CEDAR: On the Spectrum and Variability of Large-scale Equatorial Spread-F Structures

该项目的目标是增进对在夜间赤道和低纬电离层中普遍观测到的大规模电离层电子密度不规则性频谱的了解，这种不规则性称为赤道扩展F(ESF)，是不同地球物理条件的函数。其结果将是对导致ESF发展、可变性和形态的过程有更好的理解。这种方法是使用C/NOFS(通信/导航中断预报系统)卫星上的平面朗缪尔探测器(PLP)进行的现场离子密度测量。C/NOFS-PLP所做的观测可以提供不同地球物理条件下大尺度ESF结构的空间(纬向)谱特征。对PLP测量的分析还将使我们有可能识别周期性结构的出现，以及主要波长(或主要波长范围)的出现。PLP测量将允许估计作为季节和经度扇区的函数的大规模ESF结构的出现频率。该项目将调查对ESF周期变化的可能解释。

The goal of this project is to advance understanding of the spectrum of large-scale ionospheric electron density irregularities commonly observed in the nighttime equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere, known as Equatorial Spread F (ESF), as a function of varying geophysical conditions. The result will be an improved understanding of the processes responsible for ESF development, variability and morphology. The approach is to use in-situ ion density measurements made by the Planar Langmuir Probe (PLP) onboard the C/NOFS (Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System) satellite. The observations made by the C/NOFS-PLP can provide a characterization of the spatial (in the zonal direction) spectrum of large-scale ESF structures under different geophysical conditions. Analysis of the PLP measurements will also make it possible to identify the occurrence of periodic structures, and the occurrence of a dominant wavelength (or a dominant range of wavelengths). PLP measurements will allow the estimation of the occurrence rate of large-scale ESF structures as a function of season and longitude sector. The project will investigate possible explanations for the variability in ESF periodicities.