Space Weather: Construction of Web-based Empirical Models of the Earth's Ionosphere Using Data from Multiple Incoherent Scatter Radars

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

Construction of three comprehensive web-based models of the ionosphere using data from eight incoherent scatter radars (ISRs) is proposed. These models will greatly extend recent models based on data from the Millstone Hill ISR. The model will include three main parts. The first two are North American and European regional models of basic and derived scalar parameters, including electron density (Ne), electron and ion temperature (Te and Ti), neutral meridional wind and exospheric temperature: the third is a model of the ExB plasma drifts and corresponding electrostatic potential patterns as obtained by the EISCAT mainland and VHF radars. The North American regional model will be based on data from the Sondrestromfjord, Millstone Hill and Arecibo ISRs. The European regional model will be based on data from the EISCAT Svalbard, EISCAT mainland UHF and VHF, Kharkov and St. Santin ISRs. The parameters to be modeled have been identified by the National Space Weather Program (NSWP) Implementation Plan as important ones which must be specified and forecast in response to customer operational support requirements. All of them have also been identified by the NSWP Metrics Panel as either first, second or third priority parameters which define the state and condition of the ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) system. The high-latitude electric field and its variability has also been identified by the Metrics Panel as one of two first priority "driver" parameters of the IT system.