Collaborative Research: CEDAR: Cross Polar Cap Potential Drop and Convection Studies Using Combined SuperDARN and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Data

这是德克萨斯大学达拉斯分校和约翰霍普金斯大学应用物理实验室的合作研究奖。调查人员将使用来自超级雷达网络和国防气象卫星计划（DMSP）的数据来研究高纬度电离层的对流。超级雷达和DMSP航天器都对电离层等离子体运动进行常规测量，但它们的覆盖范围都受到时间和空间的限制。这项研究将从两个数据集的校准和验证开始，从而开发出调和观测结果的技术。一旦完成，将使用综合数据集来研究电离层对行星际磁场变化的反应。需要解决的具体问题是，当IMF向南时，交叉极帽势的饱和度，对流对IMF变化的响应时间，以及当IMF强烈向北时的对流模式。这项工作将有助于开发空间天气模型，用于预测影响电力、导航和通信等技术系统的空间环境条件。

This is a collaborative research award involving the University of Texas at Dallas and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The investigators will use data from the SuperDARN radar network and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) to study convection in the high latitude ionosphere. Both the SuperDARN radars and the DMSP spacecraft make routine measurements of ionospheric plasma motion, but both suffer from temporal and spatial limitations in their coverage. The study will begin with the calibration and validation of the two data sets, leading to the development of techniques to reconcile the observations. Once that is complete, combined data sets will be used to study the ionospheric response to changes in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Specific questions to be addressed are the saturation of the cross polar cap potential when the IMF is southward, the response time of the convection to changes in the IMF, and convection patterns when the IMF is strongly northward. This work will aid in the development of space weather models which are used to predict conditions in the space environment that affect technological systems, such as electric power, navigation, and communication.