Collaborative Research: Energetic Particle Precipitation from the Magnetosphere and Effects on Ozone Dynamics in the Mesosphere and Stratosphere

该奖项全部或部分由《2021年美国救援计划法案》（公法117-2）资助。空间科学研究所和科罗拉多大学在这个合作项目中获得的奖金将用于测量和研究高能粒子沉降到高纬度大气中的影响。该项目旨在增加对地球磁层中电子和离子如何散射并随后丢失到大气中的理解。这个主题是许多研究的主题，涉及卫星数据、地面仪器和复杂的理论模型。这些奖金将支持旨在调查磁层中这种高能粒子降水（EPP）原因的研究，并研究这种降水在低层大气中的后果。具体地说，为期三年的奖励将使用原位卫星数据来确定何时可能发生磁层降水。该合同将利用卫星和气球对极地平流层和中间层的观测，对平流层和中间层降水的影响进行逐案量化，并利用统计分析。这些结果将支持在芬兰开展一项专门的气球臭氧测量实验活动，以在可能发生降水的时期寻找平流层的直接或间接变化。研究还将应用一个复杂的理论模型来揭示降水的物理/化学原因，以量化导致这种变化的主要物理和化学过程。这项研究将涉及该项目的各级学生，为培养下一代科学家作出贡献。本科生和研究生将获得参与重大国际项目的经验，包括他们将承担重大责任的实验活动。该项目与美国国家研究委员会2013年十年调查的所有四个关键科学目标（KSGs）相关，特别是KSG1 -确定太阳活动的起源并预测空间环境的变化和KSG2 -确定地球磁层、电离层和大气的动力学和耦合及其对太阳和地面输入的响应。(1)确定并量化从磁层中析出高能电子/离子的已知时间和地点。随后将努力量化极地平流层和中间层臭氧的变化，以及(2)通过卫星观测、理论模拟和现场观测确定降水效应的物理和化学途径。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).The awards to the Space Science Institute and to the University of Colorado in this collaborative project would measure and study the effects of energetic particle precipitation into the high latitude atmosphere. The project seeks to increase the understanding of how electrons and ions from the Earth's magnetosphere are scattered and subsequently are lost to the atmosphere. This topic is the subject of numerous studies involving satellite data, ground-based instrumentation, and complex theoretical models. The awards would support research aimed at investigating the causes of such energetic particle precipitation (EPP) in the magnetosphere, and also to study the consequences of such precipitation in the lower atmosphere. Specifically, the duration of the awards over three years would: use in-situ satellite data to determine when precipitation from the magnetosphere is likely to be occurring. The award would use satellite and balloon-based observations of the polar stratosphere and mesosphere to quantify the effects of the precipitation in the stratosphere and mesosphere on a case-by-case basis and also by using statistical analysis. These results would support the conduct of a dedicated experimental campaign of balloon-based ozone measurements in Finland to search for direct or indirect changes in the stratosphere during periods when precipitation is likely to be occurring. The research would also apply a complex theoretical model to reveal the physical/chemical causes of the precipitation to quantify the dominant physical and chemical processes responsible for such changes. The research would involve students at all levels of the project to contribute to the training of the next generation of scientists. The undergraduate and graduate students would gain experience of participating in a major international project, including an experimental campaign in which they would hold significant responsibilities. The project is relevant to all four Key Science Goals (KSGs) of the National Research Council Decadal Survey 2013, particularly KSG1 - Determine the origins of the Sun’s activity and predict the variations in the space environment and KSG2 - Determine the dynamics and coupling of Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere and their response to solar and terrestrial inputsThe scientific rationale for the proposal is summarized in terms of two scientific objectives: (1) Determine and quantify when and where precipitation of high-energy electrons/ions from the magnetosphere is known to be occurring. this would be followed up by an effort to quantify the resulting changes in ozone in the polar stratosphere and mesosphere, and (2) Determine the physical and chemical pathways by which the precipitation effects are manifested via satellite observations, theoretical modeling, and in-situ observations.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.