CAREER: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Electrodynamics and Structuring of the Low-latitude Ionosphere

该奖项支持的研究将推进我们对近地空间（地球空间）的理解，重点关注低纬度电离层内电场随高度和时间的变化，电离层是位于大约50至300英里高度之间的高层大气区域。它是由大气中性物质和带电粒子（离子和电子）的混合物形成的，主要是由吸收太阳辐射产生的。地球空间的动力学行为取决于发生在太阳、太阳-地球环境和低层（低于50英里）大气中的各种物理过程。该合同的研究计划将把秘鲁现有的地面雷达测量与天基测量相结合。这些结果连同新的测量结果将用于协助发展计算机数值模式，以便更好地说明低纬度电离层及其与当地时间、太阳通量水平和地磁活动的关系。受资助的工作将为科学、技术、工程和数学领域的本科生和研究生提供专业培训。该项目还将加强达拉斯德州大学物理专业的课程设置。最后，预计该项目还将通过在空间中心定期举行公开讲座的方式，提高公众对地球地球空间环境的科学和技术方面的知识。将测量和建模结合起来的研究计划将大大提高对电离层动力学行为的基本物理过程的理解。这项研究的结果还将有助于比目前更准确地评估电离层对各种技术系统（GPS、电信、遥感、超视距雷达等）使用的无线电波传播的影响，为与空间天气预报相关的社会需求提供强有力的相关性。

The research supported by this award will advance our understanding of the space near Earth (geospace) with focus on the variability of the electric fields over height and over time within the low latitude ionosphere, which is that region of the upper atmosphere located between approximately 50 and 300 miles altitude. It is formed by a mixture of atmospheric neutral species and charged particles (ions and electrons) created, mostly, by the absorption of solar radiation. The dynamical behavior of geospace depends on various physical processes occurring in the Sun, in the Sun-Earth environment, and in the lower (below 50 miles) atmosphere. The research plan of this award will combine existing ground-based radar measurements made in Peru with space-based measurements. These results together with new measurements would be utilized to assist the development of computer numerical models that would provide better specification of the low-latitude ionosphere and its dependence upon local time, solar flux levels, and geomagnetic activity. The broader impact of the funded work will provide professional training for undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The project will also enhance the curriculum of the Physics program at UT Dallas. Finally, the project is expected to also increase public literacy about scientific and technological aspects of the Earth's geospace environment through the medium of public lectures presented at the Space Center at regular intervals.The research plan to combine measurements and modeling would achieve greatly-improved understanding of fundamental physical processes responsible for the ionospheric dynamical behavior. The outcomes of this study will also help to evaluate, more accurately than currently possible, the impact of the ionosphere in the propagation of radio waves used by various technological systems (GPS, telecommunications, remote sensing, over-the-horizon radars, etc.) providing strong relevance to societal needs in connection with space weather forecasting.