Collaborative Research: PFISR Ion-Neutral Observations in the Thermosphere (PINOT)

合作研究：PFISR 热层离子中性观测 (PINOT)

• 批准号: 1242616
• 负责人: Sharon Vadas
• 金额: $ 7.5万
• 依托单位: NorthWest Research Associates, Incorporated
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-10-01 至 2015-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1242616&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; PFISR; Ion; Neutral

This collaborative research effort will study magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling through a coordinated campaign of observations and modeling using the Poker Flat Incoherent-Scatter Radar (PFISR), the Resolute Bay Incoherent-Scatter Radar (RISR), a variety of optical instruments, the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), the Homer Very High Frequency (VHF) radar, and the Global Ionospheric-Thermospheric Model (GITM). The ionosphere, thermosphere, and magnetosphere comprise a tightly coupled system at high latitudes. The ionosphere is the mediating element in this view, facilitating the transfer of free energy generated by solar wind-magnetosphere coupling into heat and bulk motion of the neutral atmosphere. This mediation occurs through electric fields, particle precipitation, diffusion, and field-aligned currents, agents that act collectively to structure the plasma density and composition within the system. Although elements of this system have been studied in considerable detail, their nonlinear interactions, and the global implications of these regional processes, remains poorly understood and inadequately observed. The electronic steering capability of PFISR offers a unique diagnostic to fill this gap. Using a dense grid of beams, a three-dimensional, time dependent view of the ion-neutral interactions can be developed. These results, in coordination with observations by common volume optical, and VHF and HF radar observations, allow access to system dynamics and system responses which were previously unobservable. The experimental campaign, involving twenty researchers from nine institutions, will be carried out over two winter seasons. The results will be used to address fundamental questions of the physics of the upper atmosphere and its coupling to the magnetosphere and the lower atmosphere, which have remained obscured for lack of key data. As a result, although it is understood that small-scale processes play critically important roles in this coupling, they have been difficult to include in quantitative models. The new information will be implemented in the GITM model validating the new understanding of the coupled magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere, and thereby providing enhanced simulation capabilities.

这项协作研究工作将通过协调的观测活动和建模，使用扑克平坦的不连贯性降低雷达（PFISR），固定的湾裂纹散布雷达（RISR）来研究磁层 - 离子层 - 心痛，并进行建模雷达和全球电离层 - 热层模型（GITM）。 电离层，热层和磁层在高纬度上包含一个紧密耦合的系统。在这种观点中，电离层是中介元素，促进了太阳能风层层偶联到中性气氛的热量和大量运动中产生的自由能的转移。这种调解是通过电场，颗粒降水，扩散和与田间对准电流进行的，这些电流集体起作用，以构建系统内的血浆密度和组成。尽管该系统的元素已被详细研究，但它们的非线性相互作用以及这些区域过程的全球含义仍然很少了解和观察到不足。 PFISR的电子转向能力提供了独特的诊断来填补此空白。使用光束密集的网格，可以开发出三维的离子中性相互作用的三维时间依赖性视图。这些结果，与通用体积光学的观察以及VHF和HF雷达观察的协调，允许访问以前无法观察到的系统动力学和系统响应。涉及来自九个机构的20名研究人员的实验运动将在两个冬季进行。结果将用于解决上层大气物理学的基本问题及其与磁层和低大气层的耦合，由于缺乏关键数据，这些问题仍然被遮盖了。结果，尽管据了解，小规模的过程在这种耦合中起着至关重要的作用，但它们很难包括在定量模型中。新信息将在GITM模型中实施，以验证对耦合磁层，电离层和热层的新理解，从而提供增强的模拟功能。