Collaborative Research: Antarctic ELF/VLF Observations of Q-bursts, Radio Atmospherics, and Energetic Particle Precipitation

该奖项的首要目标是定量研究来自地球的闪电和高能粒子降水。使用极低频和甚低频(ELF/VLF, ~5 Hz？32千赫)在南极大陆的观测。协调一致的努力将充分表征发生在北半球的个别闪电回击，同时观测南极（和其他全球地点）的相关ELF/VLF无线电大气（sferic）。一项特别的工作将集中在一类被称为q暴的大振幅极低频信号线上，以便量化全球电离层条件和引起闪电的特征。将在北半球和南半球同时进行雷击诱发电子降水（LEP）的窄带VLF观测，以验证一个新的LEP模型，该模型考虑了闪电电流波形和回击速度。此外，该计划严格评估火箭触发的闪电是否可以在南极被探测到，允许控制宽带ELF/VLF传播研究，以及它是否可能在共轭半球产生LEP。该奖项的更广泛影响是确定空间天气事件对大气和空间电力研究社区研究的直接影响。该项目引入了一个新的平台，用于在佛罗里达州利用火箭触发的闪电进行与闪电相关的ELF/VLF实验，它通过互联网提供了对实验观测的实时访问，并通过在美国高中使用VLF接收器向青少年展示该项目。项目成果的传播也采取评审期刊出版物和会议报告的形式。该项目将培训研究生开发和操作部署的仪器，以及空间气象科学调查。利用这些数据来验证空间天气模型可以为整个社会带来好处。

The overarching goal of this award is to quantitatively investigate lightning and energetic particle precipitation from the Earth?s radiation belts using the extremely and very low frequency (ELF/VLF, ~5 Hz?32 kHz) observations on the Antarctic continent. A coordinated effort will fully characterize individual lightning return strokes occurring in the Northern hemisphere while simultaneously observing the associated ELF/VLF radio atmospheric (sferic) in the Antarctic (and other global locations). A special effort will focus on a class of large-amplitude ELF sferics known as Q-bursts in order to quantify global ionospheric conditions and the characteristics of the causative lightning flash. Narrowband VLF observations of lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP) will be simultaneously conducted in the Northern and Southern hemispheres in order to validate a new LEP model that accounts for the lightning current waveform and return stroke speed. Furthermore, this program critically evaluates whether rocket-triggered lightning may be detected in the Antarctic, allowing for controlled broadband ELF/VLF propagation studies, and whether it may produce LEP in the conjugate hemisphere. The broader impacts of this award are in identifying direct effects of space weather events for the studies by atmospheric and space electricity research communities. The project introduces a new platform from which to conduct controlled lightning-related ELF/VLF experiments using rocket-triggered lightning in Florida, it provides real-time access to experimental observations via the Internet, and it exposes the program to youths through the operation of VLF receivers at high schools in the United States. The dissemination of program results also takes the form of refereed journal publications and conference presentations. The project will train graduate students with the development and operation of the deployed instruments, as well as with space weather science investigations. Use of these data to validate space weather models can provide benefit to society as a whole.