Simulations and Theory of Small Scale E-region Turbulence

用数值模拟的方法研究了极光和赤道电喷流中的等离子体不稳定性和湍流。粒子单元(PIC)模拟器利用新的并行计算能力扩展到三维能力，三维模拟是第一个这样的三维动力学E区湍流描述。在这一新的三维模拟中，揭示了波内和环境大气中的温度梯度驱动或修改波增长和波演变的机制。由于模拟器收集到的新见解，对E区不稳定的雷达回波的解释变得更加准确，大气和空间天气社区的诊断和预测能力也得到了增强。改进后的数值等离子体模拟器对等离子体物理应用和理论研究的许多方面都是有用的，这项研究有望使大范围的等离子体圈受益。

Plasma instabilities and turbulence in the auroral and equatorial electrojet currents are investigated using numerical simulations. The particle-in-cell (PIC) simulator is expanded to 3-dimensional capability using new parallel computing capability, and the three dimensional simulations are the first such 3-D descriptions of kinetic E-region turbulence. The mechanisms by which thermal gradients within waves and within the ambient atmosphere drive or modify wave growth and wave evolution are revealed in this new 3-D simulation. By consequence of the new insights gleaned from the simulators, interpretation of radar echos from E-region instabilities becomes more precise, and the diagnostic and predictive capabilities of the Aeronomy and Space-Weather communities are enhanced. Improved numerical plasma simulators are useful to many aspects of applied and theoretical plasma physics research, and this research is expected to benefit a large cross-section of the plasmasphere community.