Scientific, Educational and Logistical Preparation for Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR) Relocation to Argentina

调查人员将完成对阿根廷合适地点的详细评估，以确定下一个搬迁和操作先进模块化非相干散射雷达（AMISR）的潜在地点。这次AMISR仪器的搬迁旨在通过在同一地磁力线的两端放置两个国家科学基金会(NSF) -高层大气设施（UAF）来创建一个全球规模的电离层等离子体实验室。研究工作将包括三个并行和互补的工作活动：1)通过一系列实地考察和技术讲习班，采用后勤方法确定安装和操作AMISR的最合适地点。2)一种科学方法，在阿根廷进行关键的大气测量，其中一些与阿雷西博雷达及其即将投入使用的电离层高频加热器同时进行。3)人力资源开发方法，通过一系列教育计划，PI将建立一个教学环境，通过合作研究和国际互动培养阿根廷和美国的学生和博士后。这项研究将为提高对大气、电离层和磁层（AIM）系统的三维结构的理解铺平道路，特别是在南方纬度，那里目前缺乏地面测量。这项工作将以协同方式利用现有的国家科学基金会高层大气观测设施，从而扩展能力，以提供更好的重要AIM相互作用的全球覆盖。研究人员正在让年轻学生参与现场评估工作，并将开发有价值的国际教学课程，为下一代大气科学家操作雷达和解释科学结果做好准备。该项目的智力价值在于有机会进行一系列研究，使用测试雷达和几个光学摄像机，以更好地了解南半球的大尺度动力学和电动力学研究，并为可能在阿根廷部署AMISR仪器做准备，这代表了NSF UAF网络的逻辑扩展。这项工作由美国国家科学基金会大气科学部高层大气研究部和美国国家科学基金会国际科学与工程办公室（OISE）联合资助。

The investigator will complete a detailed evaluation of suitable locations in Argentina, to determine the potential next site to relocate and operate the Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR). This relocation of the AMISR instrument aims to create a global scale ionospheric plasma laboratory by placing two National Science Foundation (NSF) - Upper Atmospheric Facilities (UAF) at both ends of the same geomagnetic field line. The research effort will involve three parallel and complimentary work activities: 1) A logistic approach to establish the most suitable location to install and operate AMISR, via a series of field trips and technical workshops. 2) A scientific approach in which crucial atmospheric measurements will be made in Argentina, some coincident with the Arecibo radar and its soon-to-be-operational ionospheric HF heater. 3) A human resources development approach in which, through a series of educational programs, the PI will build a teaching environment to train Argentine and US students and postdocs through collaborative studies and international interactionsThe research will pave the way for an improved understanding of the 3-dimensional structure of the atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere (AIM) system, especially at Southern latitudes, where there is currently a scarcity of ground based measurements. The work will leverage existing NSF upper atmosphere observing facilities in a synergistic fashion, and thus extend the capabilities to provide improved global coverage of important AIM interactions. The investigator is involving young students in the site evaluation work, and will develop valuable international teaching courses to prepare the next generation of atmospheric scientists to operate the radar, and interpret the scientific results. The intellectual merit of this project is the opportunity to perform a series of studies, using a test radar and several optical cameras, to better understand inter-hemispheric large-scale dynamics and electrodynamics studies at Southern latitudes, and prepare for the possible deployment of the AMISR instrument in Argentina, which represents a logical expansion of the NSF UAF network. This work is funded jointing by the NSF Upper Atmosphere Research Section in the Division of Atmospheric Sciences, and the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).