Investigations of Anomalous Energetics in the Mid-Latitude E-Region

该奖项为一项为期三年的研究计划提供资金，该计划将研究在中纬度E区观测到的令人惊讶的强大能量学的基本等离子体物理过程。实验将以频率捷变雷达（FAR）测量为中心，并计划在2001年第二次SEEK火箭发射（SEEK-2）中完成这项研究项目。将进行上述电子加热事件的第一次地面研究。到目前为止，这种现象只被20年来发射的少数探空火箭探测到。从这些测量中，对Sq电流系统和观察电子加热事件的条件的全面描述将变得明显。

This award provides funds for a three-year research program under which basic plasma physical processes that appear to be responsible for the surprisingly strong energetics that have been observed in the midlatitude E region will be studied. The experiments will center around measurements to be made with a frequency-agile radar (FAR), with plans to culminate this research program with a second SEEK rocket campaign (SEEK-2) in 2001. The first ground-based investigations of the electron heating events mentioned above will be pursued. Thus far, this phenomenon has been detected only by a handful of sounding rockets launched over a 20 year period. From these measurements a comprehensive description of the Sq current system and the conditions under which electron heating events are observed will become evident.