a few times per day, a solar flare is produced on the Sun which is generated by a tremendous release of magnetic energy and results in the emission of X-rays and UV rays. These can interact with the ionosphere if the emission is directed toward the Earth. In addition, electrons, protons, heavy ions and atoms may be simultaneously ejected from the Sun (called a coronal mass ejection event) and impact upon the Earth’s magnetosphere. This can result in spectactular polar auroras. Also protons, which are travelling at up to about about one third of the speed of light, can constitute a serious radiation hazard for spacecraft and their occupants as well as a lesser hazard to aircraft. When a solar flare interacts with the Earth’s atmosphere it can also result in damage to electrical power grids. Here in Australia, from its office in central Sydney, the Ionospheric Prediction Service (IPS) monitors and forecasts space weather conditions, which include solar activity and geosiliconchip.com.au physical and ionospheric conditions. Large numbers of radio users rely on the IPS data for their day-to-day radio operation. This government agency, (which now comes under the Bureau of Meteorology) has provided this service since 1947 (see www.ips.gov.au). Space weather disturbances, which have a direct relationship with ionospheric conditions, can interrupt HF radio, imperil electrical power lines, threaten satellite transmissions and instruments (including avionics in extreme circumstances) and reduce the life of satellites in low earth orbits. They can even put long-distance pipelines at risk by reducing the efficiency of anti-corrosion cathode systems. The ionosphere can reflect radio waves because it contains a significant proportion of charged particles in the form of atmospheric atoms which have had electrons removed by high energy radiation from the Sun, such as UV and X-rays as well as, to a lesser extent, cosmic rays from space. Such particles are said to be “ionised”, leading to the name of the layer in which they exist. These ionised particles form a plasma that is electrically conduc- Atmospheric layers on left showing temperature profile and ionospheric layers on right showing electron density profile. October 2012  23 IRI transmitter array, view from NE corner. Each tower is approximately 22 metres tall and consists of both low band and high band dipoles and matching networks. tive, capable of reflecting radio waves under the right circumstances. The exact properties of the ionosphere are determined by the balance achieved between the ionisation of gas atoms due to UV from the Sun and the atoms reverting to a “neutral” state after some period of time. Typically, the ionosphere exists from around 85km altitude up to 600km, as shown in the diagram. Note that the ionosphere is superimposed upon the thermosphere and the exosphere. Unlike the ionosphere, which is defined by its electrical properties (shown in the diagram in terms of electron density), these layers are defined by their temperature profile which is also shown. By way of comparison, the ozone layer which protects life on Earth from excessive exposure to UV radiation occurs at an altitude of 20 to 30km and is located within the stratosphere. The ionosphere has two main layers at which local maxima in electron density occur and these are called the E- and F-layers. During the night the F-layer (which splits into two layers, F1 and F2) is the only one that has significant ionisation, while during the day both the F- and the E-layers are significantly ionised. In addition, a D-layer forms beneath the E-layer. 24  Silicon Chip Ionogram generated by digisonde with frequency along the horizontal axis and height in kilometres along the vertical axis. The coloured dots of the scatter plot indicate the altitude at which signals of a given frequency are reflected by the ionosphere and correspond to its various layers. The black solid and dotted line represents the electron density, which is related to the reflectivity of the ionosphere. siliconchip.com.au In the D-layer ionisation is low, hence it is not apparent in the electron density plot in the diagram but absorption of radio energy is high and it is responsible for the lack of longrange reception of medium wave AM broadcast band signals during the day. The atmospheric pressure in which the ionosphere exists is extremely low – and is effectively space. Consider that the International Space Station (ISS) orbits within the ionosphere and thermosphere at an altitude of around 320km. This is also the layer in which the polar auroras occur (the “northern” and “southern lights”), one of which forms the background to the panel below. At altitudes much below the orbit of the ISS the atmosphere is too thin to support balloon flight (record maximum altitude 53km) but too thick to allow for observational satellites in stable orbits, so studying the ionosphere is difficult by conventional methods. Hence, a ground-based ionospheric research facility such as HAARP is required. HAARP experimental program For reasons of the ionosphere’s importance to radio and satellite Optical instruments are