Collaborative Research: CEDAR: Searching for the Strongest Thermospheric Wind and Highest Temperature inside Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancements

极光是太阳高能粒子在高纬度落下并与地球大气相撞的壮观效果的展示。这些五颜六色的显示器被广泛观察到具有几种典型的形状和颜色。最近，在高纬度地区观测到了一种新的类似极光的光。它通常由一条狭窄的紫色弧线组成，带有狭窄的绿色“尖桩栅栏”特征。它独特的形状和颜色与典型的极光不同。科学家将其命名为STEVE(强热发射速度增强)。因为史蒂夫出现在比典型极光(称为亚极光区域)更低的纬度，它被认为与电离层中带电粒子的强烈流动有关，电离层是我们大气层上方的一层，有自由流动的离子和电子。对STEVE的研究将有助于我们了解高低纬电离层之间的相互作用，以及太阳能如何影响整个地球大气系统和空间天气。顾名思义，STEVE被解释为由于大离子漂移(~5000m/S)下强离子中性相互作用产生的热而产生的化学发光反应。为了验证离子-中性强相互作用产生史蒂夫的热量的假设，离子漂移和热层风观测都是必要的。星群卫星在史蒂夫研究中提供了离子漂移数据，但亚极光地区的热层风和温度观测缺少观测数据。为了获得热层温度和风的观测，以确定STEVE发射机制，该项目将在阿萨巴斯卡大学(54.60N，113.64W，61MLAT)部署一台法布里-珀罗涉仪(FPI)，那里有一个光学天文台，STEVE已经被观测到。此外，将使用一台小型彩色CCD全天相机监测STEAT和极光活动的发生，并将使用一台双频GPS接收器监测电离层总电子含量的变化。该团队计划每年花费20个晚上实时拍摄所有天空相机的图像，并在发现史蒂夫时将FPI天空扫描仪转向史蒂夫。计划对未来太阳活动区事件之后的亚风暴事件进行实时监测，这将由美国国家海洋和大气管理局空间气象局跟踪。极光图像和FP I数据将结合Spot离子漂移数据进行研究，以实现对电离层和热层条件的相对完整的诊断。该项目将讨论三个主题：1)与STEVE相关的热层条件及其对其排放的影响；2)SAPS对热层风的影响；3)热层风对亚风暴负相扩展的影响。考虑到与STEVE相关的极端电离层条件，可以观察到大的热层风速和高的中性温度，这可能会改变我们对热层-电离层相互作用的看法。拟议的Athabasca FPI可以弥合Resolute和Boulder FPI之间的巨大空间差距，并允许跟踪从高到中纬度的亚风暴效应。由于阿萨巴斯卡所在的纬度范围受到亚暴负相的强烈影响，该项目的结果将直接解决空间天气预报的一个主要问题。由于史蒂夫是公民科学家首次观察到的，该项目将提高公众对空气动力学研究的认识，并将刺激未来公众对科学技术的参与。该项目将促进多样化的合作，并在NCAR和EPSCoR州的一个具有科学竞争力的机构之间建立伙伴关系。提议团队将使这个项目成为一个促进STEM教育的机会，增加妇女和代表不足的少数民族在STEM中的参与。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Auroras are a spectacular display of the effects of Sun's energetic particles raining down and colliding with Earth’s atmosphere at high latitudes. These colorful displays are widely observed to have several typical shapes and colors. Recently, a ‘new’ type of aurora-like light at high latitudes has been observed. It often consists of a narrow purple arc with narrow green ‘picket-fence’ features. Its distinct shapes and colors are different from typical auroras. Scientists named it as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement). Because STEVE occurs at lower latitudes than typical auroras (called sub-auroral region), it is believed to be associated with a strong flow of charged particles in the ionosphere, a layer above our atmosphere with free-flowing ions and electrons. Research on STEVE will help us understand the interactions between the high and low latitude ionosphere and how solar energy impacts the entire Earth’s atmosphere system and space weather.As its name suggested, STEVE is interpreted to be due to the chemiluminescent reactions induced by heat generated by strong ion neutral interaction at large ion drift (~ 5000 m/s). To test the hypothesis of heat from strong ion-neutral interaction causing STEVE, both ion drift and thermospheric wind observations are necessary. The Swarm satellites have provided ion drift data in STEVE studies, but observations are missing for the thermospheric wind and temperature observations in the sub-auroral region. To obtain thermospheric temperature and wind observations for ascertaining the STEVE emission mechanism, this project will deploy a Fabry Perot Interferometer (FPI) at Athabasca University (54.60N, 113.64W, 61 MLAT), where an optical observatory is located and STEVE had been observed. In addition, a small color CCD all sky camera will be used to monitor the occurrence of STEVE and auroral activities and a dual-band GPS receiver will be used to monitor ionospheric Total Electron Content variations. The team plans to spend 20 nights/year to take all sky camera images in real time and steer the FPI sky scanner toward the STEVE when it is sighted. The real time monitoring is planned for substorm events following future solar active region events, which will be tracked from NOAA space weather services. The auroral images and FPI data will be studied in combination with the Swarm ion drift data to achieve a comparatively complete diagnosis of the ionosphere and thermosphere conditions. The project will address three topics: 1) Thermospheric conditions associated with STEVE and their effect on its emission; 2) SAPS effects on thermospheric winds; 3) Thermospheric wind's effect on the expansion of the substorm negative phase. Given the extreme ionospheric condition associated with STEVE, large thermospheric wind speed and high neutral temperature could be observed, which can change our perception of thermosphere-ionosphere interactions. The proposed Athabasca FPI can bridge the large spatial gap between the Resolute and Boulder FPI and allow the substorm effect from high to mid latitudes to be tracked. Since Athabasca is located at a latitude range that is strongly affected by the substorm negative phase, the results of this project will directly address a major concern for space weather forecast.Since STEVE was first observed by citizen scientists, this project will generate a greater public awareness of the aeronomy research and will stimulate future public engagement with science and technology. The project will foster diverse collaborations and establish a partnership between NCAR and a scientifically competitive institution in an EPSCoR state. The proposing team would make this project an opportunity to promote STEM education, increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.