Award Abstract #0640641
Collaborative Research: CEDAR--Experimental and Modeling Study of Mesoscale Ion-Neutral Coupling in the Auroral Thermosphere

NSF Org:	ATM Division of Atmospheric Sciences
Initial Amendment Date:	April 10, 2007
Latest Amendment Date:	January 27, 2009
Award Number:	0640641
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	Therese Moretto Jorgensen ATM Division of Atmospheric Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	April 15, 2007
Expires:	March 31, 2010 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$215110
Investigator(s):	John Meriwether john.meriwether@ces.clemson.edu (Principal Investigator) Miguel Larsen (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Clemson University 300 BRACKETT HALL CLEMSON, SC 29634 864/656-2424
NSF Program(s):	UPPER ATMOSPHERIC FACILITIES, AERONOMY
Field Application(s):	0205000 Space
Program Reference Code(s):	EGCH, 9150, 1323
Program Element Code(s):	4202, 1521

ABSTRACT

The coupling of ions and neutrals in the auroral thermosphere, during both active and quite auroral conditions is studied using three Fabry-Perot interferometers and the AMISR incoherent scatter radar. Three components (zonal, meridional, and vertical) of the thermospheric neutral wind are isolated in a mesoscale cell approximately 50km - 75km in size, within the AMISR coverage pattern. The goal is to quantify the mesoscale response to joule heating in the auroral thermosphere, and to evaluate ion-neutral coupling in the vicinity of auroral arcs. The measurements also provide the divergence and vorticity of the neutral wind. The physics-based Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (GTIM) is applied with enhanced spatial resolution and measurement constraint to evaluate the importance of various forcing functions, including Lorentz drag, particle precipitation energy deposition, and Joule heating.

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