Collaborative Research: CEDAR: Modeling and Observation of Secondary Gravity Waves in the Thermosphere and Ionosphere Generated from Deep Convection

这笔拨款将支持一项努力，以加强对电离层等离子体波结构形成过程的理解，这些结构出现在呈现圆形图案的总电子含量（TEC）事件的区域分布中。这些事件被认为是由雷暴系统内的深层对流过程产生的，这些过程将重力波结构发射到60至100公里的高层大气区域，在那里这些波包发生强烈的粘性耗散。这些初级波的部分波能转化为次级波的产生，这些次级波能够传播到更高的大气高度200公里以上的区域。在这里，这些波与电离层等离子体的相互作用（沿着磁场线推动或拉动等离子体）将产生称为“行电离层扰动”（TIDs）的结构，这种结构在TEC数据中非常常见。本研究的主要目的是将观测到的同心TEC微扰与来自深对流的初级和次级GWs的实际模拟计算结果进行比较，以加强和验证这些TID结构的计算模型。第二个目标是利用观测到的次级吉瓦的振幅和尺度来探测125-225公里附近的“暗”（但高度可变）区域的动力学，大部分初级吉瓦都在那里消散。通过参考这些结构形成的成功模型，从重力波过程的角度对这些TID事件作出令人满意的解释从未实现过。因此，这项资助的研究具有重要的潜力，可以增强对这些与加热和冷却过程相关的环形TID事件的特性的理解，这些加热和冷却过程与一次波结构的耗散和转化为二次波输出有关。由于成功模拟了这些循环TID事件，预计该奖项将产生重大的社会影响和变革性的研究成果。由于GWs引起的闪烁和等离子体气泡可能会干扰卫星通信和GPS信号，因此这项研究可能会更好地预测这些现象的发生，这与全国相关。为了提高公众对科学的理解，研究人员将通过网站、会议演讲和期刊出版物广泛传播研究结果。最后，该项目将支持一名女科学家（PI）的研究。

This grant will support an effort to enhance the understanding of the formation processes for ionospheric plasma wave structures seen in regional distributions of Total Electron Content (TEC) events that exhibit circular patterns. These events are believed to be generated by deep convective processes within thunderstorm systems that launch gravity wave structures into the upper atmosphere region of 60 to 100 km where strong viscous dissipation of these wave packets occurs. Part of the wave energy of these primary waves is transformed into the production of secondary waves that are able to propagate higher into the region of atmospheric heights above 200 km. Here, the interaction of these waves with the ionospheric plasma (pushing or pulling plasma along magnetic field lines) would then generate structures called Traveling Ionosphere Disturbances (TIDs) that are so often seen in TEC data. The primary objective of the research is to compare the observed concentric TEC perturbations with those calculated from realistic modeling of the primary and secondary GWs from deep convection in order to strengthen and validate the models for the calculation of these TID structures. A secondary objective would be to utilize the amplitudes and scales of the observed secondary GWs to probe the dynamics of the 'dark' (but highly variable) region near 125-225 km where most of the primary GWs dissipate. A satisfactory explanation of these TID events in terms of gravity wave processes by reference to the successful modeling of the formation of these structures has never been achieved. Thus, the funded research has a significant potential for providing an enhanced understanding of the properties of these circular TID events that relate to the heating and cooling processes associated with the dissipation and transformation of the primary wave structure into the secondary wave output. Significant societal impact and transformative research outcomes for this award are expected to be achieved as a result of the success in modeling these circular TID events. Because GWs cause scintillation and plasma bubbles that can disrupt satellite communication and GPS signals, this study may lead to better predictions for the occurrence of these phenomena, which is nationally relevant. In order to enhance scientific understanding for the general public, the researcher will disseminate broadly the results via a web site, conference talks, and journal publications. Finally, this project would support the research of a woman scientist (PI).