Studies of the Mesosphere Using Incoherent Scatter Technique

海拔65公里至95公里的区域称为中间层，中间层中吸收太阳紫外线产生的电离称为D区。最初产生的离子和电子比在高海拔地区更有可能与分子联系在一起，因为在高海拔地区，与电离层最密集的地区（比如200公里）相比，周围空气密度更高，分子分解成原子形式的比例更小。发生的化学反应很复杂，不像在高海拔地区那样容易理解。电子密度比高海拔地区要低，在夜间也很低，所以雷达探测不到很强的回波。然而，该区域作为无线电波传输的吸收介质是重要的，其离子化学、温度和湍流结构可以在波多黎各的阿雷西博进行研究，并与复杂的化学模型进行比较。该奖项旨在执行此类测量并更全面地分析先前测量的结果。

The region from 65 km to 95 km altitude is known as the mesosphere and the ionization produced in it by absorption of solar ultraviolet is known as the D region. The ions and electrons initially produced are more likely to associate with molecules than is the case at higher altitudes, on account of the higher ambient air densitites and smaller fractions of molecules broken down to atomic form at those altitudes, as compared to the most dense region of the ionosphere at say 200 km. The chemical reactions occurring are complex and not as well understood as at higher altitudes. The electron densitites are lower than at higher altitudes, and very low at night, so that one does not get a strong return with radar. Nevertheless, the region is important as an absorbing medium for transmission of radio waves, and its ion chemistry and temperature and turbulence structure can be studied at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and comparisons made with complex models of the chemistry. This award is to perform such measurements and to analyze more fully the results of previous measurements.