RAPID: Re-commissioning of the Drake - Antarctic Agile Meteor Radar (DrAAMeR)

Global Atmospheric Technologies And Sciences, Inc., Newport News VA

Investigators

Abstract

An advanced meteor radar, the Drake Antarctic Agile Meteor Radar (DrAAMeR), was installed by our team at the Brazilian Antarctic Base Cmd. Ferraz at 62.1oS on King George Island in March 2010 under NSF Grant OPP-0839084. Initial measurements contributed to several multi-radar studies addressing large-scale and small-scale dynamics, and several other papers partially prepared under previous NSF funding. Unfortunately, these measurements were terminated in late January 2012 when a fire destroyed Ferraz Base. However, our Brazilian colleagues at INPE have now rebuilt Ferraz, and power was restored in January 2014. Given the success of the Ferraz repairs, our Brazilian colleagues are now eager to also restore the various measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) that were previously being made at Ferraz,including those with DrAAMeR.