housed in separate buildings, one of which has a large dome. communications and navigation, its instability and rapidly changing and incompletely predictable nature, the difficulty of studying it with either balloon-borne instrumentation or satellites, the HAARP facility was developed to enhance understanding of this atmospheric layer. The traditional method of studying the ionosphere has been to transmit a signal and passively listen for a response. This has the disadvantage that the investigator is entirely reliant upon the vagaries of the ionosphere which, as stated, is unstable and subject to daily and seasonal variation. This makes it very difficult to obtain data that are reproducible or that are based upon known ionospheric conditions. HAARP does not just passively monitor processes and interactions as per the traditional methods, although it can do that as well. HAARP employs active methods, hence the use of that word in the project name. It transmits extremely powerful radio waves that, according to Jim Battis of HAARP, are able to “create processes and interactions with the particles in the ionosphere and in some small area of the ionosphere, might trigger new processes or different responses which we can use”. The processes and interactions created by HAARP are more likely to be reproducible than with older passive methods. A brief history of ionospheric research Ionospheric research dates back as early as 1902 after Marconi made the first trans-Atlantic radio transmission. At that time it was not understood how radio waves propagated beyond the horizon and the two possibilities considered were that the radio wave underwent surface diffraction along the ground or that there was a reflective layer somewhere in the atmosphere. American Arthur Kennelly and Englishman Oliver Heaviside in 1902 proposed that UV light from the sun could ionise atmospheric gases to make a conductive reflective layer. This layer came to be known as the Kennelly-Heaviside layer and is now known as the E layer, however its existence was not accepted at the time and propagation was thought to occur via surface diffraction. Since longer wavelengths would have a longer range via surface diffraction, governments reserved these wavelengths leaving short wavelengths, which were thought to be useless, to amateurs. In November 1923, however, amateurs made the first successful two-way transatlantic radio conversation. This feat resulted in a renewed interest in the possible existence of a reflecting layer in the atmosphere. Americans Gregory Breit and Merle Tuve in 1925 established evidence for the ionosphere by directing a pulsed radio signal upwards and detecting and measuring the time taken for a reflected signal. Knowing the speed of light, the height of the layer could be calculated. Much later, this work lead to the development of radar and also ionosondes (a radar-like instrument to measure properties of the ionosphere). siliconchip.com.au Later, these workers proved that radio waves were propagated via the reflecting layer by demonstrating that at a distant receiver a signal could be detected by first receiving a signal via a direct ground wave and a second signal via what must have been a reflected wave from the ionosphere. The delay was also observed to vary at different times thus proving that the height of the layer was variable with time of day and season. Englishmen Edward Appleton and Miles Barnett also in 1925 used continuous wave methods in their ionospheric research. In their first method, the angle of a received signal was measured and with knowledge of the distance between the stations the height of the reflecting layer could be determined. In their second method they used variable frequencies and an interference pattern established between a ground wave and reflected sky-wave from a closely located transmitter and receiver. Properties of this pattern could be used to establish the height of the layer. Using shorter wavelengths they discovered the known reflective layer was penetrated and they discovered the existence of a second layer which came to be known as the Appleton layer, later to be called the F-layer. The D-layer was discovered some time after this in 1928. During WWII long-distance radio communication was of particular importance and great efforts were made to develop predictive methods to ensure that the optimal transmitting frequencies and times could be used for maximum effectiveness. October 2012  25 Classic 30MHz Riometer Imaging Riometer Az/El Telescope Dome Induction Magnetometer Optics Shelter Diagnostic Instrument Pad 3, showing both the classic riometer and the imaging riometer as well as other instruments. To actively create or influence ionospheric processes HAARP utilises the Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI) which consists of 180 crossed dipole transmitting antennas arranged in a 12 x 15 grid, spread over about 16 hectares. The transmitter, said to be the most powerful in the world, can transmit 3.6MW of power at frequencies of between 2.8MHz and 10MHz and the system is designed to have an effective radiated power (ERP) of between 