Systems Science at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory

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This project represents a three-year continuation of the support for the upper atmospheric research facility at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory. Operated by the Geophysical Institute of Peru, Jicamarca is the equatorial anchor of the U.S. Upper Atmospheric Facilities radar chain and is the scientific community's main source of information about the equatorial ionosphere and upper atmosphere. Multiple new lines of scientific inquiry will be pursued at Cornell and Jicamarca expressly under this award. The broad goal is to quantify chemistry, transport, energetics, and dynamics in the equatorial ionosphere with radar and optical observations and compare the results with prevailing and emerging theories and models. There are ten topics that will form the core of the research to be pursued: (1) the structure and dynamics of the topside ionosphere in the equatorial region, (2) energy and chemical transport at high altitudes, (3) improvement in our understanding of incoherent radar scatter theory, (4) the dynamics and forecasting of equatorial spread-F plasma structures, (5) understanding the phenomenon of stimulated Brillouin scattering, (6) radar imaging of structures in the equatorial thermosphere and ionosphere, (7) understanding the anomalous radar echoes that come from the upper E region and lower F region of the ionosphere (the so called "150 km echoes"), (8) the dependency of upper atmospheric winds as a function of magnetic local time (MLT winds), (9) observations of radar echoes from meteors and in particular from the head of the meteor as opposed to the ion trail generated by the meteor, (10) understanding radar echoes at ultra-high frequencies (UHF echoes).The study of the equatorial ionosphere aims to better understand the effects it has on systems on which our technological society increasingly depends. The effects include the disruption of satellite-based communication and navigation systems like GPS, interference with terrestrial HF communication and over-the-horizon (OTH) radar systems, and the production of artifacts in synthetic aperture (SAR) and other kinds of radar imagery. Meteoroids of the size observed at Jicamarca could also pose a threat to space vehicles and habitats. Equatorial spread F (ESF) releases energy bound up in the ionospheric configuration near the equator. The ionospheric configuration becomes unstably stratified at twilight. The release of energy involves plasma dynamics occurring over scale sizes ranging from centimeters to hundreds of kilometers, producing rapid flows and deep plasma depletions; these plasma irregularities function as a diffraction screen for radio signals passing through it. Jicamarca's mission also complements the primary mission of Cornell University, which is education. Cornell and other undergraduate, graduate, and professional students benefit from research at the observatory through direct participation in advanced research projects as well as through additions to the engineering curriculum. Societal impact comes largely through education and career development in the strategic area of radar remote sensing and also through technological and mathematical contributions to other disciplines in aeronomy, space physics, radio science, and astronomy. The opportunity for scientists and students in the U.S. to interact with scientists and students in Peru helps create important international collaborations.