Multi-Scale Dynamics Studies Using the Drake Antarctic Agile Meteor Radar

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The Earth's layered atmosphere extends from the surface to the altitudes of about 100 km, consisting of the most lower layer - troposphere, and then extending up through the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, which includes a layer of strongly ionizes air called ionosphere (MLTI). Due to atmospheric perturbations caused by the underlying Earth's landscape of ocean, land, and mountains, the gravity (or internal) waves (GW) are generated with quasi-periodic oscillations most familiar as the wave-like cloud patterns. This project seeks to experimentally investigate the role of atmospheric gravity waves while they propagate up and at distance through the mesosphere to thermosphere, and affect in some way the ionosphere. A well-known major 'hotspot' of gravity waves activity exists over the South America?s Andes, Antarctic Peninsula, and Drake Passage located between these landmasses and connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This hotspot is fed by major GW sources in this region that include high mountains, strong jet streams, and the passage of vigorous frontal weather systems. The award will reinstate the Drake Antarctic Agile MEteor Radar (DrAAMER) that was deployed at the Brazilian Antarctic Station Comandante Ferraz in 2010. Upon reinstatement, the radar will be employed in diverse observations along with another meteor radar, SAAMER, deployed in Southern Argentina. These observations will be used for studies of the coupling and dynamics of atmospheric waves generated at lower altitudes over the Drake Passage and then propagating into the mesosphere, lower thermosphere, and ionosphere regions. This research addresses topics that are of high interest and relevance to diverse scientific communities, especially for defining more accurate parameterizations of the MLTI dynamics for the weather prediction and climate modeling.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.