400MW and 4GW (86 to 96dbW) depending on the frequency used. (The ERP takes into account the antenna gain of 31.6 dB, antenna input power and losses.) Ionospheric heaters Devices of this nature are generically known as ionospheric heaters because of their ability to heat (energise) the ionosphere. There are also similar but less powerful devices in Norway, Russia and elsewhere in the United States. The signal from HAARP can be either pulsed or continuous and the transmitting antennas are arranged in a phased array configuration to enable the beam to be electronically steered. The beam, in the form of a 15° cone, is able to be steered and pointed to 26  Silicon Chip almost anywhere in the sky and its direction can be changed in around 15 milliseconds. At the same time, the frequency can be changed within 10 to 20 seconds. The ability to steer the beam enables quick heating of multiple sections of the ionosphere to create a larger heated area. The transmitted signal is directed upward toward the ionosphere where it is absorbed at an altitude of between 100 and 350km, depending upon the frequency used. The affected volume is of the order of hundreds of meters thick by tens of kilometres diameter. The transmitted radio energy is either absorbed, causing some localised heating in the ionosphere, or causes optical emissions (akin to those generated in a fluorescent light bulb but generally too dim to see with the naked eye), or is reflected back to earth. These effects can be monitored with radio receivers, radar and optical sensors at the HAARP facility. Artificially energising the ionosphere with radio energy mimics the natural energising of the ionosphere by the Sun and other processes that occur within it but with a degree of control. The amount of energy injected into the ionosphere, the frequency and the shape of the radio waveform and the direction of the beam (say, relative to earth’s magnetic field) can be precisely controlled while ionospheric conditions before and after energising can be precisely measured. Tests may be done at specific times when certain initial ionospheric conditions are determined to exist (eg, an experiment might require that the D-layer be absent). Since natural ionospheric events are occuring at the same time as the artificially-induced ones, it is important to be able to distinguish between the two. Artificial events exist only during or shortly after the ionosphere is excited by the HAARP transmitter so artificially induced phenomena will correlate with transmitter activity. Typically, experiments are repeated to confirm that it is the induced effects that are being observed. Location HAARP is located on a 14-hecare site at 62°N latitude, near Gakona, in Alaska. It’s “miles from anywhere”, actually on the site of a previous USAF over-the-horizon radar facility. This ideal upper mid-latitude locasiliconchip.com.au tion ensures that the facility experiences neither exclusively polar ionospheric conditions nor exclusively lower mid-latitude conditions. It is capable of making observations in both types of conditions depending on how far south the polar portion of the ionosphere is pushed. The remote location also offers relative radio quietness. Safety Despite the enormous power of the radio beam, the delivered signal in the ionosphere has an intensity of less than 3μW/cm2, which is five orders of magnitude less than the sun’s natural radiation which reaches the earth’s atmosphere (about 1.4W/cm2). In addition, any effects to the ionosphere dissipitate within seconds to minutes, once the transmitter is turned off. There is an Aircraft Alert Radar that will warn operators of approaching aircraft, so the transmitter can be shut down as a precaution against interference with avionics. Power supply During operation, HAARP goes “off grid” and generates its own power from four of its five 2.5MW diesel generators. Due to losses, it takes roughly 10MW of power to transmit 3.6MW of radio energy. Findings and experiments Since commencing operation HAARP has done much to advance knowledge of the ionosphere and the impact it has on radio communications, as well developing a deeper understanding of processes within it. Research work has covered • Ionospheric heating, observations of natural and induced ionospheric plasmas • Airglow due to ionospheric heating • Electron emission from the ionosphere • Scintillation studies • Observations of meteors (which leave radio-reflective ionised trails) • GPS signal propagation studies • HF communications over polar regions, and • Generation and studies of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) (30Hz to 3kHz [this is the definition of ELF used by HAARP, other definitions vary]) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) (3kHz to 30kHz) waves including so-called “whistler mode” signals (a natural example of which are the electromagsiliconchip.com.au The Aircraft Alert Radar warns the HAARP operators if a plane is close to, or in, the operational area so the system can be shut off. There is a risk to the aircraft avionics if it enters the beam. netic waves in the audio-frequency range generated by