Frequency Monitoring System for Over-The-Horizon Radar (OTHR) using The Empirical Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model (E-CHAIM)

The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) is developing an experimental over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) with the potential for surveillance of Canada. Because of dynamically changing ionospheric conditions in the high-latitude and polar regions, the operating OTHR transmission frequency and elevation angle needs to be adjusted regularly to maintain constant illumination of targets downrange. In this regard, accurate electron density is necessary for the purpose of improving operational OTHR and OTHR planning/design. Recently, the first phase of the Empirical Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model (E-CHAIM) was released, which was funded under Defence Research & Development Canada's (DRDC) All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) program. In this study, E-CHAIM is used to determine feasible radar parameters such as operating frequencies and elevation angles using a three-dimensional ray-tracing technique, which will help to form the basis of the frequency monitoring systems (FMS) that will control these polar OTHR systems.