Continuing Theoretical Studies of Dynamical Processes in the Ionosphere

在电离层耦合到热层、外逸层、等离子体层、极风和磁层的背景下，继续对地球电离层中的等离子体和中性气体输运进行理论研究。 中尺度电离层和热层结构的数值模拟，电离层和等离子体层动力学的物理模型，电动磁层电离层耦合模型的进一步开发使用模型数据比较，参与全球测量活动，并使用新的非相干散射雷达实验设计。 五个具体的研究调查由一个调查小组进行。 其中包括：1）利用阿拉斯加扑克平原新的相控阵先进模块化非相干散射雷达设施消除当前高纬度电离层动态数据中的时空模糊性，以研究等离子体输运进入尖点和极光边界等离子体斑点。 AMISR在Resolute湾加拿大被用来调查等离子体补丁形态在极冠，研究太阳对准弧，并研究闪烁的不规则性。 2)数据同化模型与全球或区域协作数据收集工作结合使用，以研究电离层和热层对磁暴的反应。 3)利用电动力学模型研究了电离层和磁层的同时共轭半球耦合。 4)电离层电动力学的同化测绘被用来量化极风中的离子和中性外流，并作为极风与外逸层耦合的一种表现，以及量化极光区和极冠中的对流和粒子降水模式。 5)高空间和时间分辨率映射的热层是用来建立中性气体在尖点区域的上涌的程度。

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.