Collaborative Research: Inferring High Latitude Convection Patterns Using SuperDARN, DMSP and ACE

University Of Texas At Dallas, Richardson TX

Investigators

Abstract

Observations of ionospheric convection from SuperDARN and DMSP along with ACE solar wind observations will be used to develop a new high-latitude convection model. The approach will be to use Data Interpolating Orthogonal Functions (DINEOFs). DINEOFs are a data-based technique that determines a limited set of basis functions and their evolution that best describes a data set. The basis functions will be used to study the interaction between polar cap convection and the solar wind. The technique allows the two ionospheric data sets to be combined and will fill gaps in the data record without using bin-averaging as is presently done. The approach is rigorous and provides error estimates. The resulting model will provide spatial and temporal characteristics of the convection for both hemispheres. This model will be valuable to other magnetospheric and ionospheric researchers. It is from a young researcher just starting his career and will support a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas. A graduate student will be supported at Virginia Tech.