Space Weather: Real-time Ionospheric Specification Using the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network

该提案将改进 15 个 SuperDARN 雷达所使用的技术，以实时确定电离层反射点的临界频率和层高。这些观测将在目前电离探空仪稀疏采样的大片地理区域进行。这项工作代表了 SuperDARN 系统在“探测模式”下的新用途。这种新的操作模式是由 Kodiak 雷达的 PI 开发和实施的。探测模式利用正常方位角扫描模式期间的暂停时间（约 10 秒），利用地面反射来确定各种频率下射线的跳跃距离。通过确定跳跃距离如何随频率变化，将有可能找到作为地面范围函数的最大可用频率。 PI 的主要目标涉及六项不同的研究活动：(1) 修改当前的 SuperDARN 软件，将到达角 (AOA) 信息纳入实时数据流中； (2) 利用探测模式数据确定实时电离层临界频率和层高； (3) 利用临界频率测定来观察、跟踪和研究大规模高纬度电离层密度不规则的动态； (4) 通过互联网向空间天气社区分发 SuperDARN 实时 foF2 值和虚拟高度； (5)继续开发SuperDARN探空模式技术； (6) 使用探测模式数据来优化每个 SuperDARN 雷达的工作频率。

This proposal will improve techniques used by the fifteen SuperDARN radars to determine in real-time the critical frequency and layer height at the ionospheric reflection point. These observations will be made over large geographical regions that are currently sparsely sampled by ionosondes. This effort represents a new use of the SuperDARN system in "sounding mode." This new mode of operation has been developed and implemented by the PI at the Kodiak radar. The sounding mode exploits the pause time (~10 sec) during the normal azimuth scan mode, making use of ground reflections to determine the skip distance of rays at various frequencies. By determining how the skip distance varies with frequency, it will be possible to find the maximum useable frequency as a function of ground range. The PI's main goals involve six distinct research activities: (1) modification of current SuperDARN software to include angle-of-arrival (AOA) information in the real-time data stream; (2) use of sounding mode data to determine real-time ionospheric critical frequencies and layer heights; (3) use of critical frequency determinations to observe, track, and study the dynamics of large-scale high latitude ionospheric density irregularities; (4) distribution of SuperDARN real-time foF2 values and virtual heights to the space weather community via the internet; (5) continued development of the SuperDARN sounding mode technique; and (6) use of sounding mode data to optimize the operating frequency at each SuperDARN radar.