Irregularity Diagnostics by Digital Ionosondes

电离层探空仪作为标准的观测站网络仪器的贡献已经被广泛地认识到在航空和目前的重点是空间天气。现代数字式离子探空仪等研究扩大了产品的品种、分辨率和动态范围，但也降低了噪声。事实上，这种“噪音”是高层大气中空间天气本质的证据：它是该地区不规则和动态状态的标志。在这个项目中，一些已经证明了这类实质性成功的理论发展将被扩展并应用于王朝数字电离层探空仪测量。三种新产品包括：1)用于量化普遍存在的小尺度电离层不规则性的统计参数，如幂律空间频谱的幅度和指数，通常适用于从大约无线电波长到至少菲涅耳尺度的尺度范围。2)小尺度不规则的外部尺度，当它可以与归因于大气重力波（AGWs）的更大不规则区分开时。3)利用电离层探空仪的“全天”视图特征，这些量的局部空间多样性。这是非常重要的，特别是在赤道和极光地区，在强烈的大规模构造条件下。pi将使用在EISCAT的极光位置运行的一个王朝的数据；另一个来自犹他州立大学运营的中纬度熊湖天文台；以及1983年3月的赤道运动“秃鹰计划”，用于上述研究。

The contributions of ionosondes as standard observatory network instruments are already widely recognized in aeronomy and its current focus on space weather. Modern digital research ionosondes such as the dynasonde expand the variety, resolution and dynamic range of the products, but also of the noise. This 'noise' is, in fact, evidence of the very essence of space weather in the upper atmosphere: It is a signature of the irregular and dynamic state of the region. In this project, some theoretical developments that have already demonstrated substantial successes of this kind are to be extended and applied to dynasonde digital ionosonde measurements. Three new products include:1) Statistical parameters to quantify the prevailing small-scale ionospheric irregularities, such as the amplitude and the index of a power-law spatial spectrum usually applicable in the range of scales extending from about the radio wavelength to at least the radio Fresnel scale.2) An outer scale of the small-scale irregularities, when this can be distinguished from still larger irregularities attributable to Atmospheric Gravity Waves (AGWs).3) Local spatial diversity of these quantities, using the 'all-sky' view characteristic of ionosondes. This can be very important especially in equatorial and auroral regions, during conditions of intense large-scale structuring. The PIs will use data from a dynasonde operating at EISCAT's auroral location; from another at the mid-latitude Bear Lake Observatory operated by Utah State University; and from an equatorial campaign, 'Project CONDOR' of March 1983 for the above studies.