CEDAR: Low-Latitude Energetics, Dynamics, and Variability

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This project seeks to continue and extends investigations involving the energetics, dynamics, and variability of the low latitude atmosphere and ionosphere. The very general goals are to test, evaluate, and improve the NCAR upper atmosphere models; to use the models to investigate the effects of lower atmosphere waves on the thermosphere and ionosphere; to (attempt to) resolve some discrepancies between the observed and modeled upper atmosphere/ionosphere temperatures; and to investigate several selected topics such as the midnight temperature maximum, the behavior of the ion drifts, and the development of large neutral winds in the lower thermosphere.This project will continue the important task of validating the NCAR models, which are community resources with wide-ranging applications. The region of interest, the tropical ionosphere, plays an important role in global communications and navigation and is a major focus for space weather research. The project will support the research of a female space scientist/physics faculty member along with a graduate student.