Aeronomy Research Using Ionospheric Modifications

了解高层大气的变化很重要，因为它将有助于我们更好地了解该地区的空间天气效应。 HAARP设施可以在大气中产生人工加热，从而能够研究大气的变化，高能电子分布以及HF无线电波传播将如何受到影响。 该项目将导致发现和推进我们对空间气象影响的理解。 国家研究理事会强调了电离层改造技术（人工加热）在主流大气学研究中的潜力。 “国家利益中的北极研究”还强调了HAARP设施的战略和技术意义，并主张扩大基础研究的作用。 研究生和本科生将参与该项目。 每年将举办暑期学校和专题研讨会。 这些活动在过去已被证明是优秀的学生招聘和保留。 该项目将利用阿拉斯加HAARP设施的电离层修改方法，通过实验和理论研究方案调查四个科学课题：1）中性大气的日变化和日常变化，2）高能电子分布和控制因素，3）上混合波的探测，以及4）高频无线电波传播和闪烁。 这项工作将使用新的实验方式测量难以用其他手段测量的中性风，采用新的方法推断超热电子分布，并将电离层修改应用于一般空间气象研究。 该小组将现场和操作几个诊断仪器，以检测影响，并将运行加热运动在HAARP半年。 该诊断仪器将提供给其他HAARP研究人员使用，以增加科学的影响力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Understanding the variability in the upper atmosphere is important because it will help us better understand the space weather effects in that region. The HAARP facility can generate artificial heating in the atmosphere to enable the study of the variability of the atmosphere, the energetic electron distribution, and how the HF radio wave propagation would be affected. The project will lead to discovery and advance our understanding of space weather effects. The National Research Council emphasized the potential of ionospheric modification techniques (artificial heating) for mainstream aeronomy research. The “Arctic Research in the National Interest” also highlighted the strategic and technological significance of HAARP facility and argued in favor of an expanded role in basic research. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the project. There will be a summer school and a topical symposium annually. These activities in the past have proven to be excellent in student recruitment and retention. This project will use ionospheric modification methods at the HAARP facility in Alaska to investigate four scientific topics: 1) the diurnal and day-to-day variability of the neutral atmosphere, 2) the energetic electron distribution and controlling factors, 3) the detection of upper-hybrid waves, and 4) the HF radio wave propagation and scintillation through a program of experimental and theoretical research. Using novel experimental modalities, this work will measure neutral winds that are difficult to measure by other means, employ a novel method to infer the suprathermal electron distribution, and apply ionospheric modification for general space weather studies. The team will field and operate several diagnostic instruments to detect the effects and will run heating campaigns at HAARP semiannually. The diagnostic instruments will be available to other HAARP investigators for use to increase the scientific impact.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.