Collaborative Research: CEDAR: Multi-Instrument Studies of Patches and Blobs in the Nightside Polar Ionososphere

研究人员将使用多种仪器和模型研究夜晚电离层中的等离子体斑块和斑点。电离层电子密度的大规模增强对高纬度地区的导航、通信和监视系统有有害影响。研究中应用的主要观测技术是电离层层析成像，利用格陵兰岛西海岸五个信标卫星接收器组成的网络。这是德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校（UT）和西南研究所（SwRI）共同努力的结果。SwRI的研究人员将提供在斑块事件时间间隔内的极帽电离层的模型模拟。德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的调查人员将分析来自信标卫星接收器的数据。该研究将强调对选定的斑块事件进行完整和详细的分析，以确定高纬度电离层中这些结构的起源和演变。研究斑块和斑点的主要动机是能够指定和预测对操作系统的大振幅和相位闪烁效应。

The investigators will study plasma patches and blobs in the night-side ionosphere using multiple instruments and modeling. These large-scale enhancements in ionospheric electron density have deleterious effects on navigation, communication, and surveillance systems at high latitudes. The primary observational technique to be applied in the study is ionospheric tomography using a network of five beacon satellite receivers along the west coast of Greenland. This is a collaborative effort involving the University of Texas (UT) at Austin and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). SwRI investigators will provide model simulations of the polar cap ionosphere during patch event time intervals. UT Austin investigators will analyze the data from the beacon satellite receivers. The study will emphasize complete and detailed analyses of selected patch events to identify the origin and evolution of these structures in the high latitude ionosphere. The primary motivation for studying patches and blobs is to be able to specify and predict the large amplitude and phase scintillation effects on operational systems.