Continuing Theoretical Studies of Dynamical Processes in the Ionosphere

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Continuing theoretical studies of plasma and neutral gas transport in the Earth ionosphere are performed within the context of ionospheric coupling to the thermosphere, exosphere, plasmasphere, polar wind, and magnetosphere. Numerical simulations of mesoscale ionospheric and thermospheric structures, physics based models of ionospheric and plasmaspheric dynamics, and electrodynamic magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling models are further developed using model-data comparisons, participation in global measurement campaigns, and using new incoherent scatter radar experiment design. Five specific research investigations are carried out by a team of investigators. These include: 1) Space-time ambiguities in current high-latitude ionospheric dynamic data are removed using the new phased-array Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR) facility at Poker Flat Alaska, to study plasma transport into the cusp and auroral boundary plasma blobs. AMISR at Resolute Bay Canada is used to investigate plasma patch morphology in the polar cap, to study sun-aligned arcs, and to study scintillation irregularities. 2) A data assimilation model is used in conjunction with global or regional collaborative data taking efforts to study ionospheric and thermospheric response to magnetic storms. 3) Simultaneous conjugate hemisphere coupling of the ionosphere and magnetosphere is studied using electrodynamic modeling. 4) Assimilative mapping of ionospheric electrodynamics is used to quantify ion and neutral outflows in the polar wind and as a manifestation of polar wind to exosphere coupling, and to quantify convection and particle precipitation patterns in the auroral zone and polar cap. 5) High spatial and temporal resolution mapping of the thermosphere is used to establish the extent of neutral gas upwelling in the cusp region.