lightning). A notable HAARP accomplishment was, in 2005, the creation of an artificial green-coloured aurora that was visible to the naked eye (although this feat had also previously been achieved with the lower-powered EISCAT [European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association] scatter radar systems in Norway). Another interesting experiment undertaken in 2008 was to bounce 6.7 and 7.4MHz beams off the moon. While not strictly part of HAARP’s primary scientific program, the moonbounce represented the lowest frequency ever reflected from the moon. Information was gained about lunar composition and about the beam’s interaction with the ionsphere. The bounce could be listened to by radio amateurs, some of whom reported a predicted 7Hz Doppler shift in the signal due to the motion of the moon. An additional area of interest is the so-called electrojet, a region of During transmitter operation, HAARP goes “off grid” and generates its own power from five 3600HP diesel generators. Four are used, with one available as a backup, giving a total power of 10MW from an installed capacity of 12.5MW. October 2012  27 HAARP Instrumentation HAARP has a variety of instruments, divided into three broad categories: 1) active sensors which listen for a response after a radio signal has been injected into the ionosphere; 2) passive sensors that listen to signals naturally generated within the ionosphere and 3) optical sensors which are capable of seeing the light generated from an artificial aurora after the ionosphere has been energised by HAARP, although the light is not usually bright enough to see with the naked eye. Riometer A Riometer (Relative Ionospheric Opacity Meter) is a passive instrument that monitors natural background radio noise from the galaxy to establish the opacity or absorption of this noise by the ionosphere and thus provide a measure of ionospheric activity. It does this by monitoring such radio noise for an extended period of time during periods of low ionospheric activity to establish a baseline or “quiet-day curve”. Any deviation from this baseline is a measure of increased ionospheric absorption and thus activity. HAARP has a two types of riometer. The first type is a classic “all sky” design that images most of the sky. In common with many other riometers this monitors the entire sky at a frequency of 30MHz. The second type is an imaging riometer which, using a phasedarray of narrow antenna beams is able to generate a two dimensional image of the sky showing local variations in ionospheric activity, such as might be generated by natural phenomena or ionospheric excitation by HAARP. This instrument operates at 37MHz. Magnetometers HAARP has both fluxgate and induction types of magnetometers, which measure small magnetic field variations caused by electrical currents in the ionosphere. The induction magnetometer measures the magnetic field in three axes and can measure fields down to as a little as a few picoTesla. els way below what the human eye can sense and at a range of wavelengths. There is also a telescope and photometers and a telescope dome and other instrument buildings (see photo of Diagnostic Instrument pad 3). The real-time results of the imager and other instruments can be seen on HAARP’s data page. VHF and UHF ionospheric radar A VHF radar operates at 139MHz, while a UHF radar known as MUIR (Modular UHF Incoherent Scatter Radar) is used to make observations of the ionospheric plasma after it has been energised by HAARP. Ionospheric Scintillation Receivers Ionospheric scintillation refers to irregularities in the ionsophere caused by “space weather” such as solar and magetic storms. A suite of ionospheric scintillation receivers conduct research into this phenomenon and to assist in the development of predictive models. Radio background receivers HAARP has an off-site network of broadband ELF and VLF receivers used to monitor such signals naturally emanating from the ionosphere or those produced by artificially energising it. The HF to UHF spectrum monitor has several purposes. Firstly, it is used for self-monitoring to ensure an appropriate signal is being generated and radiated. Secondly, it is used to ensure that the transmitter is operating correctly and is not causing interference to other radio spectrum users. Thirdly, it listens for interference that may affect HAARP operations. The output of this instrument set is presented in the form of a waterfall chart, available to the public on the HAARP website. A waterfall chart will give a general indication of the ionosphere and show which frequencies are being propagated at any given time. A chart showing few colours indicates the ionosphere is not propagating signals well while one with many colours shows good propagation conditions. Digisonde A digisonde is a radar-like device that probes the ionosphere with radio signals and uses information from the reflected signals to determine the present structure of the ionosphere. It is the same type of device as was formerly known as an ionosonde but it incorporates advanced computing methods and signal processing techniques to analyse the data. Optical instruments Among the optical instruments at HAARP are an allsky imager, which can make observations at intensity lev- The almost spartan HAARP control room belies its enormous capabilities and power. 