Mesospheric Aeronomy Using Incoherent Scattering

该项目旨在验证和改进非相干散射雷达的使用，以测量中层（65-90公里）的大气特性，中层是低层和高层大气之间能量和动量转移的关键区域。 根据现有的数据从阿雷西博天文台和AMISR阵列位于阿拉斯加州，以及在这项工作的过程中获得的新数据，该项目将改善解释雷达后向散射从碰撞为主的中层等离子体，一个长期存在的问题，由于存在重离子，负离子，和层结构。 具体来说，这个项目是比较理论散射模型与实验数据从两个网站，并比较化学模型与导出的参数。 将对由此产生的中间层参数进行分析，以调查关于中间层化学和动力学的未决问题，特别是关于次要成分的作用以及气候依赖性的问题。

This project is to validate and refine the use of incoherent scatter radar (ISR) to measure atmospheric properties of the mesosphere (65-90 km), a key region for energy and momentum transfer between the lower and upper atmosphere. Based on existing data from both the Arecibo Observatory and the AMISR array located in Alaska, as well as new data acquired during the course of this work, this project will improve interpretation of radar backscatter from the collision-dominated mesospheric plasma, a long-standing problem owing to the presence of heavy ions, negative ions, and layer structuring. Specifically, this project is to compare theoretical scattering models with experimental data from the two sites and to compare chemistry models with the derived parameters. Analysis of the resulting mesospheric parameters will be conducted to investigate open questions on mesospheric chemistry and dynamics, particularly regarding the role of minor constituents, as well as climatological dependencies.