CEDAR: Simultaneous Digital Ionosonde and Mapping Tilting Filter Photometer Studies of the Precipitation of Conjugate Photoelectrons into the Mid-latitude Winter Thermosphere

Clemson University, Clemson SC

Investigators

Abstract

Meriwether, John W. ATM9979268abs The investigators will combine measurements of atomic oxygen emissions during twilight with digital ionosonde measurements to study the response of precipitating conjugate photoelectrons to variations in solar and geomagnetic activity during the upcoming solar maximum period, and to compare the results with predictions from the Field-aligned Interhemispheric Plasma (FLIP) model. The observations consist of photometric measurements of the 630 and 844.6 nm atomic oxygen airglow emission rates over two winters at the Clemson Atmospheric Research Laboratory. The emission rate at 630 nm caused by conjugate photoelectron impact is determined by subtraction of the model estimate for the local emission from the photometer observations. These results and the observed 844.6 nm emissions would be compared with the FLIP predictions of nightglow enhancements generated by conjugate photoelectron fluxes. These results would provide insight as to possible plasmasphere variations of transparency with latitude or longitude or with changes in solar and geomagnetic activity.