Observations of plasma line splitting in the ionospheric incoherent scatter spectrum

Wide-bandwidth ionospheric incoherent scatter (IS) spectra obtained using the Arecibo IS radar show the occurrence of a split in the plasma line (i.e., two plasma lines) when the plasma frequency is close to the second harmonic of the electron gyrofrequency. This split is predicted in the IS theory for a magnetized plasma, but observations have never been reported. Here we present the experimental results and theoretical calculations supporting the observations. These results may assist in understanding the behavior of Langmuir waves in the magnetized plasma and are a validation of what historically was a somewhat controversial aspect of the IS theory.