CEDAR: Thunderstorm Coupling to the Lower Ionosphere through Electromagnetic, Acoustic, and Gravity Waves

研究人员将以闪电、声波和重力波的形式从下方耦合，量化雷暴活动对电离层的影响。雷暴、闪电和重力波是从对流层到电离层和热层的主要已知耦合来源，但它们的影响还没有很好地量化。该计划旨在通过电磁波、重力波和声波来量化雷暴对电离层D区、E区和F区的影响。特别是，该计划旨在解决雷暴活动对零星-E层的影响，这是卫星对地通信中断的主要来源。该方案将利用甚低频(VLF)窄带和宽带数据，以及光学测量，以评估这些源对D区电离层的影响，并提供D区和E区闪电驱动电场强度的估计。同时，将使用GPS、电离层探空仪、雷达和光学观测来评估雷暴活动对E区和F区的影响。阿雷西博非相干散射雷达和圣克罗伊相干散射雷达将用于评估雷暴对这些电离层区域的影响。现有的有限差分和全波传播模型将被用来比较观测和理论。一名研究生的博士论文将得到该项目的支持，收集的数据将被小组中的其他几名研究生使用。在该计划中收集的数据也将提供给科学界。该计划的成果将通过加强对对流层天气和空间天气之间相互作用的了解而造福社会。该方案还将通过先进的光度计和甚低频/低频接收器加强阿雷西博和圣克罗伊的科学基础设施。

The investigators will quantify the impact on the ionosphere by thunderstorm activity through coupling from below in the form of lightning, acoustic waves, and gravity waves. Thunderstorms, lightning, and gravity waves are the primary known sources of coupling from the troposphere to the ionosphere and thermosphere, but their impacts are not well quantified. This program aims to quantify the effects of thunderstorms on the D-, E-, and F-regions of the ionosphere through electromagnetic, gravity, and acoustic waves. In particular, this program aims to address the effects of thunderstorm activity on sporadic-E layers, which are a dominant source of satellite-to-ground communication disruption. This program will utilize Very Low Frequency (VLF) narrowband and broadband data, together will optical measurements, to assess the impact of these sources on the D-region ionosphere and provide estimates of lightning-driven electric field magnitudes in the D- and E- regions. Simultaneously, GPS, ionosonde, radar, and optical observations will be used to assess the impacts of thunderstorm activity on the E- and F-regions. The Arecibo incoherent scatter radar and St. Croix coherent scatter radar will be used to assess thunderstorm effects on these ionospheric regions. Existing finite-difference and full-wave propagation models will be used to compare observations to theory. The Ph.D thesis of one graduate student will be supported by the program, and the data collected will be used by several other graduate students in the group. Data collected in this program will also be made available to the scientific community. Results of the program will benefit society through enhanced understanding of the interaction between tropospheric weather and space weather. The program will also enhance the scientific infrastructure at Arecibo and St. Croix through an advnaced photometer and VLF/LF receivers.