CEDAR: Ionospheric Auroral Disturbances in Proton Aurora

Trustees Of Boston University, Boston

Investigators

Abstract

This award would carry out optical and radar measurements that would be compared with the results of the modeling of the effects of proton precipitation for the region of the equatorward edge of the early evening sector of the auroral oval where protons are known to be a significant energy source. Measurements of the H-alpha and H-beta Doppler profiles would be made with a new high resolution echelle-CCD spectrograph at polar latitudes where the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar would provide concurrent soundings of the proton-auroral ionosphere. The proposed effort is aimed at overcoming several problems that have plagued the proper interpretation of such observations in the past. The use of a high spectral resolution spectrograph would minimize the effect of auroral contamination. The use of the incoherent scatter radar would make possible the acquisition of accurate ionization profiles enabling the accurate determination of the average energy and the energy flux into the region..