Radar Studies of the Low- and Mid-Latitude Thermosphere

本研究利用秘鲁、阿雷西博和米尔斯通山的非相干散射雷达和夜间法布里-珀罗干涉仪测量数据，研究并模拟了F区等离子体和中性大气输运过程从赤道到中高纬度的变化。PI早期的电离层扰动电场实验研究将通过使用最近升级的Rice对流模型的数值模拟得到补充。基本目标是对电离层电场和中性风的短期和空间变异性及其影响的理解和自一致的经验模拟，以及对全球对流和环流模式的检验。新的大型非相干散射雷达漂移测量数据库将用于模拟中低纬度电离层扰动等离子体漂移的变异性，以及它们的时间常数作为磁层和高纬度电离层参数的函数。利用来自阿雷基帕、阿雷西博和米尔斯通山的非常广泛的Fabry-Perot数据，将开发一个与风暴时间相关的夜间热层中性风到高纬度强迫的模型。这些全球等离子体漂移和中性风的研究也将检查长时间和短时间高纬度强迫的影响，UT和非常大的风暴效应，以及风暴时间依赖的扰动风和等离子体漂移的耦合。赤道研究将包括使用JULIA数据的安静时间白天等离子体漂移的变异性，以及夜间f区中性温度的研究和经验模型。

This research is to study and model the variability of F region plasma and neutral atmospheric transport processes from equatorial to upper mid-latitudes using incoherent scatter radar and nighttime Fabry-Perot interferometer measurements from Peru, Arecibo and Millstone Hill. The PI's earlier experimental ionospheric disturbance electric field studies will be complemented by numerical simulations using the recently upgraded Rice Convection Model. The basic objective is the understanding and self-consistent empirical modeling of the short-term and spatial variability and effects of ionospheric electric fields and neutral winds, as well as the testing of global convection and circulation models.Large new databases of incoherent scatter radar drift measurements will be used to model the variability of mid- and low-latitude ionospheric disturbance plasma drifts, and their time constants, as a function of magnetospheric and high latitude ionospheric parameters. A storm-time dependent model of the nighttime thermospheric neutral winds to high latitude forcing using very extensive Fabry-Perot data from Arequipa, Arecibo, and Millstone Hill will be developed. These global plasma drift and neutral wind studies will also examine the effects of long and short duration high latitude forcing, UT and very large storm effects, and also storm time dependent coupling of disturbance winds and plasma drifts. The equatorial studies will include the variability of the quiet time daytime plasma drifts using JULIA data, and the study and empirical modeling of nighttime F-region neutral temperatures.