28  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au extremely high electrical current flowing in the E-layer of the ionosphere in the vicinity of both the poles and the equator. One area of research aims to generate ELF waves by using HAARP to modulate the electrical conductivity of the electrojet region. Since the electrojet current also has an electrical field associated with it, the result is an oscillating current which radiates at the modulation frequency. If the modulation frequency is in the ELF range a virtual ELF antenna is created in the sky, similarly for VLF frequencies. The above result is of use because ELF and VLF transmitters often require infeasibly large antennae or power inputs. The ability to more easily generate ELF and VLF waves has applications in areas such as submarine communication and remote sensing of underground structures such as illegal nuclear weapon facilities. One HAARP committee report suggests that frequencies as low as 0.001Hz could be generated. Such a low frequency should be able to penetrate deeply into the Earth or ocean. ELF and VLF waves will normally travel in the natural waveguide that is formed between the ionosphere and the earth. Some will however escape into space where they travel along magnetic field lines and return to Earth in the opposite hemisphere at the so called conjugate point, then are reflected and return to the transmitter. In one experiment, the return journey took some 8 seconds travelling at the speed of light. In contrast it takes light or radio waves about 2.6 seconds to return to Earth when reflected from the moon. A novel proposed use of HAARP is to inject low frequency waves into the earth’s radiation belts triggering the precipitation of charged particles thus enabling satellites to pass through these areas without risk of damage. Other proposed uses including modifying the ionosphere to create reflecting over-the-horizon pathways for higher frequencies that would normally pass through the ionosphere into space. The internet is a wonderful place. Apart from being a huge repository of (often wrong!) information on every subject known to man – and many that are not – it enables every crackpot conspiracy theorist in the world to publish and expound outlandish claims to anyone who cares to read them. Don’t worry about troublesome little details like proof, peer review or even scientific analysis. . . and why bother with logic or truth? What’s worse, any form of denial usually results in gems such as “well, of course they would say that, wouldn’t they!” You can’t win, can you! Data availability Such is the case with HAARP The real-time data output of most of HAARP’s instruments is available publicly at www.haarp.alaska.edu/ haarp/data.html Conclusion HAARP provides a unique facility to enable heating of the ionosphere in a controlled and reproducible way with a wide range of power levels, frequencies and modulation modes with the ability to rapidly steer the beam to produce desired patterns of energisation in the ionosphere. Many diagnostic instruments are available to monitor the effects of this artificial energisation and their ability to remotely sense the ionosphere has been demonstrated. Numerous areas of ionospheric behaviour can be explored and novel uses such as the production of ELF waves have been demonstrated. Many new discoveries and uses are envisaged for this facility in the years ahead. Want more information? You’ll find a lot more at the HAARP website, www.haarp.alaska.edu – including the results of the many tests HAARP have and are running. siliconchip.com.au Conspiracy theories Here are just some of the numerous conspiracy theories on the ’net which claim HAARP can be/is being used for: population mind control as a “death ray” (eg, “Star Wars”) generating earthquakes controlling weather destroying satellites bringing down aircraft causing power outages jamming communications and so on Oh, HAARP is accused of much more – being associated with UFOs, for example and even to have caused the “demolecularisation” (whatever that is!) of WTC buildings One and Two in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And it’s even been linked to the Mayan Calendar 2012 “doomsday” prophecies. There are many others – Google HAARP and you’ll find a plethora. Apart from any other considerations it is difficult to see how the effects claimed could be achieved with the energy levels used which are many orders of magnitude below what occur naturally from the Sun. Also, the work is completely unclassified and the equipment is built upon well-known designs and operates on well-known physical principles. “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof ” and the burden of proof lies with the person making such claims to provide the evidence, rather than for others to disprove these claims. As they say in the media, “why let the facts get in the way of a good story”. SC October 2012  29