High-Resolution E/F-Region Waves and Electrodynamics Studies Using the Arecibo Observatory Instrument Cluster and the Chain Radars

该项目的重点是阿雷西博天文台上空夜间电离层的电动力学现象。特别令人感兴趣的是最近在阿雷西博和米尔斯通山天文台上发现的准周期E/F区中等尺度电离层行进扰动。非相干散射雷达链，包括SuperDARN，将被用来调查扰动、它们的来源(S)和潜在的波传播模式(S)。这方面将包括对夜间F区电动力学的广泛建模和模拟研究；特别感兴趣的是总电子含量中水平梯度的可能影响或贡献。该项目将包括维护、升级和远程操作阿雷西博的一套仪器；这些仪器是一台全天相机、一台磁力计/磁变仪和四台微气压计。这些仪器将与非相干散射雷达和GPS总电子含量数据一起使用，以探索导致中纬度扩散F的空间天气现象的局地/中尺度夜间F区不稳定过程。特别令人感兴趣的问题是“局部”相对于中尺度的扩展-F的启动问题，以及相机中所看到的F区域“羽流”的来源。这两个现象，扩展F和羽流，是等离子体不稳定性的表现。为了更好地理解引发不稳定的播撒机制，不稳定结构是如何演变的，以及水平梯度在产生千米尺度不稳定结构和相关的空间天气效应中的作用，将在类似于观测到的初始条件下对广义Perkins不稳定进行近耦合模拟。该项目资助的所有仪器都将提供给社区使用；相机、磁力计和微气压计数据可通过网络访问(http://allsky.ee.psu.edu).)立即免费获得该网站将增加一个教育推广部分，解释气辉成像科学、大气层潮汐、空间天气和其他相关主题。该项目涉及REU(本科生研究经验)的学生以及两名研究生。

The project focuses on electrodynamic phenomena in the nighttime ionosphere over Arecibo Observatory. Of particular interest are newly discovered quasi-periodic E/F-region Medium-Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances which have been identified over both Arecibo and Millstone Hill Observatory. The chain of incoherent scatter radars, including superDARN, will be used to investigate the disturbances, their source(s), and the underlying wave propagation mode(s). This aspect will include extensive modeling and simulation studies of nighttime F region electrodynamics; of particular interest are the possible influences or contributions of horizontal gradients in total electron content. The project will include the maintenance, upgrading, and remote operation of an instrument suite at Arecibo; the instruments are an all-sky camera, a magnetometer/variometer, and four microbarographs. These instruments will be used in conjunction with the Incoherent Scatter Radar and GPS Total Electron Content data to explore the local/mesoscale nighttime F-region instability processes that give rise to the space weather phenomenon known as mid-latitude spread-F. Of particular interest is the question of "local" versus mesoscale initiation of spread-F as well as the origin of F-region "plumes" seen in the camera. These two phenomena, Spread-F and the plumes, are manifestations of plasma instabilities. Closely coupled simulations of generalized Perkins instabilities under initial conditions similar to those observed will be performed to better understand the seeding mechanisms that initiate instabilities, how the instability structures evolve, and the role of horizontal gradients in the production of kilometer-scale instability structures and associated space weather effects. All the instrumentation funded under this project will be available to the community; the camera, magnetometer, and microbarograph data are immediately and freely available via web-access (http://allsky.ee.psu.edu). An educational outreach component explaining airglow imaging science, atmospheric tides, space-weather, and other related topics will be added to this website. The project involves REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) students during the summer as well as two graduate students.