An Integrated Project on Arecibo Incoherent Scatter Radar Data Processing, Archiving and Investigation of Ionosphere Dynamics, Energetics and Composition

该奖项支持收集和重新分析三十年来的阿雷西博非相干散射（IS）雷达数据，以研究70至1000公里地球空间区域中性大气和电离层的动力学，能量学和组成。在与世界日模式无关的各种专门观测计划中收集的原始IS原始数据将首先被处理以去除天线仪器效应，然后被分析以生成数据产品，例如等离子体密度、离子和电子温度以及离子漂移。 这些结果将用于三项调查研究。第一个是对70至110公里和200至400公里之间的大气波扰动进行定性，以研究它们如何受到背景风和温度变化的影响。第二项研究将利用对离子和电子温度以及等离子体密度的精确测量，审查80至100公里区域的等离子体与250公里以上的等离子体之间耦合的电子能量平衡。 该奖项的第三个重点领域是研究250公里以上的大气波与大气潮汐和极地地区大尺度波的可能耦合，这些波与冬季偶尔发生的平流层突发警报事件有关。这项研究计划的重点是这三个目标，开始将处理，存档和记录阿雷西博IS雷达数据在过去的三十年。这些结果将通过迈阿密大学的一个网站和麻省理工学院的牧歌网站提供给高空大气学界，并附有完整的文件。该奖项将在四年内资助16名本科生和一名研究生。在研究低层和高层大气区域的这些大气波（重力波）时，该奖项支持的分析将产生关于在实际上从几分钟到几小时的整个GW频谱中观察到的波包的高度-时间-频率特性的实质性细节。高分辨率的D-区域测量允许的GW活动的盛行风和温度变化和管道波的条件的依赖性的确定。此外，该奖项将支持对低纬度热层活动与极地地区平流层突然变暖事件之间的联系进行调查。电子密度、电子/离子温度、等离子体速度和分子离子的高精度测量将用于确定不同条件下控制电子能量预算的竞争过程。该奖项反映了NSF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 supports the effort of collecting and re-analyzing three decades of Arecibo incoherent scatter (IS) radar data to study the dynamics, energetics and composition of the neutral atmosphere and the ionosphere in the geospace region between 70 and 1000 km. The original IS raw data collected in a variety of specialized observing plans not associated with the World Day mode would first be treated to remove antenna instrumental effects and then analyzed to generate data products such as plasma density, ion and electron temperatures, and ion drifts. These results would be used in three investigative studies. The first is the characterization of atmospheric wave disturbances between 70 to 110 km and between 200 to 400 km to study how they are being affected by background wind and temperature variations. The second study would examine the electron energy balance in the coupling between plasma in the 80 to 100 km region and plasma located above 250 km using accurate measurements of the ion and electron temperatures as well as plasma density. The third focus area in this award is to study the possible coupling of atmospheric waves above 250 km with atmospheric tides and large scale waves in the polar region that are associated with sudden stratospheric warning events that may occasionally occur during the winter. The research program focused upon these three objectives would begin by processing, archiving, and documenting the Arecibo IS radar data taken in the last three decades. These results would be made available to the aeronomy community with complete documentation using a web site at Miami University and the Madrigal web site at MIT. The award would support a total of 16 undergraduate students over four years as well as a graduate student. In studying these atmospheric waves (gravity waves, GWs) in the lower and upper atmospheric regions, the analysis supported by this award would yield substantive detail on the altitude-time-frequency characteristics of the wave packets observed in practically the entire GW spectrum from several minutes to several hours. High resolution D-region measurements allow the determination of the dependence of GW activities on prevailing wind and temperature variations and the conditions for ducted waves. In addition, the award would support the investigation of the connection between the low-latitude thermosphere activity and sudden stratospheric warming events occurring in the polar region. Highly accurate measurements of electron density, electron/ion temperature, plasma velocity and molecular ions would be used to achieve the determination of the competing processes controlling the electron energy budget under different conditions.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.