Support of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center for Research in Radio and Radar Astronomy (NAIC)

该奖项包括在阿雷西博天文台进行的空间和大气科学(SAS)研究部分。这包括运行450兆赫雷达、激光雷达仪器、其他无源光学仪器以及计划在该地点建造的电离层加热设施。SAS工作人员进行的科学研究涵盖了从中层大气层到上层电离层的高度范围。工作人员将研究流星撞击的电离层效应、中间层的化学和动力学、E区的不稳定性、F区的等离子体成分和动力学，以及顶部电离层中的少量离子物种。工作人员还为使用阿雷西博天文台的其他大气科学家提供支持，作为实验活动的一部分。使用阿雷西博仪器的科学家研究了与空间天气和全球变化研究相关的广泛的大气现象。建成后，电离层加热设施将允许研究人工修改的等离子体过程、波激励和离子-中性耦合。由于天文台有1000英尺的天线，430兆赫雷达是世界上同类仪器中最灵敏的仪器，它继续为各种科学目的提供独特的观测数据。

This award covers the Space and Atmospheric Sciences (SAS) portion of the research conducted at the Arecibo Observatory. It includes the operation of the 450 MHz radar, lidar instrumentation, other passive optical instruments, and the ionospheric heating facility, planned for construction at the site. Scientific studies conducted by the SAS staff cover the altitude range from the middle atmosphere through the topside ionosphere. The staff will study ionospheric effects of meteor impacts, the chemistry and dynamics of the mesosphere, E-region instabilities, plasma composition and dynamics in the F-region, and minor ion species in the topside ionosphere. The staff also provides support for other atmospheric scientists using the Arecibo observatory as part of experimental campaigns. Scientists using the Arecibo instrumentation study a broad range of atmospheric phenomena relevant to studies of space weather and global change. When completed the ionospheric heating facility will allow study of artificially modified plasma processes, wave excitation, and ion-neutral coupling. With the 1000 foot antenna at the observatory, the 430 MHz radar is the most sensitive instrument of its kind in the world and it continues to provide unique observational data for a variety of scientific purposes.