The Sanya Incoherent Scatter Radar Tristatic System and Initial Experiments

Abstract Low latitude ionosphere experiences complex dynamical and electrodynamical processes, which make the spatiotemporal variations of the corresponding electron density complicated and therefore influence trans‐ionosphere radio communications. The monitoring of low latitude dynamical drivers, such as neutral wind and ionospheric electric field, is essential for both dynamic mechanism investigations and applications. The Sanya Incoherent Scatter Radar Tristatic System (SYISR‐TS) was proposed with the main objective of low latitude ionospheric monitoring and investigation and has been successfully developed over the past decade. The system consists of the Sanya (18.3°N, 109.6°E) trans‐receiving main station with key parameters of ∼1,600 m2 antenna aperture, >4 MW peak power,