Joint Incoherent Scatter Radar and Electro-Optical Remote-Sensing of the Effects of Auroras as well as Planetary, Tidal and Gravity Waves in the Polar Thermosphere over Sondrestrom

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。该项目寻求通过协调的光学和雷达观测，继续支持对sondrestrom峡湾上空的极地中间层、热层和电离层的调查。气辉辐射由光谱仪和干涉仪测量，并与Sondrestrom的非相干散射雷达观测相结合，以提供该地区的能量学、动力学和热力学信息。具体要解决的问题有：1.；地磁风暴对e区O/N2（原子氧与分子氮）比和热层动力学的影响是什么？这些影响是如何导致e区组成的变化的？2. 强极光电场和随后的焦耳加热对电离层热力学的影响是什么？3. 在极地中间层观测到的行星波和重力波的扰动与平流层变暖事件有多大程度的关联？O/N2丰度测量将有助于理解热层环流及其太阳和地磁驱动因素。对焦耳加热的研究将增加有关极光能量输入的信息。行星和重力波的研究将有助于更定量地了解平流层和中间层/低层热层之间的能量耦合。一个特别感兴趣的问题是，在平流层变暖前大约两天，造成中流层冷却的能量传输机制，包括行星波和重力波在平流层变暖事件中的作用。该项目的更广泛影响包括研究生和本科生以及博士后研究员的参与，以及产生广泛的光学和雷达数据数据库。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The project seeks continued support of investigations of the polar mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere over Sondrestromfjord through coordinated optical and radar observations. Airglow emissions are measured by a spectrometer and an interferometer and combined with observations by the incoherent scatter radar at Sondrestrom to provide information on the energetics, dynamics, and thermodynamics over the region. The specific questions to be addressed are: 1. What are the effects of geomagnetic storms on the E-region's O/N2 (atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen) ratio and on thermosphere dynamics and how do these lead to variations in the E-region composition? 2. What are the effects of intense auroral electric fields and the subsequent Joule heating on the thermodynamics of the ionosphere? 3. To what extent are perturbations to planetary and gravity waves observed in the polar mesosphere associated with stratospheric warming events? The O/N2 abundance measurements will make contributions to understanding of thermospheric circulation and its solar and geomagnetic drivers. The investigations focused on Joule heating will augment information on auroral energy inputs. The planetary and gravity wave investigation will contribute to a more quantitative understanding of the energetic coupling between the stratosphere and the mesosphere/lower thermosphere region. A particular interest is the energy transport mechanism responsible for the mesopause cooling that precedes stratospheric warmings by about two days, including the role of planetary and gravity waves in the stratospheric warming events. The broader impacts of the project include the involvement of graduate and undergraduate students and a postdoctoral researcher and the generation of an extensive database of optical and radar data.