CAREER: An Initiative to Investigate the Near Space Interaction Region (INSpIRe)

高层大气层是地球大气层中将低层大气层和行星际环境分隔开的区域。重要而复杂的化学和动力过程发生在这个区域，特别是在外逸层，在那里地球大气层实际上与行星际空间合并。要了解控制高层大气耦合、能量学和动力学的过程，需要观测其平均状态及其对外部强迫的响应。 这些观测将为全面了解空间-大气层系统提供重要的制约因素。虽然地球的外逸层是由一些原子和分子物种，中性原子氢是越来越占主导地位的高度和目前的整个。氢原子在高层大气中的垂直分布及其垂直输运通量被认为是理解高层大气化学、电离层与中性大气之间的电荷交换以及大气区域之间耦合的重要参数。不幸的是，很少有直接确定这些参数已经实现。这就留下了一些重要的问题没有完全回答：氢原子在热层和散逸层中的分布是什么？这种分布是如何应对外部压力的？从中间层向上的氢通量是恒定的还是可变的？什么是外逸层粒子群和速度分布（卫星、弹道和逃逸成分）？这项研究被称为INSpIRe，意为“调查近空间相互作用区域”。“这是一个为期五年的职业发展计划：（1）将两台最先进的第二代法布里-珀罗环形求和光谱仪集成到一个远程操作设施中;（2）将这一仪器部署到一个晴朗的地方，建立一个稳定的，校准良好的观测平台;（3）开始一系列专门设计的观测，以促进地冠研究的三个主要领域，即，从整合到实施，INSpIRe倡议将提供一个平台，鼓励和教育下一代研究人员，并提供一个场所，将课堂上获得的知识应用于现实世界的科学和工程挑战。INSpIRe计划将通过主动学习为本科生参与研究开辟新的途径，鼓励本科生在职业生涯早期进行独立研究，提高博士学位的增长。在安布里-里德尔航空大学（ERAU）的工程物理课程，并通过开放日活动，图尔斯参观和演示，让公众参与发现的奇迹。INSpIRe计划全面投入使用后，还将能够为本研究核心科学重点以外的许多光学高层大气学领域做出贡献。作为INSpIRe倡议的一部分，法布里-珀罗仪器的独特能力为将空气动力学研究扩展到行星空气动力学的相关领域提供了机会，为研究和社区参与开辟了新的途径。

The upper atmosphere is defined as the region of Earth's atmosphere that separates the lower atmosphere and the interplanetary environment. Important and complex chemical and dynamical processes take place in this region, particularly in the exosphere, where the terrestrial atmosphere literally merges with interplanetary space. Understanding the processes that govern the coupling, energetics, and dynamics of the upper atmosphere requires observations of its mean state and its response to external forcing. These observations will provide important constraints in developing a complete picture of the space-atmosphere system. Although the terrestrial exosphere is populated by a number of atomic and molecular species, neutral atomic hydrogen is increasingly dominant with altitude and present throughout. The vertical distribution of atomic hydrogen in the upper atmosphere and its vertical transport flux are recognized as important parameters in understanding upper atmospheric chemistry, charge exchange between the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere, and coupling between atmospheric regions. Unfortunately, few direct determinations of these parameters have been achieved. This leaves important questions incompletely answered: What is the distribution of atomic hydrogen in the thermosphere and exosphere? How does that distribution respond to external forcing? Is the upward flux of hydrogen from the mesosphere constant or variable? What are the exospheric particle populations and velocity distributions (satellite, ballistic and escaping components)? This study is called INSpIRe, for "Investigate the Near Space Interaction Region." It is a five year career development plan to: (1) integrate two state-of-the-art second generation Fabry-Perot annular summing spectrometers into a remotely operable facility; (2) deploy this instrumentation to a clear-air site, establishing a stable, well-calibrated observing platform; (3) embark on a series of observations specifically designed to contribute to three major areas of geocoronal research, i.e., geocoronal physics, structure/coupling, and variability; (4) establish an adaptable facility capable of contributing to many areas of terrestrial aeronomy.From integration to implementation, initiative INSpIRe will provide a platform to encourage and educate the next generation of researchers and a venue to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world science and engineering challenges. Initiative INSpIRe will open new avenues for undergraduate participation in research through active learning, encourage undergraduate students to pursue independent research early in their careers, enhance the growing Ph.D. program in Engineering Physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), and involve the public in the wonder of discovery through open house events, tours, and demonstrations. When fully operational, initiative INSpIRe will also be capable of contributing to many areas of optical aeronomy beyond the core scientific focus of this study. The unique capabilities of the Fabry-Perot instruments assembled as part of initiative INSpIRe afford opportunities to extend aeronomical research into the related field of planetary aeronomy, opening new avenues for research and community involvement.