Turbulent scattering for radars: A summary

• Scattering of radar waves by turbulent structures in the ionosphere is revisited.
• Volume reflectivity depends on turbulent parameters and on atmospheric background.
• Definition of variance dissipation rates depends on passive tracer considered.
• Spectral forms of volume reflectivities are very similar at relevant wavenumber.
• Sensitivity is relevant for radar echoes in the (polar) mesosphere.

In this paper some classical concepts regarding scattering of radio waves on turbulent structures in the ionosphere are summarized. Spectral representations according to Batchelor and Driscoll & Kennedy are compared and the role of various potential tracer gradients is elucidated. Systematic similarities and differences in the representation of the impact of these tracers on scatter intensity are investigated. The importance of turbulence and background parameters for radar volume reflectivities is discussed. This study highlights the importance of measuring these parameters as completely and reliably as possible when interpreting the strength of backscattered radar signal in terms of turbulent and atmospheric background parameters.