CAREER: Meteor and Meteoroid Characterization Using High-Power Large-Aperture Radar Data

该项目将结合零星流星和流星体等离子体的理论、数值模拟和观测，以解决有关它们的起源和对高层大气的影响的基本问题。这项工作将流星的特征问题分为三个部分，重点是它们在电离层中的烧蚀、流星头周围等离子体的传输及其电磁辐射散射的性质(称为“回波”)。该实验计划利用了来自不同地理位置的四个雷达的流星头回波测量档案，以及在实施新的实验配置后从这些设施获得的新数据。理论和建模部分包括对现有烧蚀模型的改进，使用粒子单元方法对等离子体羽流扩展进行建模，以及开发完全电磁散射模型以确定与电离层不规则性相关的峰值等离子体密度。除了研究生参与研究的方方面面外，这项工作还将纳入本科生课程开发的努力。该项目将建立在有关空间物理研究的公共宣传方面的丰富经验基础上。

This project will combine theory, numerical modeling, and observations of sporadic meteors and meteoroid plasmas in order to address fundamental questions regarding their origin and influence on the upper atmosphere. This work breaks the problem of meteor characterization into three components, focusing on their ablation in the ionosphere, the transport of the plasma surrounding the meteor head, and properties of its electromagnetic radiation scattering (known as "echoes"). The experimental program utilizes archival meteor head echo measurements from four radars at diverse geographical locations as well as new data acquired from these facilities following implementation of novel experimental configurations. The theory and modeling component includes improvements to an existing ablation model, modeling of plasma plume expansion using a particle-in-cell approach, and development of a fully electromagnetic scattering model to identify peak plasma densities associated with ionospheric irregularities. In addition to graduate student involvement in all aspects of the research, the work will also incorporate undergraduate curriculum development efforts. This project will build on extensive experience in public outreach regarding space physics research.