Understanding the physics of ionospheric structures

对电离层的全面研究是理解电动力学和 将来自下方的大气层风和来自上方的太阳风与上层大气联系起来的热力学过程，通过“空间天气”影响对我们的技术产生重要影响。我们开始意识到，这个系统充满了大振幅结构，并且是高度湍流的。这意味着，大多数关键的电离层属性和与其他区域的耦合机制必须取决于时间和空间结构的存在。考虑到这一点，本提案的中心重点是从理论和观测相结合的方法研究大范围纬度和尺度上的电离层结构。这包括研究电离层等离子体不规则性的起源，它们的演变，以及它们对更大系统的影响。这项研究还将仔细研究如何利用等离子体不规则性来诊断电离层的状态，以及等离子体不稳定性如何影响电离层与热层和磁层的耦合。 这些研究将特别侧重于：(1)100至1000公里高度电离层中米级至分米级等离子体不稳定性的起源和演变；(2)发生在10至100公里极光结构中的电动力学和热力学。这将包括：(1)研究离子从电离层逃逸的机制；(3)高到甚高纬度等离子体斑块的起源和演化；(4)电离层对太阳风突然时间变化的反应，无论是由于太阳风磁场的强烈南移，还是由于太阳风冲击地球。我们还将通过研究其对赤道地区的影响，来考虑由太阳风引发的磁暴对全球的影响。

A comprehensive study of the ionosphere is central to an understanding of the electrodynamic and thermodynamic processes that link atmospheric winds from below and the solar wind from above to the upper atmosphere, with important implications for our technology through "space weather" impacts. We are coming to the realization that the system is full of large amplitude structures and is highly turbulent. This means that most of the key ionospheric properties and coupling mechanisms with other regions must depend on the presence of structures in time and space. With this in mind, the central focus of this proposal is to study ionospheric structures over a wide range of latitudes and scales from combined theoretical and observational approaches. This includes studying the origin of ionospheric plasma irregularities, of their evolution, and of their impact on the larger system. The research will also scrutinize how plasma irregularities can be used to diagnose the state of the ionosphere and how plasma instabilities affect the coupling of the ionosphere with the thermosphere and the magnetosphere. The studies will focus specifically on (1) the origin and evolution of meter to decameter plasma instabilities in the ionosphere between 100 and 1000 km altitudes; (2) the electrodynamic and thermodynamics taking place in 10 to 100 km auroral structures. This will include a study of the mechanisms responsible for the escape of ions from the ionosphere; (3) the origin and evolution of patches of plasma at high to very high latitudes; and (4) the ionospheric response to sudden temporal changes in the solar wind be it because of strong southward excursions in the solar wind magnetic field or through solar wind shocks hitting the earth. We will also consider the global ramifications of the magnetic storms triggered by the solar wind, through a study of their impact all the way to the equatorial regions.