Imaging Science Investigations of Atmsopheric Processes

该项目的目标是研究一系列广泛的高层大气科学主题，这些主题都是电离层-热层-中间层（ITM）区域内和与之相关的高度耦合系统的表现。对这些研究的贡献来自于内部开发和部署的8台微光全天空成像仪（ASIs）。该项目有八个活动领域：(a)产生稳定的极光红（SAR）弧的全球磁层-电离层相互作用，(b)产生中尺度行电离层扰动（MSTIDs）的电动力- itm过程，(c)被称为赤道扩散f （ESF）的严重电离层不规则性的地磁共轭点控制方面，(d)在太阳和地磁长期静止期间电离层的逐日变化，(e)中间层的动力学过程，(f)机会实验，(g)比较航空学，(h)运行CEDAR光学校准实验室。特别关注的是确定所观察到的特征是否与经度和/或半球存在对称或不对称。其中包括倾斜的地磁偶极子如何在半球内部和半球之间产生由地理纬度（例如，太阳产生）和地磁纬度（例如，磁层输入）控制的混合过程。

The goal of this project is to study a broad set of upper atmospheric science topics that are all manifestations of highly coupled systems within and connected to the Ionosphere-Thermosphere-Mesosphere (ITM) regions. The contributions to these studies arise from in-house development and deployment of eight low-light-level all-sky-imagers (ASIs). The project has eight areas of activity: (a) the global magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions that create stable auroral red (SAR) arcs, (b) the electrodynamical-ITM processes that create Medium Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs), (c) the geomagnetic conjugate point controlled aspects of the severe ionospheric irregularities known as equatorial spread-F (ESF), (d) the day-to-day variability of the ionosphere during periods of extended solar and geomagnetic quiescence, (e) dynamical processes in the Mesosphere, (f) experiments of opportunity, (g) comparative aeronomy, and (h) running the CEDAR optical calibration lab. Of particular focus is determining if symmetries or asymmetries exist with longitude and/or hemisphere for the features observed. These include how the tilted geomagnetic dipole creates a mix of processes controlled by geographic latitude (e.g., solar production) versus geomagnetic latitude (e.g., magnetospheric input) within and between the hemispheres.