Ionospheric irregularities and their coupling with the magnetosphere and radio wave propagation in and emissions from the ionosphere

这项研究是为了加深对太阳“大气层”与地球高层大气(100公里以上)相互作用的理解。具体地说，我的研究兴趣涉及解释在地球高层大气的电离层部分发生的自然现象。这种电离介质的组成和动力学受电场和磁场的支配，因此表现出与我们熟悉的地球表面中性大气显著不同的行为。从100公里高度开始，只有火箭或卫星才能直接观测电离层；然而，远程探测这一区域的一种方法是使用无线电和雷达技术。作为实验者，我和我的学生使用这些地面和卫星无线电技术和仪器来测量电离层的组成和动态。我们刚刚开发和部署了一种新的非常先进的、完全数字化的地面甚高频雷达，称为冰熊，用于研究电离层的下部，即E区。我们还与一个国际雷达物理学家团队合作，他们利用被称为SuperDARN的高频(HF)雷达网络研究电离层的上部，即F区。这些雷达给出了电离层运动和流动的细节，新的冰熊雷达使用先进的雷达技术比过去更好地完成了这项工作。我们还使用加拿大空间科学卫星(ePOP/RRI)来研究无线电波是如何通过电离层传播的，从而对其结构有了新的见解。最近，我们开始使用RRI观测在近地空间环境中产生的自然发生的射电辐射，如哨声。我们将与我的学生密切合作，他们将发展先进的数据分析技能和独立研究能力，我们将利用这些无线电仪器的能力，促进更清楚地了解电离层的动态和结构。使用冰熊雷达的研究将使我们对来自上方磁层的E区电离层闭合电流与散射物理本身之间的耦合有新的见解和理解。了解电离层中的电子密度对于理解那里的物理学至关重要，但很少有可用的测量数据。我们将改进我们开发的一项技术，该技术使用SuperDARN观测来计算非常大的SuperDARN视野内的电子密度测量。因此，为这个非常理想的参数提供了一个新的和迫切需要的来源。对于类似的目标，RRI仪器的极化能力将用于生成电子密度分布和描述电离层的结构。所有这些研究的直接结果将是学生论文和期刊论文，以及训练有素的物理学家和工程师在学术界或加拿大太空工业工作。

This research is to advance understanding of the interaction of the 'atmosphere' of the Sun with the upper atmosphere (above 100 km) of the Earth. Specifically my research interest involves explaining the natural phenomena occurring in the ionosphere portion of the terrestrial upper atmosphere. The composition and dynamics of this ionized medium is dominated by electric and magnetic fields and therefore exhibits significantly different behaviour than the neutral atmosphere we are familiar with on the Earth's surface. Beginning at 100 km altitude, only rockets or satellites can directly observe the ionosphere; however, one method to remotely probe this region is by using radio and radar techniques. As experimentalists, my students and I use these radio techniques and instruments, both ground and satellite based, to measure the composition and dynamics of the ionosphere. We have just developed and deployed a new extremely highly advanced completely digital ground based very high frequency (VHF) radar, known as ICEBEAR, for studying the lower portion, or E-region, of the ionosphere. We also work with an international team of radar physicists who study the upper portion of the ionosphere, the F-region, with a network of high frequency (HF) radars known as SuperDARN. These radars give details about motions and flows in the ionosphere, and the new ICEBEAR radar uses advanced radar techniques to do a much better job of this than in the past. We also use a Canadian space science satellite (ePOP/RRI) to study how radio waves propagate through the ionosphere, giving new insight about its structure. Recently, we started using RRI to observe the naturally occurring radio emissions, such as whistler waves, generated in the near-Earth space environment. Working closely with my students, who will develop advanced data analysis skills and independent research abilities, we will exploit the abilities of these radio instruments to foster a clearer understanding of the dynamics and structure in the ionosphere. Research using the ICEBEAR radar will give new insight and understanding of the coupling between closure currents in the E-region ionosphere, which are sourced from the magnetosphere above, and about the scattering physics itself. Knowing the electron density in the ionosphere is critical for understanding the physics there, but rarely are measurements available. We will refine a technique we have developed which uses SuperDARN observations to calculate electron density measurements over the very large SuperDARN field of view. Thus, giving a new and much needed source of this highly desirable parameter. With similar objectives, the polarisation abilities of the RRI instrument will be used to generate electron density profiles and characterise structures in the ionosphere. The direct outcome of all this research will be student theses and journal papers, and well trained physicists and engineers to work in academia or the Canadian space industry.