Collaborative Research: CEDAR--Application of the RENOIR System in Brazil to Study the Gravity Wave Trigger Mechanism In the Production of Equatorial Spread F and Scintillations

该项目是伊利诺伊大学和克莱姆森大学之间为期3年的合作项目。 目的是利用巴西东北部新部署的一套仪器的观测结果，研究热层-电离层耦合和赤道等离子体不稳定性造成的影响，特别是热层重力波活动引起的影响。电离层区域远程赤道夜间观测台（RENOIR）由两个法布里-珀罗干涉仪（FPI）、一个单一的宽视场成像系统、一个双频全球定位系统接收器和两个单频全球定位系统闪烁监测器阵列组成。这两台FPI仪器将用于双基地配置，以测量共同体积区域内的热层风和温度波动。这将为重力波活动提供证据，重力波活动是产生赤道扩展F（ESF）和等离子体气泡的建议触发机制之一。ESF活动将通过使用宽场气辉成像系统的630.0 nm和777.4 nm夜光强度的二维图来记录。 此外，作为这些例行观测的一部分，将对总电子含量和与电离层不规则现象有关的闪烁特性进行全球定位系统测量。 巴西的RENOIR代表了克莱姆森大学、伊利诺伊大学、国家空间研究所（INPE）和大坎皮纳的联邦大学之间的国际合作。 来自美国和巴西的学生将参与该项目的各个方面，加强他们的教育，同时培训下一代科学家和工程师。 该项目的成果将促进对赤道电离层不规则性的了解，这些不规则性可能对跨电离层无线电波传播产生不利影响，从而产生直接的社会效益

This project is a 3-year collaborative effort between University of Illinois and Clemson University. The objective is to utilize observations from a suite of instruments newly deployed in northeastern Brazil to study the effects caused by thermosphere-ionosphere (TI) coupling and equatorial plasma instabilities, particularly those effects that are initiated by thermospheric gravity wave (GW) activity. The Remote Equatorial Nighttime Observatory for Ionospheric Regions (RENOIR) consists of two Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI), a single wide-field imaging system, a dual-frequency GPS receiver, and two arrays of single-frequency GPS scintillation monitors. The two FPI instruments will be used in a bi-static configuration to measure thermospheric wind and temperature fluctuations within a common volume region. This will provide evidence for gravity wave activity that is one of the suggested trigger mechanisms for the production of equatorial spread-F (ESF) and plasma bubbles. ESF activity will be documented through two-dimensional maps of 630.0-nm and 777.4-nm nightglow intensities using the wide-field airglow imaging system. In addition, as part of these routine observations, GPS measurements of the total electron content (TEC) and scintillation properties associated with ionospheric irregularities will be made. RENOIR in Brazil represents an international collaboration between Clemson University, the University of Illinois, the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), and the Federal University at Campina Grande. Students from institutions in both the United States and Brazil will be involved in all aspects of this project, enhancing their education while training the next generation of scientists and engineers. The results of this project will advance the understanding of equatorial ionospheric irregularities, which has direct societal benefits through the adverse effects these irregularities can have on trans-ionospheric radio wave propagation