MRI: Development of a frequency agile multistatic radio system for geospace imaging

该项目将开发一个频率捷变多基地无线电系统，部署在秘鲁Jicamara射电观测站附近，用于地球空间观测和研究。JRO是秘鲁地球科学研究所(IGP)的一个设施，由美国国家科学基金会(NSF)通过授予康奈尔大学的奖项来支持。Jicamara是世界上最重要的科学设施，操作和维护着能够对低纬地球空间进行50兆赫非相干散射雷达观测的最大雷达。多基地无线电系统将使Jicamara能够提供与空间物理和大气学领域有关的新的突破性观测，并扩大其在邻近研究领域的贡献。这一新系统提供的所有标准观测资料都将提供给科学界。此外，还将邀请社会各界利用该系统提出新类型的观察和调查。Jicamara观测能力的仪器和扩展与社区在2021年讲习班“非相干散射雷达战略远景”中强调的优先事项很好地结合在一起。这次研讨会是由NSF召集的，以帮助指导大气和地球空间科学部(AGS)设施计划的未来。该项目将解决空间气象的一个重要组成部分和具有社会意义的问题。该项目还将通过创造新的研究机会和学生培训来扩大Jicamara对教育的贡献。最后，该项目将把Jicamara的贡献扩大到更广泛的研究领域。这是一个用于地球空间观测和研究的频率捷变多基地无线电系统的MRI Track-2仪器开发项目。该仪器将包括两个无线电阵列接收站，在10至88兆赫的频段内运行。选择了两个适合部署空间站的地点，以便进行垂直到B雷达测量和倾斜观测。多基地模式增加了雷达实验的波数多样性，并允许明确地确定矢量多普勒速度。该项目将在至少五个不同的研究领域取得重大进展：(A)中层和低热层(MLT)中尺度动力学；(B)流星科学；(C)电离层不规则；(D)流星射电余辉；(E)多基地非相干散射雷达研究和观测电离层等离子体漂移。此外，这些台站可独立用作无源系统(望远镜)进行射电天文调查，以补充长波列阵和低频列阵项目的台站所进行的调查。为这一项目组建了一支由经验丰富的研究人员组成的小组，致力于推进无线电和空间科学，并保持Jicamara处于观测能力的前沿。该项目的更广泛影响是加强JRO的研究、教育和专业培训基础设施，国家和国际合作伙伴关系，与社会相关的技术资产的好处，增加未被充分代表的群体参与科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)，以及在促进博士后研究人员培训的同时在发现和理解方面的进步。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。

This project will develop a frequency-agile multistatic radio system to be deployed near the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (JRO) in Peru for geospace observations and studies. JRO is a facility of the Instituto Geofisico del Peru (IGP) operated with support from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) through an award to Cornell University. Jicamarca is a premier scientific facility in the world that operates and maintains the largest radar capable of 50 MHz incoherent scatter radar (ISR) observations of the geospace at low latitudes. The multistatic radio system will allow Jicamarca to provide new breakthrough observations relevant to the space physics and aeronomy community and expand its contributions in adjacent research domains. All the standard observations provided by this new system will be made available to the scientific community. Additionally, the community will be invited to propose new types of observations and investigations with the system. The instrumentation and expansion of the observational capabilities at Jicamarca are well-aligned with priorities highlighted by the community in the 2021 workshop “Strategic Vision for Incoherent Scatter Radar”. The workshop was convened by NSF to help guide the future of the facilities program of the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS). The project will address an important component of space weather and issues of societal relevance. The project will also expand Jicamarca’s contribution to education through the creation of new research opportunities and student training. Finally, the project will expand the contribution of the Jicamarca to a wider range of research areas.This is an MRI Track-2 instrument development project for a frequency-agile multistatic radio system for geospace observations and studies. The instrument will comprise two radio array receiving stations operating in the band between 10 and 88 MHz. Two sites suitable for the deployment of the stations are chosen to allow for perpendicular-to-B radar measurements and oblique observations. Multistatic modes add wavenumber diversity to radar experiments and permit the unambiguous determination of vector Doppler velocity. The project will advance significant progress in at least five distinct research areas: (a) Mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) mesoscale dynamics, (b) Meteor science, (c) Ionopsheric irregularities, (d) Meteor radio afterglows, and (e) Multistatic incoherent scatter radar studies and observations of ionospheric plasma drifts. Additionally, the stations can be used independently as passive systems (telescopes) for radio astronomy investigations that are complementary to those carried out by stations of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA) and LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) projects. A team of experienced researchers committed with the advancement of radio and space sciences and the maintenance of Jicamarca in the frontier of observational capabilities has been assembled for this project. The project’s broader impacts are Enhancement of JRO infrastructure for research, education and professional training, national and international partnerships, benefits to technological assets that are relevant to the society, increase in the participation of underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and advancement in discovery and understanding while promoting the training of a postdoctoral researcher.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.