Investigation of the Mesospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Using the Arecibo Radar Facility

在所有中层大气未解决的问题中，发生在中层上层（80-95公里）的问题似乎比其他任何区域都多。这里问题堆积的一个普遍原因是，用于模拟该区域以下区域的辐射、化学和动力学方程都包含在上层中间层中无效的简化。这意味着，对该区域的理论和建模需要比通常对该区域以上或以下区域所需要的特别关注。这一区域不仅难以建立模型，而且也难以进行实验研究。这个区域太高，飞机或气球无法进入，而卫星在现场测量又太低。显然，发展可靠的传感技术对研究这一大气区域是很重要的。为研究包括电离层D区在内的上层中间层的化学，在发展雷达技术方面正在进行一项开创性的努力，该提议的首席研究员马修斯教授正在进行这项工作。利用美国国家科学基金会在波多黎各阿雷西博和波士顿地区米尔斯通山的大型非相干雷达设备，Mathews教授已经能够为d区化学和相关动力学的重要研究产生有价值的数据集。本研究计划扩展观测资料，分析资料，并对中间层离子化学及散发性电离层的形成和维持进行理论研究。包括电子和离子浓度在内的实验结果将作为理论模型的约束。进一步完善雷达散射理论和应用。

Of all the unsolved problems of the middle atmosphere, more seem to occur in the upper mesosphere (80-95km) than in any other region. One general reason for the accumulation of problems here is that radiative, chemical and dynamical equations used to model the regions below this region all contain simplifications that are invalid in the upper mesosphere. This implies that theories and modeling for this region require special attention beyond that usually required for the regions above or below it. Not only is this region difficult to model, but it is also difficult to investigate experimentally. This region is too high for access with airplanes or balloons and too low for satellite in situ measurements. Clearly, the development of reliable sensing techniques is important to the study of this region of the atmosphere. A pioneering effort in the development of radar techniques for the study of the chemistry of the upper mesosphere which includes the ionospheric D region is being carried out by Prof. Mathews, the PI on this proposal. Using large incoherent radar facilities operated by NSF at Arecibo in Puerto Rico and Millstone Hill in the Boston area, Prof. Mathews has been able to generate a valuable data set for the important study of D-region chemistry and the associated dynamics. THis proposal describes a research project to extend the observations, analyze the data, and carry out theoretical work on the modelling of mesospheric ion chemistry and the formation and maintenance of the sporadic ionization layers. The experiment results which include the electron and ion concentrations will be used as constraints on the theoretical models. also, work will be done on further refinement of the radar scattering theory and utilization.