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

该项目是伊利诺斯大学和克莱姆森大学为期3年的合作项目。目的是利用在巴西东北部新部署的一套仪器的观测结果，研究由热层-电离层（TI）耦合和赤道等离子体不稳定性引起的影响，特别是由热层重力波（GW）活动引起的影响。远程赤道夜间电离层观测站（RENOIR）由两个Fabry-Perot干涉仪（FPI）、一个单宽视场成像系统、一个双频GPS接收器和两个单频GPS闪烁监测器阵列组成。这两台FPI仪器将用于双静态配置，以测量一个共同体积区域内的热层风和温度波动。这将为引力波活动提供证据，引力波活动是赤道扩散f （ESF）和等离子体气泡产生的触发机制之一。ESF活动将通过使用宽视场气辉成像系统的63.0 nm和777.4 nm夜光强度的二维地图记录下来。此外，作为这些常规观测的一部分，将进行与电离层不规则性有关的总电子含量（TEC）和闪烁特性的GPS测量。巴西雷诺阿项目是克莱姆森大学、伊利诺伊大学、巴西国家Pesquisas Espaciais研究所（INPE）和Campina Grande联邦大学之间的国际合作项目。来自美国和巴西院校的学生将参与该项目的各个方面，在培养下一代科学家和工程师的同时加强他们的教育。该项目的结果将促进对赤道电离层不规则性的理解，通过这些不规则性对跨电离层无线电波传播的不利影响，具有直接的社会效益

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