INSPIRE: Comparative Ionospheric Science---Earth, Solar System, Exo-Planets

INSPIRE项目由数学和物理科学理事会天文科学部的天文学和天体物理学资助计划、地球科学理事会大气和地球空间科学部的航空计划以及综合活动办公室共同资助。该项目的目的是弥合科学界在研究地球、其他太阳系行星和围绕其他恒星的行星（“系外行星”）的复杂大气方面的差距。这些不同的系统是由地球上的地球科学家和天文学家在研究太阳系和整个银河系的其他行星时所使用的相同的物理和化学原理联合起来的。共同的主题需要共同的方法，一个地方的结果可以验证其他地方不太确定的发现。该项目将创建更有效地利用资源的交流途径，促进通用数据分析模式，创建通用电离层模型，并促进消除学科障碍的学生培训。由于地球上经历的空间天气造成的电离层扰动的影响（例如，GPS退化）将使对火星的平行研究成为可能，在火星上，多颗卫星需要可靠的通信和导航，以供陆基漫游者使用，并最终供人类探索使用。虽然太阳的紫外线和x射线在我们所有的行星上都是一样的，但在每个位置存在的气体是不同的，这导致了大量的离子和电子组成了我们太阳系中每个行星的电离层。对其他恒星周围行星的电离层的研究甚至更加分散。研究它们的科学团体（地球物理学家和天文学家）是相互隔离的——在资助机构、专业会议和社团中都是如此。这种相互作用的缺乏阻碍了进步。该奖项侧重于将基本的大气和空间等离子体过程视为普遍现象，而不是独特的、逐行星的现象。该团队将开发第一个综合档案，以容纳在整个太阳系内外进行电离层比较研究所需的所有参数，并提供一个多功能的用户友好模型。开发的研究工具将提供许多机会，通过应用在其他学科中发现的知识和专业知识来解决一个学科中的重要问题。

This INSPIRE project is jointly funded by the Astronomy & Astrophysics Grants program of the Astronomical Sciences Division in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, by the Aeronomy program of the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Division in the Geosciences Directorate, and by the Office of Integrative Activities. The aim of this project is to bridge the gaps that separate scientific communities studying the complex atmospheres of Earth, other solar system planets, and planets around other stars ("exoplanets"). These different systems are united by the same physics and chemistry used by geo-scientists at Earth and by astronomers investigating other planets in our solar system and throughout the Milky Way galaxy. Common themes need common approaches, and results at one location can validate less certain findings elsewhere. This program will create pathways of communication that utilize resources more effectively, promote common modes of data analysis, create all-purpose ionospheric models, and foster student training that removes discipline barriers. The impact of ionospheric disturbances due to Space Weather experienced at Earth (e.g., GPS degradations) will enable parallel studies for Mars, where multiple satellites need reliable communication and navigation for land-based rovers and, ultimately, human exploration. While the Sun's ultraviolet and x-ray light is the same for all of our planets, the gases present at each location are different, and this leads to a vast set of ions and electrons that comprise the ionosphere at each planet in our Solar System. Even more compartmentalized are studies of ionospheres at planets around other stars. The scientific communities that study them (geophysicists and astronomers) are isolated from each other - programmatically at funding agencies and at professional meetings and societies. This lack of cross-fertilization impedes progress. This award focuses upon the treatment of fundamental atmospheric and space plasma processes as universal - rather than as unique, planet-by-planet, phenomena. The team will develop the first comprehensive archive to host all of the parameters necessary to conduct comparative studies of ionospheres throughout the solar system and beyond, and provide a versatile user-friendly model to do so. The research tools developed will offer many opportunities to resolve important issues in one discipline by applying knowledge and expertise found in other disciplines.