High-Resolution E/F-Region Waves and Electrodynamics Studies Using the Arecibo Observatory Instrument Cluster and the Chain Radars

使用阿雷西博天文台仪器组和链雷达进行高分辨率 E/F 区域波和电动力学研究

• 批准号: 0721613
• 负责人: John Mathews
• 金额: $ 89.89万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-12-15 至 2013-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0721613&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Resolution; Region; Waves; Electrodynamics; Studies

The project focuses on electrodynamic phenomena in the nighttime ionosphere over Arecibo Observatory. Of particular interest are newly discovered quasi-periodic E/F-region Medium-Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances which have been identified over both Arecibo and Millstone Hill Observatory. The chain of incoherent scatter radars, including superDARN, will be used to investigate the disturbances, their source(s), and the underlying wave propagation mode(s). This aspect will include extensive modeling and simulation studies of nighttime F region electrodynamics; of particular interest are the possible influences or contributions of horizontal gradients in total electron content. The project will include the maintenance, upgrading, and remote operation of an instrument suite at Arecibo; the instruments are an all-sky camera, a magnetometer/variometer, and four microbarographs. These instruments will be used in conjunction with the Incoherent Scatter Radar and GPS Total Electron Content data to explore the local/mesoscale nighttime F-region instability processes that give rise to the space weather phenomenon known as mid-latitude spread-F. Of particular interest is the question of "local" versus mesoscale initiation of spread-F as well as the origin of F-region "plumes" seen in the camera. These two phenomena, Spread-F and the plumes, are manifestations of plasma instabilities. Closely coupled simulations of generalized Perkins instabilities under initial conditions similar to those observed will be performed to better understand the seeding mechanisms that initiate instabilities, how the instability structures evolve, and the role of horizontal gradients in the production of kilometer-scale instability structures and associated space weather effects. All the instrumentation funded under this project will be available to the community; the camera, magnetometer, and microbarograph data are immediately and freely available via web-access (http://allsky.ee.psu.edu). An educational outreach component explaining airglow imaging science, atmospheric tides, space-weather, and other related topics will be added to this website. The project involves REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) students during the summer as well as two graduate students.

该项目的重点是阿雷西博天文台夜间电离层的电动力现象。 特别令人感兴趣的是新发现的准周期性 E/F 区中等规模移动电离层扰动，这些扰动已在阿雷西博和米尔斯通山天文台上发现。 包括 superDARN 在内的一系列非相干散射雷达将用于研究扰动、其来源以及潜在的波传播模式。 这方面将包括夜间 F 区电动力学的广泛建模和模拟研究；特别令人感兴趣的是总电子含量中水平梯度的可能影响或贡献。 该项目将包括阿雷西博仪器套件的维护、升级和远程操作；这些仪器是全天相机、磁力计/变差计和四个微气压计。 这些仪器将与非相干散射雷达和 GPS 总电子含量数据结合使用，探索局地/中尺度夜间 F 区不稳定过程，该过程引起了被称为中纬度扩散 F 的空间天气现象。 特别令人感兴趣的是扩散-F 的“局部”与中尺度起始以及相机中看到的 F 区域“羽流”起源的问题。 Spread-F 和羽流这两种现象是等离子体不稳定性的表现。 将在类似于观察到的初始条件下对广义珀金斯不稳定性进行紧密耦合模拟，以更好地理解引发不稳定性的播种机制、不稳定结构如何演化以及水平梯度在公里级不稳定结构和相关结构产生中的作用。太空天气影响。 该项目资助的所有仪器都将向社区开放；相机、磁力计和微气压计数据可通过网络访问 (http://allsky.ee.psu.edu) 立即免费获取。 该网站将添加解释气辉成像科学、大气潮汐、太空天气和其他相关主题的教育外展部分。 该项目涉及暑期的 REU（本科生研究经验）学生以及两名研究生。