RAPID: Spatiotemporal Evolution of Radio-induced Aurora at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) Observatory

这一快速将支持阿拉斯加高频活跃极光研究计划(HAARP)天文台计划于2017年2月开展的第一次大学活动期间的电离层无线电修改实验。这项研究的具体应用是以高时间分辨率研究人造射电极光白光形态的演变。2015年8月，HAARP设施的所有权从美国空军转移到阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯(UAF)。在竞选期间，需要大量的燃料和人员支出。巨大的启动成本使得HAARP实验在很大程度上无法由单个研究人员获得，除非在长达两周的活动中可以将多个实验和资金来源捆绑在一起。根据赞助商最近承诺的支持，UAF计划在2017年2月进行一次有限的实验活动；这一时间表是不灵活的，因此，快速管理奖励将使时间表能够通过更多实验来改进，从而更有效地利用HAARP设施。通过鼓励公众参与各种角色，将最大限度地扩大更广泛的影响。该项目为研究人员提供了一个难得的机会，可以利用通过捆绑在已经计划于2月份开展的活动中获得的效率来进行电离层改造实验。该项目的主要实验目标是使用能够每秒30帧的时间分辨率的灵敏白光摄像机测量随时间变化的人造气辉或“极光”形态。第二个实验目标是测试使用社区和业余无线电(HAM)参与的北极高频无线电传播路径。这两个实验目标都与空间物理和北极无线电通信研究的活跃领域高度相关。电离层无线电修正是一项重要的实验技术，用于研究：1)难以或不可能在实验室中复制的等离子体过程；2)近地空间环境；3)电波传播特性；4)将能量转移到高层大气的自然过程，如极光。主要和次要目标是：1)以高时间分辨率测量白光人造极光的形态；2)测试高频电波在北极的可能传播路径。这两个实验目标都与HAARP在暂停运作之前活跃的研究领域保持一致。

This RAPID would support ionosphere radio modification experiments at the Alaska High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) Observatory during its first university-run campaign, planned for February 2017. The application of the research specifically is to study with high temporal resolution the evolution of the white-light morphology of the artificial radio-induced aurora. Ownership of the HAARP facility was transferred from the US Air Force to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in August, 2015. During campaigns, significant expenditures for fuel and personnel are required. Large start-up costs make HAARP experiments largely inaccessible to individual researchers unless multiple experiments and funding sources can be bundled together during a campaign of up to two-week duration. Based on recent pledged support from sponsors, UAF plans to conduct a limited experiment campaign in February 2017; this schedule is unflexible and consequently, the RAPID management of the award would enable the schedule to be enhanced with additional experiments thus utilizing the HAARP facility more effectively. Broader impacts will be maximized by encouraging public participation in various roles.This project is a singular opportunity for researchers to conduct ionosphere modification experiments by taking advantage of efficiencies gained through bundling onto the campaign already planned for February. The primary experimental objective of this project is to measure time-dependent artificial airglow or "aurora" morphology with a sensitive white-light video camera capable of 30 frames per second temporal resolution. The secondary experimental objective is to test Arctic HF radio propagation paths using community and amateur radio (ham) participation. Both experiment objectives are highly relevant to active areas of space physics and Arctic radio communications research. Ionosphere radio modification is an important experimental technique for investigating: 1) plasma processes difficult or impossible to replicate in a laboratory, 2) the near-earth space environment, 3) radio propagation properties, and 4) natural processes such as aurora that transfer energy into the upper atmosphere. The primary and secondary objectives are 1) to measure the white-light artificial aurora morphology with high temporal resolution and 2) to test possible HF radio propagation paths in the Arctic. Both experiment objectives align with formerly active areas of research at HAARP prior to the suspension of operations.