| NSF Org: |
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 31, 2015 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 14, 2017 |
| Award Number: | 1462298 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Irfan S. Azeem
AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2015 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $114,384.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $114,384.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2016 = $39,129.00 FY 2017 = $39,255.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
55 MIDDLESEX ST UNIT 210 NORTH CHELMSFORD MA US 01863-1561 (978)251-4554 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
55 Middlesex St Unit 201 chelmsford MA US 01863-1561 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | AERONOMY |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001617DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001718DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
Medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) are wave-like variations in ionospheric density and altitude that are widely observed from high to low latitudes. This project addresses questions of their origin and evolution by carrying out multi-site, multi-instrument investigations and applying tomographic reconstructions. The project will include outreach activities to students and the public in Puerto Rico.
The tomographic technique will enable a deeper understanding of the electrodynamics of MSTIDs by creating wide area maps of the field-line integrated Pedersen conductivity independent of magnetic-field geometry. The following questions regarding the three-dimensional airglow structure will be addressed: (1) How does MSTID structure relate to the spatial/temporal distribution of field-line integrated Pederson conductivity? (2) Is MSTID plasma transport dominated by neutral winds or electrodynamics?
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The primary goal for SSI in this collaborative effort is the installation and operation of dual imagers. One imager located at the Arecibo Observatory (AO) and the other at the remote optical facility on Culebra. These imagers will by synchronized and will simultaneously observe airglow phenomena. The specific goal is joint observations of TIDs that will allow APL to perform tomographic reconstructions to eludicate any internal structure. Also TID phenomena will be cataloged with respect to neutral winds and temperatures.
An all-sky imager was installed on Culebra at the remote optical facility. As was a remote HF receiver with 4 coherent channels. The SSI all-sky imager at Arecibo was upgraded with a new CCD focal plane array and the lastest version of ImageTool software for operations. During the year many TIDs where imaged by both imagers and the HF receiver.
In Fall 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused significant damage to the island of Culebra as well as the Arecibo Observatory. However, during the grant period TID's and other phenomena were observed simultaneously by both imagers and after repair and recovery observations for the community remain ongoing.
We have achieved the first simultaneous imagery of MSTIDs for limited angle tomography and have built an impressive catalog of events for community exploration via the CEDAR madrigal database and neutralwinds.com in addition we supported ionospheric heating experiments and provided the first images and movies of artificial airglow from the new AO heater.
The data collected during the grant period is being made available to the community and the assets remain operational providing community data into the future. REU students at Arecibo were educated and involved in the project and additional scientific inquiry and results are ongoing.
Last Modified: 01/14/2019
Modified by: Jonathan T Fentzke
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