Collaborative Research: ANSWERS: Impacts of Atmospheric Waves and Geomagnetic Disturbances on Quiet-time and Storm-time Space Weather

空间天气是指由复杂的太阳-地球相互作用引起的近地空间的动态变化。太空天气可能会对电网、电信、航天器操作和宇航员健康造成危害。这个项目将促进我们对地球电离层-热层(IT)系统如何由于太阳变异性和地球低层大气变化(包括龙卷风等极端天气事件)的综合影响而发生变化的理解。了解IT系统的可变性是预测空间天气的基本要素。调查中将使用广泛的历史和正在进行的观测数据以及最先进的天气和地球空间模型。研究生和本科生将是研究工作不可或缺的一部分。该项目将开发一个关于空间气象的在线系列讲座，为公众组织虚拟讲习班，并利用现有的空间气象、外联和扩大参与的努力。该合作项目包括克莱姆森大学、恩布里-里德尔航空大学、麻省理工学院、新泽西理工学院和弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学。该项目研究地球电离层-热层(IT)系统的变化，原因是来自陆地来源(包括极端天气)的大气波和太阳活动引发的地磁扰动。关键的科学问题是：1)低层大气波和持续的地磁扰动引起的IT日常变化是什么？它们的相对贡献和潜在机制如何随着位置的变化而变化？2)强烈的空间天气和陆地对流事件的多尺度IT响应是什么？他们的反应特征如何比较？3)大气波对IT对地磁扰动响应的预适应作用是什么？一个活跃在地球空间雪松和宝石社区的研究小组将调查这些问题。他们将使用来自各种地面和空间仪器的数据，开发一个将大气环流模式与区域波模式相结合的高分辨率模式，并利用数据同化来改进模式驱动因素。该项目的更广泛影响包括通过确定信息技术系统的可变性来推进空间天气预报的潜力。该项目将开发一个新的空间气象课程，并利用合作机构现有的教育和推广计划。Answers项目将通过填补有关日地耦合系统的关键知识空白，促进国家的STEM专业知识和社会对空间天气灾害的适应能力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Space weather refers to the dynamic changes in near-Earth space caused by complex Sun--Earth interactions. Space weather can pose hazards to electric power grids, telecommunications, spacecraft operations, and astronaut health. This project will advance our understanding of how the Earth’s ionosphere—thermosphere (IT) system changes due to the combined effects of solar variability and changes in the Earth’s lower atmosphere, including extreme weather events such as tornadoes. Understanding IT system variability is an essential element to predict space weather. Extensive historical and ongoing observational data and state-of-the-art weather and geospace models will be used in the investigation. Graduate and undergraduate students will be integral to the research efforts. The project will develop an online lecture series on space weather, organize virtual workshops for the public, and leverage existing REU, outreach and broadening participation efforts. The collaboration includes Clemson University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.This project studies variations in Earth’s ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) system due to atmospheric waves from both terrestrial sources (including extreme weather) and geomagnetic disturbances triggered by solar activity. The key science questions are: 1) What is the day-to-day IT variability induced by lower-atmosphere waves and persistent geomagnetic disturbances? How do their relative contributions and underlying mechanisms change with locations? 2) What are the multi-scale IT responses to intense space weather and terrestrial convective events? How do their response characteristics compare? and 3) What are the preconditioning effects of atmospheric waves on the IT response to geomagnetic disturbances? A team of researchers active in the geospace CEDAR and GEM communities will investigate these questions. They will use data from a variety of ground-based and space-borne instruments, develop a high-resolution model coupling a general circulation model with a regional wave model, and utilize data assimilation to improve upon the model drivers. Broader impacts of the project include the potential to advance space weather forecasting by characterizing IT system variability. The project will develop a new space weather curriculum and leverage existing education and outreach programs at the collaborating institutions. ANSWERS projects will advance the nation’s STEM expertise and societal resilience to space weather hazards by filling key knowledge gaps regarding the coupled Sun-Earth system.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.